Creative Agency Cactus, and Skier Gus Kenworthy Offered Skiers a Chance to Go on a Different Kind of Ski Adventure

Apr. 04, 2023

On a busy Saturday morning in March, Denver-based creative agency Cactus, and Olympic Medalist Skier Gus Kenworthy offered skiers a chance to go on a different kind of ski adventure: skip wherever they were heading to and instead join the party bus heading to Arapahoe Basin Ski Area (A-Basin), also known as "The Legend' thanks to its challenging terrain, unpretentious atmosphere, and shorter lift lines.

Those that chose A-Basin were treated to a one-of-a-kind ski experience. The day included a ride on a tricked-out party bus, themed merch, prize giveaways, a catered ski experience at A-Basin, complete with mountain guides and incredible food, and an Aprés party on A-Basin’s infamous "Beach."

The A-Basin Ambush took advantage of a well-known quirk within Colorado’s Front Range ski community, the Dinosaur Park-N-Ride, where skiers and riders from all over the world meet up with friends and family before departing for Colorado’s world-famous ski mountains. The Cactus team surprised unsuspecting early risers, offering them a choice: continue with their plan for the day or join them for an adventure at A-Basin.

Al Henceroth, Chief Operating Officer, said:

"We’re really proud of our terrain, our culture, and the way we do things at A-Basin. We saw this as a great opportunity to give folks a day they’d never forget."

 

Cactus Associate Creative Director Andy Bartosch,added:

"The Dinosaur Park-N-Ride is one of those unique quirks of the Colorado ski community. In the winter, it serves as a basecamp for skiers and riders worldwide on their way to our most famous Rocky Mountain ski resorts. Doing the A-Basin Ambush there allowed us to find people right at that decision point. A-Basin is such a special place, and it was so cool to help skiers discover, or re-discover, what the mountain has to offer."

 

Call it experiential, live activation, guerilla marketing, or whatever jargon you prefer, the bottom line is the A-Basin Ambush was both effective and perfectly on-brand for A-Basin and how they differentiate themselves from every other ski resort in Colorado.

How about a closer look at A-Basin Ambush, and the effective creative partnership between the Cactus and Arapahoe Basin?