Have you ever been to a ski resort and thought,
‘Hmmmm…there’s something missing… AH! I know! Ads! I wish there were digital ads running on a screen installed on my chairlift! How am I supposed to know what to buy without ads!?!?!?!?!’
I hope you’re able to detect the immense amount of satire I was trying to inject into that hypothetical thought above…
Ads are on our phones, on our TVs, on billboards, in magazines, on our smart home systems (that are definitely not listening to us), and even our refrigerators.
Now, Edison Interactive and Alpine Media are opening their 6,500+ digital displays at ski resorts across the country to advertisers using a new self-service platform.
Essentially, advertisers will be able to access an app, create an ad they would like to run, and then choose where, when, and how long they want the ad to run.
Why are they doing this? Money, obviously, but read the statement below from Edison Interactive CEO Jeremy Ostermiller so you can understand the full picture:
“Skiers spend 75 minutes a day in gondolas and on chairlifts. We’re opening that up to local businesses to connect with this specific audience, and equally help the ski resorts strengthen their partnerships with local business communities,”
Basically, Edison Interactive and Alpine Media are trying to make sure they’re throwing ads in your face every chance that they get.
Ostermiller claims this new app will benefit local businesses, but I’m skeptical. I’d be less critical if they could ensure that this new digital ad space was reserved solely for local businesses, but we all know that won’t be the case forever.
It won’t be long before we’re riding chairlifts watching ads for Progressive, State Farm, Verizon, McDonald’s, and other big name brands. Won’t that be such a treat?
The sad part is that major ski resorts will be forced to upgrade to chairlifts and gondolas that support digital advertising to keep their profits up. It’s all just part of the game.
It seems like our world is getting closer everyday to actually having the personalized ads in Tom Cruise’s ‘Minority Report’. I pray to whatever god is listening that never becomes a reality.
Kudos to all of the mom-and-pop/independent ski areas that refuse to adopt this technology moving forward. Skiing is about skiing, not maximizing profits by ruining the experience with ad dollars.
You can read more about the new Edison Interactive and Alpine Media self-service advertising platform here.
All Images Credit: Alpine Media Technology
