DENVER (Jan. 29) – The North Face, one of the most recognizable global outdoor brands, is being honored by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and SnowSports Industries America (SIA) for its work with the new Olympic sport of freeskiing. The North Face was named as the 2014 recipient of the Doc DesRoches Award for its integration of the U.S. Freeskiing brand and the sport’s top athletes into its marketing campaigns, and for support of the sport at the grassroots level.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and and SnowSports Industries America (SIA) are presenting their annual Doc DesRoches Award to The North Face for its work in marketing around the U.S. Freeskiing brand and the newest Olympic sport’s top athletes.
- SIA and the USSA have presented the award annually since 2004 to recognize a national team supplier for its work in marketing the Team and athletes.
- A partner since 2011, The North Face was recognized for a variety of initiatives centered around its role as the official provider of freeskiing competition uniforms for the Olympic Winter Games.
- A key element of its uniform role was direct integration of athlete feedback on product design with input resulting in athletes feeling a special ownership and pride in the uniforms, which were designed and manufactured in the U.S.
- The North Face engineered an extensive marketing and public relations campaign around its partnership, the competition uniforms and elite athletes like freeskiing stars Tom Wallisch, Devin Logan, Maddie Bowman and teen Aaron Blunck.
- One of the cornerstones of its marketing efforts was a brand campaign The Rise, which showcased athletes and the sport at key The North Face retail locations around the country.
- In addition to its marketing campaign, The North Face is having a profound impact on athletic development through its development and support of The North Face Park and Pipe Series as well as the U.S. Freeskiing Rookie Team. Crested Butte, CO halfpipe skier Aaron Blunck, just 17, came up through The North Face Park and Pipe in just the last two seasons to make the Olympic Team.
- The North Face collaborated with the USSA to co-brand its new U.S. Freeskiing brand beginning in 2011, resulting in quicker market penetration through retail sales of jointly branded merchandise.
- The award is named in honor of Doc DesRoches, a long time industry leader who helped form SIA and led it for two decades. During that tenure he was instrumental in development of the U.S. Ski Team's fundraising efforts, including the formation of the New York Ski and Snowboard Ball.
- Supported the creation of the “History of Freeskiing web series with MSI and TGR to document the story of the new sport’s grown from fringe to mainstream.
- The award will be presented at The North Face trade show booth on opening day of the SIA Snow Show in Denver.
QUOTES
Bill Marolt, President and CEO, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association
The North Face has become an integral part of our U.S. Freeskiing family. While we’re honoring The North Face for its work in marketing our athletes and brands, one of the most significant components of our partnership is what it has done in helping develop athletes through The North Face Park and Pipe Series and the U.S. Freeskiing Rookie Team. It’s making a difference for future generations.
Michael Jaquet, Chief Marketing Officer, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association
The North Face has provided direct impact on athletic development through its taking ownership of its role in freeskiing, as a sport, and as a partner of U.S. Freeskiing. It’s event activation as presenting sponsor of the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix, support of the U.S. Freeskiing Rookie Team and its integration of freeskiing into global marketing, have profoundly impacted the newest Olympic sport.
Aaron Carpenter, Vice President of Marketing, The North Face
We are honored to receive the annual Doc DesRoches award from The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and SnowSports Industries America (SIA). The North Face is committed to growing the sport of freeskiing and pleased to be recognized for these efforts. We are also grateful to the freeskiing team, who not only inspire us on the mountain but also played such a key role in our research, design and development and enabled us to create a truly unique U.S Freeskiing competition uniform and apparel.
David Ingemie, President, SnowSports Industries America
Doc DesRoches’ career in the industry was hallmarked by his caring for the athletes of the U.S. Ski Team. The North Face has shown that through not only its marketing, but through its true interest in helping develop a new generation of stars in the freeskiing. SIA is proud to have worked with The North Face and the USSA in helping raise global awareness of freeskiing and bring it to the Olympic Winter Games.
Doc DesRoches Award Winners
2004 - Rossignol
2005 - Atomic
2006 - All U.S. Ski Team suppliers
2007- Spyder Active Sports
2008 - Volkl, Marker, Tecnica
2009 – SmartWool
2010 – Under Armour
2011 – Head Skis
2012 – High Sierra
2013 – POC Sports USA
2014 – The North Face
About The North Face
About The North Face®
The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., was founded in 1968. Headquartered Alameda, Calif., the company offers the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, snowsport athletes, endurance athletes, and explorers. The company’s products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking, running, and snowsport retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers and major outdoor specialty retail chains.
About the USSA
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) is the national governing body of Olympic skiing and snowboarding. Developed to facilitate participation in national and international competition, the Olympic sports organization provides structure for competitive skiing and snowboarding. From grassroots programs to governance of sport, management of rules, competitions and athletic rankings, the USSA oversees athletic pipelines for development in the sports. With a vision to make the USA the best in the world in Olympic skiing and snowboarding, the USSA provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders who share an Olympic dream while maintaining a strong adherence to core values. The USSA, established in 1905, operates out of the national training and education facility, the Center of Excellence, in Park City, UT. For more information, visit www.usskiteam.com, www.ussnowboarding.com and www.usfreeskiing.com.
About SIA
SnowSports Industries America (SIA) is the national not-for-profit, North American member-owned, trade association representing suppliers and service providers of snow sports products with constituents in the retailer, rep and resort communities. Annually producing the SIA Snow Show, the largest snow sports industry trade show, on-snow demo and networking environment globally, SIA delivers invaluable data/research reports including the Snow Sports Market Intelligence Reports, SnowSports RetailTRAKTM and Executive Market Summary. SIA also produces the Supplier Show, Sourcing Snow, at the SIA Snow Show; learn more at siasnowshow.com/sourcing. SIA is dedicated to growing the industry through consumer initiatives and websites, snowlink.com and wintertrails.org, marketing resources, services and collaborative programs to increase participation and move product. For more information, visit snowsports.org. SnowSports Industries America, 8377-B Greensboro Drive, McLean, VA 22102-3587 (Washington, DC Area). Phone: 703-556-9020, Fax: 703-821-8276, Email: SIAmail@snowsports.org.
