Palms Casino Resort
The Return of a Vegas Icon
How do you take an iconic property with existing local patronage and give it a new, fresh brand identity? And how do you attract Las Vegas tourists while also catering to your current, local base? And how do you curate an identity that cuts through the hyper-saturated casino market in Las Vegas?
Our team first had to start by understanding the new owner’s point of view on what Palms needed to be. We conducted in-depth stakeholder interviews to gather insights on why this acquisition was made, the importance of indigenous-owned and operated casinos, and where they believed Palms fit in with the overall needs of Las Vegas. We distilled their insights down to a single vision statement: Callout: Where premier gaming and neighborly hospitality intersect.
Building Internal Buy-In
We now knew who Palms Casino Resort was and what it stood for. Next, we had to build a recruitment campaign and build internal buy-in for their employees.
Palms Casino Resort faced the unique challenge of being closed for over two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. They had to build their workforce from the ground up and find people who would be just as excited about the reopening as they were.
To do this we leaned into the ability to be a part of something historic for the city of Las Vegas: working at the only Native American-owned and operated casino in Vegas. Our campaign for recruitment centered around the message Let’s Make History Together--a chance to become a part of something meaningful and impactful.
Generate Buzz with the Public
The next step in reopening the iconic property was creating a campaign that would catch the attention of patrons, media and travelers. And to do that, we had to answer a very important question. Why does someone travel to Las Vegas?
The answer? To play.
No matter your reason for visiting Las Vegas, everyone is looking to play. Sin City is, in some capacity, a playground for adults. From slots and tables to exhilarating shows to one-of-a-kind events like fight nights and festivals, being able to partake in “play” is a quintessential part of the Las Vegas attitude. And it’s the reason Palms is here, too.
The campaign Here to Play touched on everything within the values of Palms Casino Resort. It combines a welcoming, neighborly feel with a premier gaming and entertainment-based experience. Creative was placed around Las Vegas in the form of traditional media, digital media and LED walls on the sides of the property buildings.
Launching their Digital Presence
In addition to creating a brand campaign, we were also able to bring their new brand to life across select key pages of their website experience. Utilizing the intention that everyone in Vegas is Here to Play, we brought a bold new design that mirrored the prestige and rich history of Palms Casino Resort with their new brand promise to bring unique experiences to all who love to play.
Throughout the website, we were able to demonstrate the ways that Palms Resort Casino facilitates play for their guests in all ways. With striking visuals and compelling copy, we brought to life the energy of Palms in a way that prospective guests and players could feel.
The website couldn’t just look good. It had to function at a level allowing users to get what they needed quickly. The team took a mobile-first approach when designing pages, did a full technical SEO audit to improve Web Core Vitals, and implemented advanced integrations like multi-property booking engines that were custom skinned to allow for a seamless, branded experience.
Keeping the Buzz Going
But what happens after the doors are open and the initial hype begins to dissipate? It’s time to bring in Little Palm.
Keeping aligned with the Here to Play mentality, the Little Palm TV spot was crafted showcasing a palm tree on its journey to fulfill its destiny, because just like Palms Casino Resort, Little Palm was Born to Play.
There were a few key themes kept in mind when crafting the script, concept and overall storyboard for Little Palm. First, Little Palm was always ready to be a part of something bigger. Second, Little Palm would make the journey to a place that aligned with its values, a place where play was prioritized and encouraged. And finally, in keeping with the single-minded idea of where premier gaming and neighborly hospitality intersect, Little Palm was welcomed into Palms Casino Resort with open fronds from its companions by the pool.
The Return of an Iconic Casino
From the start, our goal was to help SMGHA break into the Las Vegas market in a big way with the reopening of this iconic landmark. Throughout this process, it was also essential for us to deliver on the values and sentiments of the San Manuel tribe, address the already engaged Yaamava’ consumer, and speak to an audience that frequented Palms in its glory days.
In the end…
Using creative campaigns that help elevate the brand and promote the many amenities that Palms has to offer, we focused our marketing around the attributes with the highest potential of driving guests to the property. We’re thrilled with the work we were able to create for this iconic casino and grateful for the partnership that helped us get there.