Vail Resorts

The Challenge:

Send a holiday greeting that gives thanks and well wishes to email subscribers and guests on behalf of the five ski resorts in the Vail Resorts family. The email needed to be structured in a way that would excite recipients with magical images and interactive participation so that it would not be considered spam. Goals of the project included prompting recipients to book a vacation, increasing email subscriptions, and generating significant “forward to a friend” response.

The Solution:

Burns created an interactive holiday card for Vail Resorts directed toward families, luxury travelers, and hardcore skiers and snowboarders. The primary message approach focused on gratitude and good wishes. Presented in a sophisticated, clean, and professional manner, the card was designed to be intriguing and enjoyable. Recipients could select their message, their favorite resort, and the three activities that they love at Vail Resorts. The fun and interactive card made for an engaging interactive holiday experience, and recipients were encouraged to forward their customized card to friends.

The Results:

The web-based holiday card engaged viewers and encouraged interaction. More than 30,000 people played with the holiday greeting, and nearly 14,000 additional ecards were sent by the original recipients. An impressive number of recipients got the urge to hit the slopes and quickly booked vacations online. The card’s format lent itself to future use, and Burns Marketing was contracted to revise the card to spread Vail Resorts’ Valentine’s Day message.