Entertainment destination launches new positioning

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With an average footfall of over 27 000 people every day, over seven million visitors each year and acclaim as the award-winning destination of choice in Gauteng, Montecasino has had to stay ahead of a highly competitive game.

“Montecasino is a brand that defies the theory that you can't be all things to all people. Offering a product that targets everyone from seven to 70, Montecasino has a hierarchical brand structure characterised by multiple sub-brands and product offerings. It operates in a dynamic industry in which every type of entertainment can be considered a competitor, where expectations are constantly exceeded and in which loyalty is passé,” explains Helen Stewart, marketing manager of Montecasino.

The property's product offering, which has been substantially expanded to encompass all forms of entertainment, has outgrown the ‘Life is Beautiful' positioning statement that so effectively launched the brand as a lifestyle destination and conveyed a sense of ‘la dolce vita'.

Significant brand confusion

There was also significant brand confusion between the various campaign brands and the positioning statement. Contrary to accepted marketing practice, the time had come to evolve the brand's original positioning into the arena of distinctly more aggressive gaming and entertainment marketing.

“The challenge was to encapsulate and effectively communicate the brand to its many target markets, not an easy task when you have a corporate brand, housing a vast number of sub-brands including; a loyalty programme (Club Festival), numerous gaming promotions, events in the piazza and constant activity on the property floor, “ continues Stewart.

“Some of these sub-brands were owned by Montecasino; however, many included sponsorships from other companies. It was essential to ensure that all these entities could live together comfortably, from online to mailings, on property point-of-sale and plasma screens, print and radio advertising as well as television.”

At this point, Montecasino formed a partnership with Interbrand Sampson to critically assess the health of the brand and provide strategic direction. A 360 degree approach was undertaken to address a few critical questions:

• How can Montecasino ensure that it builds a differentiated, relevant, credible and sustainable brand?
  
• What is the golden thread that will ensure consistent experience?
  
• What are the critical brand standards that need to be followed for success?

Audit process

An audit process of several months gave Montecasino the opportunity to assess accurately the status of the brand. The addition of its new offerings on the Piazza, including South Africa's largest theatre, the ‘Teatro', had the potential to create previously unimagined opportunities to further entrench the position as the leading entertainment destination in Gauteng. Substantial marketing support was required to realise this enormous potential.

“Conversations with guests across the broad spectrum of the company's target market, from highrollers to movie-goers, as well as suppliers, staff and tenants, revealed that the essence of Montecasino's product offering was that of a mainstream entertainment destination. Even the high-end gamers indicated that the peripheral entertainment is part of the experience, even if they don't make use of the restaurants, theatre, movies or other offerings,” she continues.

The age-old adage ‘you cannot be all things to all people' is not true for this brand. From the seven to the 70 year old, when it came to their entertainment and gaming needs, it didn't matter what the question was, as long as the answer was always Montecasino. It was clear that the word ‘and' between gaming and entertainment had become superfluous, as gaming was irrevocably linked to entertainment. So the term ‘gamer-tainment' was born, developed as a means of defining Montecasino's offering.

The Montecasino brand therefore had to appeal on the basis of an unforgettable experience for everyone, as opposed to specific offerings. This necessitated a broader brand attitude that widened the scope, highlighting a movement towards a human-orientated positioning.

Capture the essence

A proposition for Montecasino was crafted to capture the essence of being the leading provider of a 24/7 ‘world at play'. This single-minded aspirational promise - We've Got It - is intended to reflect the contagious energy, intimacy, responsibility and ‘live large' ethos of the brand.

Simultaneously, as part of a wider initiative of the Tsogo Sun Group, Montecasino partnered with a company called Blueprints in a programme designed to take the business from good to great. Recognising that branding is not just about advertising, but about getting all staff to buy into your brand strategy, the guiding philosophy of ‘the Tsogo way' developed through Blueprints, ensures that synergies are leveraged and that the Montecasino brand is lived at every touch-point, from ways of communication to the staff wardrobes on the casino floor so that a memorable experience is created for every guest.