I really wish skiers wouldn't respond to it to be honest. Rome is lame for doing it because they are basically out of ideas and their segment is shrinking daily so they are really reaching with this marketing approach. The idea of hating on something as your marketing initiative is poorly conceived, overly used, and appears desperate in so many ways. Times must be tough around their headquarters when your goal is to try and bring down something else as your way of bonding with your consumer. So they try and make fun of something else as a way to appear to be rebellious and anti-establishment while sulking at the fact that they are stuck in a rut because their business is constrained by the same shackles that come with fighting with every other brand in a saturated market that is not growing. Not to mention the fact that you've got a branding team that is flat-out failing.
The whole "fuck skiers" thing only has legs when we respond. If you ignore it or laugh it off it will go away. It's a weak move and them seeing skiers get mad is what makes it work. Steve's response is hilarious and light hearted in a way that only Steve can do, but going beyond that and making Tall Tees with "Stab Snowboarders" or further stoking the flame only sets us back further in so many ways. The only snowboarders still around that have this embarrassingly pathetic and insecure viewpoint are the ones who are pissed off because snowboarding is not as "counter-culture" as it used to be or they are generally unhappy with their own life. You don't give 2 shits about what other random people are doing if you are stoked on what is happening in your world. Just like anyone who sits around and hates on things as their general personality. Feel bad for them because their life likely sucks.
So for Rome, if that is their market then they should go for it. I am sure some vacationers from Texas who snowboard three times a year think it is cool. In 2013 when I see stuff like that I find it really amusing because it is impossible to be more clear that your brand is struggling and you are desperate to try and cling on to anything that will work. Rome tagging up Saga's Truck is a very loud and clear signal that they feel threatened by a business that is on an upswing and growing daily. Living well is the greatest revenge so I just laugh this shit off and try to spend time on/with the people who matter.
Saga should respond if they want to (and I bet they do in a funny whimsical way) but having a bunch of NS kids take this into their own hands only negatively impacts the progression that has slowly been done over the past 15 years.
My 2 cents.
