Written on 11/8/17 9:11 PM

When our Client-Partner, Thunder Valley Casino Resort, made an adjustment to their customer relationship marketing program, specifically the redemption policies for its buffet, it had a negative impact on covers in the restaurant for 2017. In response, RPM was charged with developing a marketing program to drive business back to the buffet. The result was a TV spot within the “Live Out Loud” campaign that positioned the restaurant as a fantasy dining experience, a feast for the senses at each and every station in the buffet. The campaign launched in mid-September and by the end of the first month, revenue had increased significantly over the same period a year earlier. On YouTube, “Chef Spectacular” has already exceeded 35k views. On track to outpace revenue projections for the year, the increased buffet traffic adds incremental revenue to Thunder Valley’s casino floor. As we like to say, game on!

Hollywood Casino Jamul-San Diego is the newest entrant into a crowded gaming market, with three established competitors all within a short driving distance of the new property. As a later entrant into the market, Hollywood must compete with entrenched properties with prevailing local market awareness, brand affinity and a strong database.

RPM was challenged to begin building brand awareness prior to the opening, and to drive interest by getting the word out that the property would be premiering soon.

Using the Hollywood Casino brand as the foundation, RPM’s strategy was to embrace the San Diego culture and position Hollywood Casino as San Diego’s casino. This included the development of a fully integrated campaign that used San Diego’s cultural touchpoints as our guide posts, creating a framework for all messaging and creative. We wanted to weave Hollywood Casino into the local community fabric and reach San Diegans in their everyday lives to forge a direct connection with them.

To bring the strategy to life RPM used a multi-channel approach and developed tactics with the San Diego experience in mind, including visuals of the San Diego skyline, highlighting proximity positioning (Closest Casino to San Diego), leveraging locally based F&B outlets, and building media partnerships with key stations and vehicles such as commuter buses and trolleys.

The “Premiering Soon” campaign launched in June 2016 and created pre-opening buzz that garnered the attention and awareness Hollywood was after – and set up the new property for success in a highly competitive market. Measures for success included pre-launch advertising awareness and online engagement.

Results:

• In a short time-frame, campaign generated significant brand awareness in a locally competitive market place
• Impressions generated with street team engagement and celebrity impersonators present to take photos during two local festivals, led to thousands of social media engagements
• Facebook Page Likes spiked in correlation to paid advertising campaign
• CTR higher than the company benchmark for Facebook Page Like Ads
• Cost Per Page Like much lower than benchmark with weekly creative and targeting optimizations that serve the most relevant ad to the most engaged user