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[toc]On Sunday night, MGM Resorts aired a 60-second commercial during the 69th Emmy Awards that kicked off a new marketing campaign: ‘Welcome to the Show‘.
‘Welcome to the Show’ is the casino company’s first corporate brand campaign, designed to shed the company’s hospitality and gaming image.
According to MGM, the ‘Welcome to the Show’ campaign reflects the company’s shift from hospitality and gaming to a global entertainment brand by “turning the spotlight on the incredible array of entertainment experiences that form the nexus across the company’s 27 distinctive resort destinations.”
MGM Resorts Chairman and CEO Jim Murren explains:
“Our new Welcome to the Show campaign is an epic invitation, designed to declare our point of view to the world and tie together our deep and diverse portfolio of resorts, from those that define the famed Las Vegas Strip to those across the U.S. and around the world.”
Lilian Tomovich, the company’s Chief Experience & Marketing Officer, said:
“Welcome to the Show gives audiences permission to be bold in their pursuit of fun, to live life fully. It communicates our clear aspiration to be first in the minds of consumers as a company that offers the most comprehensive entertainment experiences, delivered by our extraordinary team around the world.”
MGM has a lot to offer
As casinos become more resort-like, a campaign like ‘Welcome to the Show’ was only a matter of time. The press release only expanded on this idea:
“The integrated “Welcome to the Show” campaign illustrates MGM Resorts’ expertise as the leading global entertainment company, showcasing the infusion of entertainment within every guest experience. From award-winning live and theatrical performances to interactive dining, immersive nightlife, one-of-a-kind retail, extraordinary spa offerings and more.”
In its press release MGM noted the ad and campaign were prominently featured during a number of marquee entertainment events, including:
- The Kaaboo Music Festival in California
- The biggest fight of the year between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady “GGG” Golovkin in Nevada
- The 69th Emmy Awards
The campaign will also utilize MGM Resorts’ existing on-property entertainment options, including:
- More than 20 world-class arenas, theaters and festival grounds
- Nearly 50 concepts from celebrated chefs including
- Joël Robuchon
- Jean-Georges Vongerichten
- Julian Serrano
- Michael Mina
- Wolfgang Puck
- José Andrés
- Tom Colicchio
- Masaharu Morimoto
- Alain Ducasse
- 48,000 guest rooms in its 27 resorts
- 2 million square feet of gaming space
Are the casinos of the future already here?
In March I wrote about the casinos of the future. Namely, how casinos have been shifting their focus away from gambling:
“Instead of cheap rooms and loss-leading buffets [to lure in gamblers], they’re charging visitors through the teeth for those rooms and plying them with high-end eateries, expensive shows and bottle service in their clubs.”
My take at the time was that casinos were moving towards a business model that provided an unforgettable memories, rivaling honeymoons, backpacking through Europe, and other once in a lifetime experiences.
MGM’s new campaign appears to be an attempt to accelerate this process.
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