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Applicant: Scottish Snowsports Marketing Group
Total Funding Awarded:  £34,800
Location: Aviemore, Fort William, Glencoe,
                 Tomintoul & Braemar

"We can reach further as a group than as individuals."
Marian Austin, Scottish Snowsports Marketing Group

After reorganisation of the Area Tourist Boards, an existing marketing group found the Challenge Fund an important new source of funding for fresh marketing projects. Flexibility and planning were key for such a weather dependent product. Coordinator Marian Austin outlines her experience of the Challenge Fund process.

THE CREATIVE SPARK
We first learned of Challenge Funding at the time of the rearrangement of Area Tourist Boards and VisitScotland. Our group had been in existence since 1990 under the brand name Ski Scotland and had up to that point received Area Tourist Board funding. Our reduced funding situation meant we were looking at having very much reduced sums to play with. Challenge Funding helped us to make up the shortfall.

Our group of five has worked together since 1990 so we only had to get used to a new way of working with VisitScotland. As an existing group, we already had a wish list of things we wanted to do, including TV advertisements.  

FROM INSPIRATION TO REALITY
The application process was quite challenging. For our first application we employed someone familiar with funding applications and who had previously worked with VisitScotland. This made things much simpler. It’s hard to make an application unless someone is able to dedicate time to research and fill in the application form. We are five small businesses and struggle to cover the work required for the applications. I am now paid by all five group members to front Challenge Fund projects.  

Our application ticked a lot of VisitScotland’s boxes for the planned marketing activity, in terms of seasonal and active markets and geographical spread. We extended this spread to North East England in the second year. The consultant who completed the form made contact with our local Challenge Fund Advisor to go over the details of the application. I then met with the Advisor once our application was in. The Advisor was very proactive and helpful and maintained regular contact with me and has kept in touch throughout. The Challenge Fund Advisors are there to maximise your chances of success, so don’t be afraid to use them.

As Challenge Funding only allows us to spend money on new marketing initiatives, this made us rethink one campaign. Our TV adverts in Scotland had been very successful in the first year but we couldn’t repeat it to back it up in the second year without funding. Instead we went back to the wish list and amended our plans.

Planning and thinking ahead is vital, particularly with regard to cashflow. Last year we didn’t stick to the agreed Challenge Fund timetable as the snow was late to arrive. VisitScotland allowed us to extend the project by six weeks, moving the campaign from January/February to March/April due to the lateness of the snow. One upside was that there was money left to promote Easter, as skiing was possible until the beginning of May that year. Challenge Fund money left over was also reassigned for a tactical radio campaign.

The lateness of the snow wasn’t helped by the media impact of their coverage of global warming. There was plenty of snow but we were faced with a media-created perception that there wasn’t. It’s important to keep getting the correct message out and Challenge Funding helps towards this.  

THE REAL BOOST
As Scottish Snowsports, we can reach further as a group than as individuals and gain access to funds like Challenge Funding. We’ve started a working relationship with Glasgow’s Snowdome, where we have light boxes and an advert presence. We also launched our ski brochure there last year.  We also already have an active relationship with VisitScotland and the Challenge Fund process has only served to strengthen that.

The Challenge Fund has allowed new things to go forward; better targeting of ‘wild timers’, group organisers, families and independents, whilst reaching loyal skiers and boarders and potential new customers throughout Scotland and the North East of England.”