The Avi Resort and Casino in Laughlin, Nevada this year has sent e-mails to its customers advertising a weekend package deal. The weekend package is for those who are pursuing to obtain a concealed weapon license. The package includes; a two night stay at the hotel, plus firing range qualifications, classroom instructions, and a state gun permit. The deal costs only $149.
This promotion is not only strange, but tactless, especially for a high class resort. Not only is there high crime with guns in America, but recently there was a gunfight at Harrah’s Laughlin, so why the promotion? All things taken into account, it seems that this promotion has got to be the worst marketing solution in this past year.
Needless to say, locals were angered and offended, despite their positions for or against the casinos in the area. Gun packages make the hotel look cheap, and sleazy. It also gives casinos a bad name.
Dennis Conrad, a marketing consultant based in Reno, said that campaigns are hard to find. He was not necessarily backing the gun package deal, but saying that the tackier the campaign the more attention. Attention is one thing, whether it works or not is another. The scary thing is that a campaign like this could work.
What happened to the good old days when simple promotion, like Harrah’s poker fantasy in Palms, Las Vegas, hosted by Howard Lederer, brought attention? Conrad believes that marketing for casinos is very difficult these days, however, people still like the idea of meeting celebrities. So then it seems simple promote things that are fun, which don’t get people hurt or killed. |
