Challenge /
The Santa Ana Star Casino had begun to fall into the trap of marketing itself just like all of the other casinos in the Albuquerque area. Without defining a clear point of differentiation, they found that when they had the best promotion in town, people came. When they didn't – patrons showed no loyalty. Santa Ana desperately wanted to find a way they could increase revenue without relying solely on the strength of their monthly promotions.

Albuquerque is a highly saturated gaming market. With six casinos within a 15-mile radius, competition for gamers is fierce. Research indicated that 50%-60% of all gamers in Albuquerque had no loyalty to any specific facility.

Key Insight /
The true strength of the Santa Ana Star Casino is not that it is fancy or exotic – but rather that is a friendly, clean and comfortable place to have fun.

Solution /
Although Santa Ana Star Casino is not as large or as modern as other local options, it has historically been committed to being an active member in the community. We proposed that while other casinos were constantly increasing their offerings (a hotel, a golf course, a concert arena, etc.) the Star should instead focus on its true points of differentiation – its convenient location, friendly service and clean, no frills environment.

While the other casinos in the area were focused on catering to out-of-towners, Esparza successfully positioned the Santa Ana Star Casino as the one and only "locals' casino." This became more than just an ad campaign or promotion. From top to bottom, the casino's main focus became providing a highly personalized experience designed to make the casino feel just like home.

Results /
• Slot play revenue increased by 25%.
• Carded coin-in increased from 35% to 62%.
• Player's club membership increased from 40,000 to 88,000 members.
• Santa Ana Star Casino's annual revenue increased 14%, taking it from the 4th largest casino to the 2nd largest in the Albuquerque marketplace.