It’s always amazed me what adding one extra layer of meaning can do to things.

This is the concept behind the FitBit (turn daily step counts into accomplishments), EpicMix (turn exploring the mountain into a game), and philanthropic events like Race for the Cure (make a 5k not just a race, but a “change the world” moment). And, by so doing, made each of these things significantly more popular.

So it is with skiing. Which is why I’m so excited for January.

The Idea
Last year Hugh Reynolds had an idea. It was simple, but carried the extra meaning skiing needs so badly.

Hugh’s idea was a massive, carefully coordinated ski lesson across the entire industry. Thousands of people all learning to ski on the same day, at the same (local) time, in the same event. An event that could, potentially, set four world records.

The first layer was already great: learning how to ski. The second layer packs an extra punch: become part of a world record. And not just a world record, but a Guinness World Record.

They’ve built a brand that’s powerful enough to take ordinary things…

The Guinness World Record for Planet Meditation, Become a part of History, At 8th August, 2015. Through webcast, pic.twitter.com/svs6BMwOzJ

— लामिछाने काजी (@KhimLamichhane) August 8, 2015

Want to be part of a Guinness World Record? @RumFest in London on 9th October is bidding to become the world's largest rum tasting event!

— No/6 Bar & Lounge (@Numbersixbar) September 23, 2014

…and turn them into extraordinary events. And given marketers like us the keys to tap into this power.

It was a little too late to make it happen last year, but after months of planning, coordinating, and brainstorming, it’s a go and will kick of Learn to Ski and Snowboard month on Friday, January 8, 2016 at 10:00am local time when resorts across the country hold their record-contributing lessons.

Ask not what the industry can do for you…
If I were ever to channel my inner John F, now would be that time. At which point I’d say,

Ask not what the ski industry can do for you. Ask what you can do for the ski industry.

Sometimes we sit back and wait for someone else to come up with an idea to solve any one of the dozens of challenges our industry faces. Today, I’m asking you to think about what you can do.

The hard work has already been done, we just need to spread the word and capitalize on the opportunity they’ve created for us.

Check out more details here:
World’s Largest Lesson Intro Material

And if your resort hasn’t registered, get on it:
World’s Largest Lesson Registration

BONUS NOTE: I’ll have more info on this shortly, but Ryan Solutions is going to comp the emails of any campaign dedicated solely to helping promote this event. That’s pretty dang cool if you ask me.

But whether you’re a Ryan Solutions client or not, stay tuned. I’ll be sharing a bunch of ideas in a couple of weeks on how to use your reach and brand to promote this effort.

About Gregg & SlopeFillers
I've had more first-time visitors lately, so adding a quick "about" section. I started SlopeFillers in 2010 with the simple goal of sharing great resort marketing strategies. Today I run marketing for resort ecommerce and CRM provider Inntopia, my home mountain is the lovely Nordic Valley, and my favorite marketing campaign remains the Ski Utah TV show that sold me on skiing as a kid in the 90s.