Thread: greg hill is now on salomon

sponsored athletes help push the technology that benefits us all.

anyone care to read about the career of Shane McConkey?

Originally Posted by auvgeek

It feels like the people who are arguing against marketing/sponsorship are really arguing that they *wish* consumers were (as a whole) more rational than that. But they aren't. You can argue all you want that marketing is bullshit and shouldn't appeal to people's emotions, but it does work for the majority of the population, particularly teens who convince their parents they *need* the latest and greatest gear.

Look at Praxis or PM Gear—great skis, but not so great in the marketing department. Are you going to see either of them in a big-budget ski movie next year? Likely not. The fact is, it's not the cheapskates who spend months deliberating and research the product that the companies are after with their marketing. It's the people who have more money and spend less time researching the gear.

Well we are talking about touring ski gear here and from my experience most touring skiers who spend time touring become rational after not that long. See: all those people who bought Dukes and then realized for actually touring they suck.

Originally Posted by Hugh Conway

See: all those people who bought Dukes and then realized for actually touring they suck.

They sucked less than the alternative (non-tech) bindings though. Arguably.

I don't wish consumers were anything but what they are (taking out the environmental arguement). How do you think some of us dirtbag around buying two season old stuff cheap and working every bro form we can and are able to do what we do?

And don't think I save those savings for retirement...I definitely tip my local wait staff at the bar. If I could get my bar budget down I could spend more on bindings but the beer manufacturers just keep coming out with better tasting beer that gets me drunk faster and makes women look better at only 15% over last year's retail price.

Originally Posted by Hugh Conway

well, if you are wedded to a marketing model and think greg hill is the best known skier evar, sure. if you refuse to listen to people saying that marketing model doesn't lead to products they want to buy, well, that's the kinda stupid the ski industry loves.

Really?

If Greg Hill isn't the highest profile backcountry skier in the world, then he's certainly one of the highest profile backcountry skiers in the world and Salomon was very smart to sign him.

* Athletic sponsorships are a very successful marketing model because, whether you like it or not, social proof has profound impacts on decisions.
* Look at all the people who push Dukes and Dynafits on this forum.
* Where do you think those messages originate?

What are you talking about when you say that sponsored athletic programmes don't result in products that people want to buy? Is this all products or just some products?

Do you still ski on straight sticks?

Originally Posted by Atrain505

Impressions = sales.

This is true in the outdoor gear industry.

A brand can get impressions from Pros but you can also get them from unknown bartenders, ski school, pro patrol, dirt bag bc touring bloggers, and maggots. Smart brands have figured out you need all of the above.

Having Greg Hill on Salomon will get their product impressions. Be it in print, the web, events, or out in the backcountry. If the product is good massive sales will follow.

Originally Posted by Hugh Conway

You are assuming Dynafit has bothered to develop a marketing message.

Yeah yeah, Dynafit doesn't have a marketing message.

Originally Posted by Hugh Conway

despite what navel gazing might lead you to believe, the absence of one isn't necessarily one. from all I've gathered north america is a backwards land that the dynafit people don't really give a shit about.

Of course that's what Dynafit thinks of North America, and it's exactly why they don't buy advertising in North American markets or even try to sell Dynafits here. It's also why they didn't develop a ski with Greg Hill.

Originally Posted by CookieMonster

Really?

If Greg Hill isn't the highest profile backcountry skier in the world, then he's certainly one of the highest profile backcountry skiers in the world

From what I can gather Greg Hill has minimal profile outside of North America. A vast majority of backcountry skiers are outside of North America.

The Dynafit "message" in north america hasn't changed much since they were imported by a small shop in Seattle and as far as I can tell originated by people skiing and reporting their experiences. If you'd ever read things then you can perhaps get a sense of how assinine it is to attribute this stuff to "marketing" for Dynafit. Dukes are entirely different and linking that to dynafits is well, stupid. But feel free to treat the present as indistinguishable from the past.

Yes, there are different types of consumers who base their buying decisions on a lot of factors. Yes, marketing works.

Yes, I occasionally ski on straight sticks. But man, I wish I could my hands on a pair of those Elan Parabolics...I heard Dav is going that way after Elan offered him a G6 and we're not talking Pontiacs here.

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

They sucked less than the alternative (non-tech) bindings though. Arguably.

...ahem...

Force gales from all points of the internet today drove huDge thread drift in various aspects of the TGR website. Experts say vectors fields on arbitrarily high dimensioned spheres indicate that the homotopy groups will not converge, Brown-Gitler spectra nonwithstanding.

I bet if you put seth on a pair of 210 k2 extreme pencils from the early 90's he could still stomp a 60 foot backflip. And if you paid certain athletes enough they would probably make a full movie part on those. Long skis are back!

On the other hand, maybe Salomon thinks that Greg Hill can actually help them develop the product and brand? He is not Paris Hilton but maybe with his experience as a ski bum, acmg member and soul pro he can bring something fresh to the brand. I think it is awesome, good for him. Its guys with a passion for skiing that develop and sell skis. Whether it is through ski design, product testing or photo shoots. I imagine it takes a lot of patience to sit there all day and wait for the right light for photos or film when all the ski bums are getting 5 laps on their sleds in the zone around the corner.

If you are not in the industry you ARE a consumer whether you like it or not (your level of coreness or chargeability does not make you above everyone else). At least around here good skiers are a dime a dozen. You are not excused if you pay for a yuppie trip to alaska every year, have a gay quiver of 5 pairs of skis for the 100+ days you put in every season, have 130 flex boots, or live in a ski town.

Secondly, Dana Flahr was on fox news a couple of years ago, back in the day schmidt and plake were on tv too. I seem to remember Sean Pettit somewhere too recently. Non skiers don't give a shit about what the athelete's name is or how sick they are but all the athlete has to do is get their attention by doing something entertaining. The brand benifets by having their name plastered on the news. All the non-skier needs to remember is K2 or Atomic so when they buy a pair of skis for the trip they make to whistler they have a brand in their head.

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

...ahem...

HAVE A POINTLESS ARGUMENT WITH ME!!!!

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

HAVE A POINTLESS ARGUMENT WITH ME!!!!

PM bagmy40oz

I'm definitely a consumer...of pow in my face. Like it or not? Yeah, I like it.

Originally Posted by Hugh Conway

PM bagmy40oz

Not that pointless.

And I was hoping for a degree of wit, civility and repartee.

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

HAVE A POINTLESS ARGUMENT WITH ME!!!!

I'd rather spend my time having constructive discussions; it's just that they're harder.

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

I'd rather spend my time having constructive discussions; it's just that they're harder.

They are just bridges to nowhere.

Originally Posted by Hugh Conway

They are just bridges to nowhere.

It completely depends on with whom they are undertaken.

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

it's just that they're harder.

They're a tad heavier and you can't lock the heel without clicking out first, elevator a little awkward but they ski better and I broke fewer of them...

Oh.... I see what you mean.

Anyway I'm still glad that Greg possibly gets to make some more $.

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

It completely depends on with whom they are undertaken.

It should have been "these" i.e pointless arguments

Considering we have the owners of several ski companies that participate here - some of whom sponsor athletes - I'd be curious to hear what they have to say about this. They'd probably rather not discuss it publicly, though.

Originally Posted by Hugh Conway

It should have been "these" i.e pointless arguments

quibbler.

Ennyvey, I think Dynafit has diluted their brand by having too many model choices. Yikes, which ones should I pick?

why does repartee always have to be witty?

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

Ennyvey, I think Dynafit has diluted their brand by having too many model choices. Yikes, which ones should I pick?

The red ones, of course!