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boosting revenue by 88%
Historic Deadwood
In 2021, Deadwood was gearing up for its first full season of post-pandemic travel. Known for its rowdy history and outlaw spirit, Deadwood wanted to come back in a big way by boosting gaming and hotel revenue. When all was said and done, 2021 ended in record fashion—with an 88% increase in hotel revenue and 12 consecutive months of gaming gains.
How did we do it? Let’s swing open a saloon door to the past.
Campaign Elements
Awards
- 2021 Bronze HSMAI Adrian Award Winner
untamed and unrivaled
We began our strategy with a deep dive into markets and audiences. As people started traveling again, we needed to adjust our strategy to account for shorter booking windows. We also expanded our targeting beyond traditional nearby markets, appealing to those with higher travel intent across a broader radius. Audiences included general travel interests, plus niche interests in history, gaming, entertainment and more.
For messaging, we leaned into the destination’s infamous good time. “Untamed Since 1876” encouraged everyday outlaws to go west and get wild, merging the history of Deadwood’s past with the mystery of its fun-filled present.
To reach a variety of audiences, we placed dynamic creative, display, print, digital audio, social, retargeting strategies and even tested geographic-specific digital messages across Colorado, Illinois and Minnesota.
We also took advantage of non-traditional tactics like a rich media itinerary builder and an interactive TV unit that let viewers read more about Deadwood alongside our video ad, then use a QR code to start planning their vacation.
In addition to reintroducing visitors to Deadwood, we introduced them to sports betting, launched in September 2021. With live wagering at five casinos, fans could gather to bet on everything from hockey and football to golf, MMA fighting and even the Olympics.
As part of this campaign extension, we introduced a niche sports betting audience to our media mix with video, digital creative and an announcement flyer to spread the word.
historic wins
The new campaign invited visitors to play their wild card in Deadwood. And play they did.
