MRI Casino Marketing Blog
Great B(r)ands Fill Stadiums

Catching up on a favorite podcast on the ride into work this morning, I came to a realization that I have the potential to create the biggest rock band the world has ever seen. It would be the type of group that people camp out to see, a money-making powerhouse with sold-out merch, Rolling Stone cover stories, and hoards of ravenous fans following our every move. Just imagine the possibilities.

Granted, there are certain items I can’t contribute to this project. I have never written a hit song, I don’t play an instrument save a few chords on air guitar, I should only sing when alone in the car on a deserted road, and only ever be seen dancing while in the dark. But like I said, I have a moneymaker, and I gotta shake it!

That moneymaking talent is that I can design a logo and kickstart a brand. As many of the awesome bands I grew up on, and are still working, demonstrate, there’s much to be said about a big, bold logo that embodies our brand and gets plastered over everything from t-shirts to the drum riser. In fact, now that I think about it, a logo might just be the best asset for making some coin in the long-term, whether you’re in a rock band, selling premium coffee, or carving out market share in the crowded casino industry. No secret that a strong brand speaks volumes.

Strong Brands Define the Biggest Bands

The music world offers countless examples of the brand being more important than even the band members. To that point, during the podcast mentioned above, Westwood One’s Rock Talk with Mitch LaFon, Mitch interviewed popular rock jock Eddie Trunk. The discussion (beginning around the 2-hour mark) was about the value of a name and logo and how, in many circumstances, a brand in rock supersedes everything else, even the people playing the guitars or singing into the mic.

Mitch and Eddie discussed everyone from KISS and Foreigner to Guns ’N Roses. Each is an excellent example of bands that have rotated members over the years, to the point where some of them don’t even have any of the original members left. Yet, despite a completely different lineup, fans still flock to the shows, buy the t-shirts, and download the music. They want to hear the songs they love, and they can forgive the fact that the musicians on the album aren’t up on stage. In those cases, once again I say, my logo providing that brand recognition will be the one selling tickets. Let’s face it, as good a frontman as Axl Rose is, a tour of the Axl Rose Band would play 3,000 seat venues, but him singing those very same songs under the name Guns ’N Roses, routinely sells out arenas all over the world. Brand reigns supreme.

Casinos Can Strike That Same Chord

Of course, this model also applies to casinos trying to adapt to growing expectations and demands from their customer base – build and maintain a robust and engaging brand, and success will follow. A consistent message in casino marketing revolves around personal attention and customer service where, like Cheers, everybody knows your name and what you want the very moment you walk through the door.

Sure, like bands, casinos will have their breakout performers, where your true diehard fans come to see their host Carla or Sam behind the counter at the coffee shop, but more often than not, it’s the overall gambling experience that will resonate and make or break you on Yelp. More concisely, it’s the collective effort of everyone working in a single direction and for a singular purpose that builds a brand, the image, and the name that sticks in a gambler’s minds.

Employees will move to other jobs or other companies, a concept as natural to the casino industry as it is to any other sector you can think of. However, although attrition is never a metric you should necessarily embrace, a strong brand will always overcome those obstacles and gamblers will continue to be loyal. As new employees join your team, they’ll embody the same great traits as their predecessors if you’ve established a stable, healthy culture that values the overall experience – regarding both the workplace and casino floor – over the individual. In keeping with the analogy, those new team members will quickly learn all of your greatest hits and continue writing new stories for new fans. Cash will continue to roll in, concerts will sell out, and gamblers will play with familiar smiles on their faces. Once again, a successful brand is greater than the sum of its parts.

So let’s set our sights on Cleveland by first reviewing your brand. We can analyze its impact on both your current and target audiences by utilizing the powerful tools made available in our digital age to maximize its lasting effect, and create a strong bond. Leveraging both technology and creative, we’ll ensure your casino sings and turn heads.

Now I gotta go. I’ve got shows to book, merch to design, guitar lessons to practice and hit songs to write. It’s gonna be a long day.