GAMING INDUSTRY’S TOP COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS HONORED WITH GAMING VOICE AWARDS

LAS VEGAS—In a display of the depth of talent found in today’s gaming industry, the American Gaming Association (AGA) today awarded 13 casino operators and gaming supply companies with Gaming Voice Awards at the 11th annual AGA Communications Awards luncheon.  Winners were found in four different gaming sectors – commercial, tribal and racetrack casinos and gaming equipment manufactures.

The Gaming Voice awards, which recognize outstanding corporate communications, public relations and advertising in the gaming industry, were presented at a ceremony held at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in conjunction with Global Gaming Expo (G2E), the gaming industry’s premier trade show.

“The excellent work recognized today is able to stand out in a very crowded marketplace where the demands on a consumer’s attention are increasing every day,” said Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., president and CEO of the AGA, who served as master of ceremonies for the awards presentation. “The fact that no company or property dominated today’s awards is a good thing for gaming as a whole because it is proof that excellent work is being done by marketers, advertisers and communicators in every corner of our industry.”

Caesars Entertainment Corporation was one of three companies to take home multiple Gaming Voice Awards.  It won Best Social Media Program for the comprehensive social media program encompassing its Las Vegas properties and Best Digital Direct Mail for the “Seven Stars Las Vegas Signature Personalized URL and E-mail.”

The launch of Boyd Gaming Corporation’s “B Connected” loyalty program garnered the company two different awards – Best Mobile Marketing for “B Connected Mobile” and Best Website for “B Connected Online.” MGM Resorts International, the third company to win two Gaming Voice trophies, was recognized for excellence in publications, winning Best Employee Publication for “The Daily Momentum” and Best Customer Publication for “M life magazine.”

The gaming equipment manufacturing sector took home a combined four awards, with Bally Technologies, Inc winning the day’s most prestigious award – Best Multi-format Ad Campaign – for its “Cash Wizard” campaign.  Bally’s win marked the first win for a business-to-business campaign in the category.  International Game Technology (IGT) earned the Gaming Voice Award for Best Communications Campaign with its “Hangover Slot Employee Engagement Campaign,” and WMS Industries, Inc. won Best Annual Report for the second straight year.  The Gasser Chair Company was the only non-slot manufacturing supplier to take top honors, winning Best Print Advertising Campaign for “Gasser Dazzles.”

Two Gaming Voice Awards will be traveling to casinos north of the border this year.  Casino Rama in Rama, Ontario was recognized with Best Print Advertisement for its “Cauliflower Ad,” and Fallsview Resort Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario was named as the top entry in the Best Outdoor Advertisement category for “Break Out of the City.”

There was a tie in the Best Television Advertisement category between Ameristar Casinos, Inc. for “RoboDealer” and Empire City Casino in Yonkers, N.Y. for “Big Ball.”

Other winners included Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc., which took top honors in the Best Direct Mail category for “My Choice – The Owner’s Club,” and Table Mountain Casino in Friant, Calif. for “Bingo,” which was named the Best Radio Advertisement.

In addition to the juried awards, the AGA honored Jan L. Jones, senior vice president of communications and government relations for Caesars Entertainment Corporation, with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Gaming Communications. In her current position with Caesars Entertainment, Jones oversees all worldwide government affairs, corporate communications, community relations and corporate social responsibility programs for the $9 billion corporation – the world’s largest gaming company. Prior to joining the company in November 1999, Jones served two terms as mayor of the City of Las Vegas. She was the city’s first woman chief executive and often is credited with accelerating the growth of Las Vegas in the 1990’s.

“Jan is someone whose excellence as a gaming communicator cannot be disputed,” Fahrenkopf said. “She has represented the interests of our industry in communities across the country and around the world, pursuing issues vital to the health of the overall industry – responsible gaming, environmental sustainability, diversity and growth.”

Awards were presented in 15 categories, and a panel of judges with expertise in advertising, marketing, public relations, Internet design, graphic arts and financial communications determined the winners from among 218 total entries.

The AGA Communications Awards were made possible with generous support from Piercy Bowler Taylor & Kern (PBTK) and Global Gaming Expo (G2E).

2011 Gaming Voice Award Winners

Best 2010 Annual Report
WMS Industries, Inc. – “2010 Annual Report: The Game has Changed"
(Assisting agency: Jaffoni & Collins Incorporated)

Best Communications Campaign
International Game Technology (IGT) – “The Hangover Slot Employee Engagement Campaign”

Best Customer Publication
MGM Resorts International – “M life magazine”
(Assisting agency: Custom Publishing Group)

Best Digital Direct Mail
Caesars Entertainment – “Seven Stars Las Vegas Signature Personalized URL/E-mail”
(Assisting agency: The Media & Marketing Group)

Best Direct Mail
Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. – “My Choice - The Owners Club”
(Assisting agency: SK+G)

Best Employee Publication
MGM Resorts International – “The Daily Momentum”

Best Mobile Marketing
Boyd Gaming Corporation – “B Connected Mobile”

Best Multi-format Ad Campaign
Bally Technologies, Inc. – “Cash Wizard Multi-format Ad Campaign”
(Assisting agency: Eurie Creative)

Best Outdoor Advertisement
Fallsview Casino Resort – “Break Out of the City”
(Assisting agency: Blammo Worldwide)

Best Print Advertisement
Casino Rama – “Cauliflower Ad”
(Assisting agency: Marshall-Fenn Creative Communications)
  
Best Print Advertising Campaign
Gasser Chair Company – “Gasser Dazzles”
(Assisting agency: Concussion, LLP)

Best Radio Advertisement
Table Mountain Casino – “Bingo”
(Assisting agency: The Glenn Group)

Best Social Media Program
Caesars Entertainment – “Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas Social Media Program”

Best Television Advertisement (TIE)
Ameristar Casinos, Inc. – “RoboDealer”
(Assisting agency: Cannonball)
and
Empire City Casino – “Big Ball”
(Assisting agency: DDB NY)

Best Website
Boyd Gaming Corporation – www.bconnectedonline.com

The AGA represents the commercial casino-entertainment industry by addressing federal legislative and regulatory issues. The association also serves as a clearinghouse for information, develops educational and advocacy programs, and provides leadership on industry-related issues of public concern. To follow the AGA on Facebook, visit www.facebook.com/americangaming; for Twitter, go to www.twitter.com/AGAupdate.