IKON Bling Packet

[Ogg]

Indeed. I want a “just the pass” option where I don’t get a new pass shipped to me, never mind all the other stuff.

I would be very happy if I could just use last years pass. It seems silly to send a new pass and a bunch of useless crap to people who don’t really want it.

 

[Scruffy]

I would be very happy if I could just use last years pass. It seems silly to send a new pass and a bunch of useless crap to people who don’t really want it.

Seems like they could reload last year's pass, unless they've changed some physical technology they want to roll out. The bling is all about the stoke I guess.

 

[Scruffy]

View attachment 80564

Just got this in today's mail. I'm going to slap that sticker on my helmet, sew that patch on my waterproof Arc'Teryx shell, and hang both the pass and the key chain on a lanyard around my neck.

Then I'll be all set to jump in the tram line at Jackson Hole the upcoming second week of December.

Sweet. Don't forget the gopros, at least three to be cool

 

[Jerez]

Humm. Didnt get mine yet.

 

[VickieH]

The bling is all about the stoke I guess.

For me, the bling is un-stoke. I expected better of IKON than this.

 

[fatbob]

I have a sense that you could carry this off a lot better than I could.

I was thinking of bumper style stickers:

Ikon : Suck it princess*

Ikon : Powder to the plebs (Che Guavara fist logo)

Ikon: So sorry, did my roost ruin your groom?

Ikon: I'll just douche this up with some gapery

* Not meant in any MeToo or Homophobic context so that one might be a bit harder

 

[fatbob]

More seriously - given that they are too cheap to post to Yurp, do I need to get a new pass printed or does my old one not carry?

 

[Wasatchman]

For me, the bling is un-stoke. I expected better of IKON than this.

The consensus is that people are not digging the IKON bling.

Is it because you are inherently opposed to it or because IKON did such a god awful job of it? I wonder if people would have been more receptive to it if it would have been more tastefully done versus the schlock they just put out?

Not that I wanted bling, but I think the designs are absolutely horrible.

 

[Jerez]

Maybe it's because Ikon has become a symbol of the interloper, the not local, so people aren't lining up to Tatoo Ikon on their stuff. It'd be like putting an I heart Vail Resorts Inc. on your car. Maybe we're feeling a bit sheepish about Ikon? Which of course is silly because some places the Ikon pass has supplanted the local pass and everyone is an interloper in the wilderness anyhow.

Still, it suggests a lack of understanding on Ikon's part of the amount of negative association it has garnered. If they understood that, they would do more to try to change the framing. Bling-ey stickers and slick packaging is not the way to do that.

I have no opinion on the merits of the graphic presentation since we haven't gotten ours yet.

 

[Muleski]

The consensus is that people are not digging the IKON bling.
Not that I wanted bling, but I think the designs are absolutely horrible.

Agree, 100%. Want no bling, and its pretty bad looking bling, to say the least. Alterra has a HOST of branding challenges. As a ski marketing pro asked me over the weekend: "What's an Alterra?"

They need to create a brand identity and value for Alterra, but core to the plan is having all of the properties that they OWN retain what they describe as their own identity and "vibe." That's not that simple, IME. Create Alterra, but have the resorts retain their own individual brands. Are you....Steamboat....or Alterra? Same question for each one. How does this fit together? We want the local GM's to keep the vibe and persona alive, but we want it done this way.

And then it gets confusing with the pass partners. They are in for the pass, and out on the rest. The "What is an Alterra?" piece.

"What's an Ikon Pass? How does that play into all of this....long term?" Obviously it's generating predictable cash flow, and bring people into the fold.

I have a lot of faith the group running Alterra. But no doubt, based on some fairly high level conversations, I hear, they are building the plane, or refining it, as they fly it. It's almost all new ground. And still pretty new.

Pass Bling? While they have a team working on this issue of "locals" at their properties being pretty visibly hostile towards visitors skiing on an Ikon pass....and spending money in the local economy. Right now it sounds like most people want to take advantage of the pass, and to the degree they can....fly under the radar.

I would love to have seen the pitch and cost of the bling. $2.5-3 Million??

 

[Tony S]

Still, it suggests a lack of understanding on Ikon's part of the amount of negative association it has garnered. If they understood that, they would do more to try to change the framing. Bling-ey stickers and slick packaging is not the way to do that.

Exactly

 

[Ron]

my bet is that there are two different customers, the first one is folks like "us" here who know what Ikon is but see no purpose in promoting them. They aren't a cool ski brand; its just a ski pass. then there's probably the other customer that is the occasional skier that feels that Ikon is a cool thing much like a go-pro and feels adorning their marketing stuff associates themselves with other ski brands like "smith".

 

[James]

Well last year some now Vail employees got cookies. Eg, you happened to be there when the box was opened. The "frosting", coating?, on top was printed to look just like an Epic Pass. It was a bit bigger though.
Despite how ridiculous it was, I ate the whole thing. Not bad at all.

Ikon, take note.
Let them eat cookies!

 

[cantunamunch]

then there's probably the other customer that is the occasional skier that feels that Ikon is a cool thing much like a go-pro and feels adorning their marketing stuff associates themselves with other ski brands like "smith".

Hey, it breaks up the Powerslide/Rollerblade/PaulComponents stickers on my gym notebooks

 

[VickieH]

Is it because you are inherently opposed to it or because IKON did such a god awful job of it?

I am inherently opposed to it.

Millions of people executing a global climate strike while Alterra cranks out a bunch of useless crap that will end up in landfills.

I realize that skiing is not earth-friendly to begin with. But there are ways to reduce the impact of things we do. I expect more of leaders, especially those who seem to want us to believe they're going to do better than an institution like Vail.

 

[river-z]

A few years ago when I was getting the Cali4nia Pass they sent a similar bling package but all the stuff was for the 4 resorts, rather than the pass in general. I liked that quite a bit since my personal attachment is to those places and not the pass itself.

 

[Rostapher]

I second @VickieH! Sure we need to make big systemic changes, but small changes matter too.

So... who has good Alterra contacts here, so this opinion can be heard. Save the Ikon branded junk & just send the pass please (or reuse last years)

I can certainly write them, but my email would just go into the slew of other random emails I assume they get. (I haven’t gotten my bling pack in the mail yet, but perhaps that will change today)

I am inherently opposed to it.

Millions of people executing a global climate strike while Alterra cranks out a bunch of useless crap that will end up in landfills.

I realize that skiing is not earth-friendly to begin with. But there are ways to reduce the impact of things we do. I expect more of leaders, especially those who seem to want us to believe they're going to do better than an institution like Vail.

 

[Viking9]

GUYS GUYS GUYS and GALS and of course the Steve Dude.
Take it easy.
The Ikon pass is awesome and us Reguloids love it.
Unfortunately we walk up to the window at Mammoth and get our picture taken for our Awesome Ikon Pass so we don’t get the nice thank you pak .
Talking about the state of the planet ( and remember human beings CANNOT MELT ICEBERGS ) because of a thank you pak of stickers ???
In the immortal words of that Cher movie “ SNAP OUT OF IT “
And no I’m not giving any of you my address, except for maybe Steve.

 

[Ron]

Sorry, every. bit counts especially for unnecessary waste. An option to receive the pack for those who want or don't want it would be a great solution.

 

[Tony S]

This thread has now officially joined the long long long long long list of things that are over my head. (Most of them have to do with pop culture or sports references.)