• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, October 27, 2006

Traditional chalkboards bearing ski advisories at ski lifts are being replaced by ad-supported wireless LED billboards this season, giving advertisers a chance to target a desirable demographic with a very engaging medium. The company operating the electronic billboards, Sitour, has already installed the network at 80 resorts, and plans to expand to another 215 resorts over the next couple of years, according to President and CEO Monte Rios.

The boards are used by ski resorts to convey relevant information to skiers waiting in line for the lifts, said Rios, and therefore are closely watched. New information about the condition of slopes, the length of waits at various lifts, trail closures, lift status, weather updates, and resort activities appears regularly, guaranteeing an attentive audience.

It's not surprising that this self-selecting audience is relatively well-off, with a propensity to spend money. Rios said skiers are relatively young and well-educated: the median age is 35, and "66% have college degrees, and 29% have post-college degrees." Most are married (many with children), and average family income is $85,000. Among frequent skiers, that number rises to $125,000. Overall, the audience skews about 55% male, 45% female.