Industry News
Kitzbühel in Austria is located 90 minutes from Munich airport and every year the resort is home to the famous Hahnenkamm race, the world’s most challenging downhill ski race. Roughly 100,000 people come every year to watch the spectacle live and millions tune in on TV as the world’s best alpine skiers race down one of the steepest race slopes in the world, the “Streif.” Even with its rich history and being one of the most iconic ski destinations in the Alps does not mean Kitzbühelis is not still looking to grow.
On June, 20 Kitzbühel Tourism presented its campaign and rebranding of being a destination brand at the town center setting new standards in alpine destination marketing. At the relaunch event, Kitzbühel was instantly rebranded and now welcomes guests and locals with a new look. The plan is to strengthen Kitzbühel’s ability to attract international travelers and make it a worldwide destination. The new design was created by Brandpulse AG from Zurich.
“With the rebranding of the Kitzbühel brand, we are redefining the future of alpine tourism. We bear responsibility for a unique tourist habitat and want to inspire guests and locals with new, future-oriented concepts for nature, sport, and tradition and to set ourselves apart from the competition in the long term,” Dr. Christian Harisch, the Kitzbühel Tourism Chairman said at the launch event.
Kitzbühel Ski Resort is a mega-resort with multiple ski areas serviced by 56 lifts that give access to over 130 miles of groomed slopes. Although Kitzbühel is famous for its winter activities, it is also known for having great food, music, and après skiing. In a rebranding video, Kitzbühel promotes luxury experiences and lifestyles with people drinking wine, playing polo in the snow, eating at fine dining restaurants, and even showcasing a private helicopter with its name on it. Words like, “create a sporty lifestyle luxury brand” are used in the video which reinforces its desire to attract people who are seeking premier experiences and guest services.
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The new brand image is a shift in its marketing strategy and focused on making Kitzbühel a destination brand. The Kitzbühel logo is the chamois and has not changed in over 50 years. The chamois has a strong external impact, is highly recognizable, and embodies Kitzbühel’s identity. Research was done on marketing, and the decision to make a new Kitzbühel brand was made. The primary goal was to pay respect to history and tradition while looking to new and exciting things in the future. The chamois or Alpine chamois is a species of goat-antelope native to the mountains in the Alps and Europe.
The brand redesign features an international focus that is looking to the future at a specific target group. That group would consist of people who are looking for excitement, great experiences, and excellence at every level. “Your time is NOW” is captioned throughout the video and geared towards people who want to live their lives now and not wait until they hit their golden years. There has been an increase in recent years within the ski industry investing billions of dollars into upgrades, improvements, and services. Many ski resorts have been focusing on providing higher guest services and providing luxury accommodations and amenities to them. Therefore, it should not be a surprise that Kitzbühel is taking an aggressive marketing approach to attract guests with those desires.
