The “Winter Feels Good” public awareness campaign to promote the health and fitness benefits of snow sports participation has been honored by the Public Relations Society of America (PSRA) and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). Winter Feels Good was conceived and developed by SnowSports Industries of America (SIA) and launched last September at a Capital Hill press conferences hosted by SIA and the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA). It is endorsed by all national trade and professional associations in the snow sports industry.


The “Winter Feels Good” press kit won the PRSA “Thoth” Award of Excellence in its category. It was prepared by the program’s public relations firm CGPR, based in Marblehead, MA, and packaged by Factory Design Labs in Denver, CO. The announcement was made at a gathering of top public relations professionals recently at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The kit offers information about the health, fitness and social benefits of snow sports and provides journalists with material about new products, learning programs and the importance of proper dress for outdoor winter activity.

The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) cited the overall “Winter Feels Good” campaign with a Silver Inkwell Award for its “depth and creativity”. Developed in response to the growing obesity challenge in the U.S., the campaign focuses on parents, teachers and other influencers of children to alert them about how and why snow sports can contribute to a healthy lifestyle. The grassroots program partners with educational institutions, government agencies and health and community organizations to promote healthy lifestyle messages about winter outdoor sports. It is a free public service from SIA for use by companies and organizations in the snow sports industry.

“The success of ‘Winter Feels Good’ can be attributed to the many companies and organizations inside and outside the snow sports industry that have incorporated into their own programs the ‘Winter Feels Good’ themes and messages,” said Mary Jo Tarallo, director of Education and Special Projects for SIA.