Mammoth Lakes Chamber Luncheon - Noah Manduke, Chief Marketing Officer for MMSA
Mr. Manduke has come from Mammoth Mountain Ski Area to share his plan as the new Chief Marketing Officer in branding Mammoth Mountain. What follows are brief statements made by Noah Manduke at the March 27, 2007 Mammoth Lakes Chamber of Commerce Luncheon.
* Growth will come from driving the mid-week visitor, the destination traveler, not the Southern California weekend warrior. The luxury market strategy is focused on luxury meaning that as the visitor, you are asked for nothing.
* The process of branding will occur in 3 steps: Define, Dramatize and Deliver.
* DEFINE: There are focus groups being conducted to get a feel of Mammoth from locals and visitors alike. By early summer, it is expected that MMSA can answer the questions “Who is Mammoth?”.
* As resorts become more homogenized, it is more important to identify what makes Mammoth different from other ski resorts. If everything is the same, the consumer will go to the cheapest option.
* DRAMATIZE: Over the summer, there will be a visual system development and alignment work using the brand. This will be the bells and whistles that will publicize the definition.
* DELIVER: How do we interact with customers and deliver the Mammoth experience? It’s about how we make people feel when they come here.
* This branding will rely on cooperation from local businesses to present a consistent and pleasant experience. Each business must figure out how to implement the brand into their own daily routine to deliver a memorable experience to the visitor.
* One little known fact is that the household income of the Mammoth visitor is 50% higher than that of Aspen/Vail. The affluent market is not being served and that is what Starwood is here to provide.
* The airport, again, is a major factor and once operational, will enable the Mammoth story to be told to a much wider audience.