Every professional field has them, the words that seem to have a secret meaning to those not cool enough to be in the club. The “club” we’ll be talking about in this article is the marketing department, and more specifically, casino marketing departments.
In any casino marketing bullpen, the open space where multiple desks or cubicles are located, you’ll hear a variety of marketing specific terms being tossed around, often rather quickly as ideas unfold in real time. Using industry terms helps teams quickly get their point across while remaining effective in their communications.
Read on below for some examples of the most used casino marketing jargon and lingo. Let us know in the comments if there are other departments you want to take a deeper dive into!
Collateral
Ever wonder if there was a word given to the massive amount of creative elements that accompany any given activation or special event at a property? If you have, you may already know these materials are called “collateral.” This is a catch-all term that covers nearly everything that goes into a well planned marketing initiative. Some of the more well known examples of print collateral include monthly player mailers, brochures, business cards and property maps. Digital collateral includes blog posts, social media profiles and videos created to support the property.
Bleed
When it comes time to make all the collateral for any given event or promotion, the graphic designers working their magic behind the scenes know to include what is called a “bleed.” This is a standard term in the printing world that is given to, essentially, an extra margin of design or just color that ensures when the collateral is printed or digitally presented, that the design fills the entire space. The utilization of a bleed removes the chance of white space appearing in collateral.
Wayfinder
If you have ever found yourself looking up at the signs that dangle from the ceiling at any given casino or large scale attraction, you’ve used a wayfinder. Wayfinders are designed to help guests find their way around property by calling out the most used outlets and other useful landmarks like hotel elevators. Because these are often viewed as a “capital project,” there are a lot of other departments that often want to weigh in on what aspects of a property should make the cut. This is because each department wants foot traffic directed their way and, not for nothing, once wayfinders are installed, they are there for a long, long time.
Slot Toppers
Slot toppers are falling more to the wayside as of late, but there was a time that these were a cornerstone of marketing plans. Slot toppers are signs, made of foam core (see that definition below), that are designed horizontally to sit above various banks of slots. These thick, low profile signs proved their worth by serving as an easy way to call out events or special menus happening on property. Because foam core is relatively cheap, teams could switch these out without worrying about breaking the department “P&L” (profit and loss).
Slot Design Note
Slot toppers were a great option when all slot machines followed a basic design. Back in the day, all machines were typically the same height and utilized the same style call light. Before screens and their cabinets became super sized, slot toppers relied on those even height banks and standard size lights. This is because the toppers are placed into holders that fit around those lights. Without the lights, there isn’t a place for the slot toppers to safely anchor. Obviously, if machines are not set up in straight, even lines, the toppers will not sit correctly either.
Dangler
Post 2020, Danglers are taking over where slot toppers left off. Danglers are much smaller, typically a circle roughly five or six inches across. Like the toppers, danglers typically feature one promotion or upcoming event that has been deemed as a high priority for the property. Because there is such a limitation on space, this marketing tactic will often feature a QR code to direct guests to a landing page that includes all pertinent information.
Standee
Marketing is really about selling when you boil it all the way down. Whether you’re selling an experience or an actual product dictates how you’ll go about it. One of the tactics that can be deployed are temporary signs called “standees.” They are called standees because the signs are displayed in a manner that makes it look like the signs are…. You guessed it, standing up. These signs are typically two feet wide by four feet tall, just big enough to demand attention while being small enough to be manageable to move around the property. These signs, like slot toppers, are made of material called “foam core.”
Foam Core
Foam core, the material used to make signs like standees and slot toppers, is a lightweight option to make semi-permanent signs. The material is similar to styrofoam, thick, mildly durable, and department budget friendly. What makes it different is the hard, scratch resistant coating that goes on the front and back. The hard coating is what the marketing message is printed on.
Crafting Bonus
I am a big crafter! I like to do a variety of different things and am often inspired by random (and clean) things that I find and can repurpose. Once the use for a standee was fulfilled, I’d go down to the floor to collect it and bring it back to our marketing office. We’d keep the signs in our office if we’d use them again, like for an annual promotion, or they’d end up in a recycling pile opposite my cubicle. Once anything was in the recycling pile, it was fair game. Not to sound like a total hoarder, I only took things when I had a use in mind. For example, I repurposed foam core into a flower wall for my wedding! The material was more than thick enough for me to poke in fake flowers and have them stay put. Five years later, I have a small portion of this flower wall hanging in my house in Texas.
Mailer
This one is probably pretty easy to guess! “Mailer” is the term given to the promotional calendars and other marketing materials that are sent directly to your home. Mailers are typically released on a monthly basis and will feature everything from giveaways to upcoming concerts. As a player, my favorite mailers that I receive include my specific offers (without having to log into a web portal).
Meta
Out of all the terms on the list, Meta is perhaps the one that many are familiar with, even if you don’t know it. Meta is the company behind the popular social media networks including Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp. For casino marketing, the Meta ad network is what I would use as a Digital Marketer to create and launch ads. My favorite way to advertise on Meta is to boost posts. This means putting money behind a post to make it appear to a wider network of people.
Over The Top (OTT) Media
Over the top media, or OTT, is the term used when talking about advertisements sent to a variety of digital and streaming services. OTT is responsible for the ads you see while watching your favorite shows on Hulu, Peacock, or even SportsGrid (another place you can watch Brian!).
