Tips
Since joining the Outside team, it’s been fun to rub shoulders with the incredible media brands in our industry including SKI, Warren Miller, and PinkBike. As a marketer, one of the things I’ve been especially curious about are the biggest opportunities, best practices, and insights from the advertising side of these publications. It’s something I wish I had more insight and experience around, so I sat down with someone who lives and breathes this stuff, Outside’s David Krause, for the scoop.
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Gregg: Really excited to dig into this with you, David. Let’s start off with some context. Who are you and how long have you been around outdoor industry advertising game?
David: I’m one of the Sales Directors at Outside and have been with the company for about 14 years now. My focus has primarily been working with destination marketing organizations, resorts, and travel brands to connect them with our audience across Outside, SKI, Warren Miller, Pinkbike, and the rest of our portfolio. Over that time I’ve seen the evolution from mostly print-driven campaigns to fully integrated digital programs, so I’ve had a front row seat to what actually drives results versus what just checks a box.
Gregg: Let’s start with what’s working. When you look at the brands that are crushing it with online advertising, what is the common thread behind their strategy?
David: The common thread is that the brands that are winning are thinking beyond just “running ads” and instead focusing on telling a story that matches the mindset of the niche audience they want to connect with. The ones that perform best are aligning their messaging with intent.
Gregg: Any specific examples of what you mean when you refer to that alignment?
David: Think of a ski resort isn’t just promoting lift tickets, they’re selling the experience, the lifestyle, and why their destination stands out. They’re also leaning into integrated campaigns. So instead of just display, they’re combining custom content, video, email, social, and retargeting to stay in front of the same user multiple times.
Frequency and consistency matter a lot more than a one-off campaign. The same goes for understanding their audience. They’re not trying to reach everyone, they’re targeting the right traveler, whether that’s a core skier, a mountain biker, or a high-end leisure traveler looking for a unique experience.
Gregg: Does that also apply to channels besides display?
David: Absolutely, that same mindset carries over really well to experiential opportunities like the Warren Miller film tour. The brands that see the most success there are the ones that show up with a clear story and activation, not just a logo on a screen. You’re in front of a highly engaged ski audience, so it’s a chance to create a memorable, in-person connection that complements and reinforces your digital efforts.
Gregg: I’m curious about the flip side, what holds brands back from using online advertising really well. Is it their strategy? Mindset? Lack of effort? Creative? Other?
David: I think it’s a mix of a few things. The biggest one I see is treating digital advertising like a checkbox instead of a strategy. Some brands will allocate a budget, run some display, or send a dedicated email blast and then expect meaningful results without really thinking through the full funnel.
Creative is another big one. A lot of campaigns look and feel the same, and they don’t give someone a compelling reason to click or care. In a space as competitive as travel and resorts, you really have to stand out.
Gregg: What’s holding them back?
David: I think there’s also sometimes a hesitation to commit to a cohesive, meaningful campaign. The brands that underperform tend to test small, isolated tactics instead of investing in a program that has enough scale and time to actually work.
And then mindset plays a role too. The most successful partners we work with are the ones that are open to trying new approaches, leaning into storytelling, and trusting the process a bit versus expecting immediate, direct-response type results from what is often an awareness and consideration play.
Gregg: What’s a resort or travel brand that you think is doing a good job of taking advantage of online advertising?
David: Absolutely, there was a great campaign from Banff Sunshine Village that combined a custom article, social amplification, display impressions, and two dedicated email blasts. What made it especially effective was that it wasn’t just promoting skiing, it positioned Banff as a complete winter experience. The campaign leaned heavily into storytelling and aspirational imagery while also giving our audience practical reasons to plan a trip.
Because the messaging was consistent across multiple touchpoints, they stayed in front of the same audience throughout the planning cycle instead of relying on a single ad impression to do all the work. That’s usually where we see the strongest performance, when the campaign feels cohesive rather than fragmented.
Gregg: As you look at that campaign, what’s the biggest thing resorts can learn from?
David: I’d say the biggest thing is to avoid thinking too short term. The travel brands and resorts that perform best are usually the ones that stay visible consistently versus popping in and out of the market. Building awareness and consideration takes repetition, especially in a competitive category where travelers are being hit with messaging from every direction.
I’d also encourage brands to lean into authenticity and storytelling. Today’s traveler wants to picture themselves in the experience before they ever book it. The more a campaign can communicate the personality of a destination, the surrounding culture, and the lifestyle tied to it, the more effective it tends to be.
Gregg; Any final words of wisdom for resorts as they think about their ad strategy for the rest of this year?
David: Don’t be afraid to test new channels or partnerships. Some of the most successful campaigns we’ve worked on came from brands willing to experiment a bit and trust an integrated approach instead of relying on one tactic alone. That’s also why opportunities like the Warren Miller film tour continue to resonate so strongly. It gives resorts and destinations the ability to connect with an incredibly passionate ski audience in person while reinforcing the same messaging they’re running digitally.
When experiential and digital campaigns work together, the impact tends to be much stronger than either one on its own.
Gregg: If someone wants to chat ads, where can they find you?
David: Absolutely, always happy to connect. You can reach me directly at dkrause@outsideinc.com or 720.437.0508.
I work across the full Outside portfolio including Ski, Warren Miller Films, Pinkbike, Trailforks, Backpacker, Climbing, Yoga Journal, VELO, National Park Trips, Trail Runner, Triathlete, OutsideTV, GAIA GPS and MapMyFitness, so whether someone is looking to reach skiers, cyclists, hikers, wellness travelers, or broader outdoor-minded audiences, I’d be happy to talk through ideas and opportunities.
