MRI Casino Marketing Blog
Here’s the Story, of a Brand Named Brady: Lessons for a Casino’s Brand & Marketing

A long time ago in television land, there was a lovely lady. And a man named Brady. And a whole bunch of kids, even a maid and her butcher for good measure. No doubt you know how they all became the Brady Bunch. It’s more a part of our zeitgeist than a mere TV show. It’s a brand all of its own.

The enduring success of the Brady Bunch offers valuable lessons to casinos, about the power of a brand and what it takes to keep it strong and vibrant. So, grab the pliers and spin the UHF dial with me for a closer look at this classic show, why it continues to be so popular, and what the takeaways are when developing a casino’s marketing strategy.

Bradys Stand the Test of Time

I’m not old enough to remember the first run of the Brady Bunch, but its perpetual reruns are implanted in my brain. Do you remember Sam’s occupation on the show? What a Kitty Karry-All is? Or maybe what Neat and Natural Hair Tonic will do to a cage of rabbits? I do. Join me in a round of Brady Bunch trivia and let’s compare scores.

My point is, like darn near everyone born in the second half of the 20th century, and after that, the Bradys are like our next-door neighbors. They’re practically family in many respects. And although some of the actors are no longer with us, and the six siblings are on the verge of Social Security, we still picture the Brady Bunch in their original form – bell-bottoms, shaggy hair, and telling mom and Alice how swell pork chops & apple sauce would be for dinner.

The name and brand endure generation after generation, most recently by way of an HGTV revival of sorts. Knowing full-well how powerful all things Brady remain, the network purchased the original house used for the exterior framing shots, having renovated it to its full late ’60s to early ’70s splendor. So what does all of this have to do with a casino’s marketing? We’re glad you asked because the answer is bunches.

Keep It True & Memorable

Staying true to your brand is the most obvious lesson to learn from those wacky Bradys. Despite many different iterations – the original show, a TV revival, movies, and the new HGTV series, amongst others – the Brady Bunch has remained consistent to its core brand. Granted, it helps when that core brand is engaging, memorable, and appealing to begin with but, once established, a brand can be an evergreen asset.

As we’ve said in the past, a reliable casino brand breeds trust from your casino players, a familiar voice that keeps them coming back. Naturally, you also have to keep things memorable as well. Otherwise, you’re not giving your casino players an incentive to come back. Long story short, developing and maintaining an authentic, memorable brand requires a balancing act, mixing promotions, a unique voice, and appealing creative with a consistent vision to keep things compelling for your casino players.

Don’t Be Afraid to Break the Vase

But what’s a casino to do if it doesn’t have a Brady-esque brand to rely on? Or maybe the brand, like HGTV’s Brady house, has a solid foundation but its look and style requires a significant overhaul to keep it on point? There’s a phrase used in a few different applications, one that we’ve adopted here in the Creative Services team at Marketing Results, that signifies such a rebuild – "breaking the vase."

Coincidentally, a broken vase also has a relatively famous place in Brady lore, but I digress. The term is basically a metaphor for stripping everything down to its essence and building it back up. It’s what HGTV did when renovating that ’70s landmark in Studio City, CA, and what we do when a casino brand needs a breath of fresh air. The caveat, of course, is that rebuilding a brand requires a certain amount of customer research and calculated risk-taking, especially when things have remained stuck in rerun syndication.

Change is rarely pleasant but can be just what the marketing doctor ordered for casinos trying to keep pace with ever-evolving player expectations. But how does a casino identify what needs to change in their messaging or brand? That's where research plays such a vital role, particularly in three specific areas:

1. The dynamic competitive landscape
2. The shifting market place, especially with respect to the target audience needs and regulator demands
3. Current market conditions affecting demand

Naturally, such research will reveal different things for different casinos, meaning that one size will never fit all. Therefore, it’s incumbent upon every operator to understand its unique brand, casino player base, and place within the gaming marketplace to figure out the best way to reassemble the vase.

Find the Right Brand Management Team

To extend our Brady analogy a bit further, the show’s legacy is in good hands with the fine folks over at HGTV. They’re meticulous in their planning and efforts, faithfully recreating an authentic look and feel, both inside and outside the house, to make everyone watching at home happy as they bask in the nostalgia. The Brady Bunch has a capable partner in HGTV, one that will take proper care of the brand. Not coincidentally, that’s exactly what a casino needs to advance their brand and message.

Choose a Brand Management and Creative Services team that will help determine if you need to break your brand's vase in the first place. Afterward, they can also help analyze those three important variables I mentioned. Doing so will reveal a clear course of action that can lead to greater use and player loyalty. It’s what HGTV is doing for the lovely lady and man named Brady, and what the ideal partner will do for your branding and messaging.