Route 66 Casino Hotel – Albuquerque, NM

Sitting 20 miles west of downtown Albuquerque, Route 66 Casino Hotel lives up to its name, delivering a unique experience that combines classic Americana with contemporary style.

The Challenge

Albuquerque is an extremely competitive market, with Sandia, Isleta and Santa Ana Star casinos all better positioned geographically within the heart of Albuquerque. Combined, the four casinos saturate the market with gaming messages. Many of Route 66’s competitors have responded to recent declining economic conditions with discount offers and increasing reinvestment.

The Plan

Leverage the property’s most ownable asset…the Route 66 brand . With a brand strategy so intertwined with a rich part of American history, Concussion worked with our clients to create a distinct connection between the property and the pillars of the Route 66 genre – stylized graphics, fonts, colors, marquee lights and, of course…pin–up girls. Led by our hero, “Miss 66,” the campaign has served notice to our competitors that Route 66 Casino delivers a unique experience that redefines entertainment in Albuquerque by leveraging the market’s location along the highway that made the city famous. We developed a marketing strategy that capitalizes on momentum gained in 2008, addresses competitors’ gravitation towards a price–driven value proposition and puts the brand’s external experience on an entirely different pedestal.

The Results

In its first year, the campaign has completely set the brand apart in the market, driven incremental visits and increased Players Club sign-ups. Also, Concussion negotiated media up to 43% off rate card and delivered a 257% return on investment through added value.