 OVERVIEW
In the midst of a deteriorating economic environment, the new, $1 billion MGM Grand Detroit was to be positioned as the premier luxury property in the Detroit metro area. The new property would feature upscale rooms and suites (400), signature restaurants by Wolfgang Puck and Michael Mina, bars and lounges, a spa designed to be best in class in the metro area and 30,000 square feet of meeting space. The key business issue was to protect MGM Grand Detroit’s existing slot customer base at their temporary casino while growing both gaming and leisure-related revenue streams in the region.
TACTICS
Our team used a mixture of community and media events culminating with a Las Vegas-style launch to reveal the new MGM Grand Detroit. Our initial customer targeting revealed a core drive-in market that stretched from Chicago to Cleveland, and throughout Michigan. This core geographic zone was worked with messages that included downtown Detroit luxury, upscale restaurants featuring celebrity chefs, a world-class spa, nightlife and entertainment, and meeting and conference space. The core slot customer, primarily existing in the Detroit metro area, was courted with messages of upgraded amenities, new gaming features and technology, and an enhanced rewards program. And finally, regional business and auto industry corporate meeting planners were targeted within meeting and convention publications and business travel columns.
RESULTS
The communications surrounding the launch of MGM Grand Detroit clearly differentiated the new resort from its two main competitors in the market and raised the bar for quality in the region. Soon after launch the resort was able to confirm that not only had they maintained their in-market slot customer but that they had gained market share in the locals market while attracting new leisure visitors from the region. Equally important, our communications program helped bridge the gap within local business and government and fostered a sense of place and pride for downtown Detroit. In short order, MGM Grand became the place to have social events, dinner parties and community events.
MGM Grand Detroit also became the hotel of choice for business travelers to the region trumping all others in quality.
KEY PLACEMENTS
Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Toledo Blade, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, AP, People Magazine, Bon Appetit, Gourmet, Travel + Leisure, Meeting News, Midwest Meetings, Travel Weekly, Meetings & Conventions, CNBC, Bloomberg, FOX News, CNN, 89 separate Detroit TV news hits, 15 live on-site reports to Cleveland TV, 40 separate Toledo TV clips, and more than 100 TV news hits in secondary Michigan markets. Total TV placements and viewership for the launch event was 530 airings and 37,227,482 viewers.
|
