10th annual AGA Communication Awards recognize gaming’s best communications efforts

2010-11-22

United States

Reading time 3:31 min

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 Las Vegas Convention Center in conjunction with Global Gaming Expo (G2E).

“The people and departments who have created the pieces honored today have been charged with the difficult task of making their property or company stand out in a crowded marketplace, and they make it look easy,” said Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., president and CEO of the AGA, who served as master of ceremonies for the awards presentation. “The diversity found in today’s winners is proof of that our industry has expanded far beyond a few concentrated U.S. markets, and outstanding communications and marketing is being done everywhere.”

The biggest winner was also one of the biggest stories in gaming during the past year – CityCenter. The us$ 9 billion development from MGM Resorts International won three awards, including Best Website, Best Employee Publication for the “CityCenter Insider” and Best Communications Campaign for the media relations campaign surrounding the property’s December 2009 grand opening. Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Miss. added to the totals of its parent company, MGM Resorts International, when it earned top billing in the Best Social Media Program or Campaign for “Missing Abe.”

Harrah’s Entertainment was another big winner, taking home two trophies. The first was for Best Print Campaign for “A Way of Life,” and Harrah’s also won the inaugural award in the Best Mobile Marketing category for its Caesars iPhone and Android apps.

Gaming equipment manufacturers were well-represented among this year’s Gaming Voice Award winners, with Bally Technologies, Inc. leading the way with two wins. The Las Vegas-based manufacturer won the Best Direct Mail and Best Digital Direct Marketing categories for entries related to its iView Display Manager system. WMS Gaming Inc. chalked up another win for the manufacturing sector when it won its second straight award for Best Annual Report.

Two Gaming Voice awards will have to clear customs this year, as international casinos took home two trophies. “Lucky Streak,” a television spot from Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls, Canada, won for Best Television Advertisement, and Galaxy Macau won Best Customer Publication for its “Galaxy Macau Brand Book.”

Tribal gaming operations were not left out of the recognition as Seminole Gaming earned two awards, including the most prestigious of the day—Multi-format Advertising Campaign—for Seminole Hard Rock Tampa’s “You Know How to Rock” Campaign. One piece of the “You Know How to Rock” campaign also was recognized in its own right when it was named Best Radio Advertisement.

Other winners included Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino in Altoona, Iowa, which won the award for Best Print Advertisement for “Jockey Glen Murphy,” and Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, Ill., which was honored with the Best Outdoor Advertisement trophy for its “Prime Burgerhouse Construction Wall.”

In addition to the juried awards, the AGA honored Dan Heneghan, public information officer for the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Gaming Communications. Heneghan has been a fixture in the Atlantic City gaming community for more than 30 years. He served as the Press of Atlantic City’s first gaming beat reporter, during which time he covered every casino licensing hearing and casino opening and almost every other major event in the Atlantic City gaming industry between 1979 and 1996. After moving to the Commission in 1996, Heneghan became the public spokesperson for the regulatory body, where he is responsible the agency’s media relations and an important voice in communicating the impact of casino gaming on Atlantic City and the state of New Jersey.

“Between his 21 years with the Press of Atlantic City and his 14 at the Commission, I don’t know that there is anyone who knows more about the New Jersey gaming industry than Dan,” Fahrenkopf said. “His almost encyclopedic knowledge, grace and professionalism have made him popular with everyone who deals with him—the media, gaming companies and the investment community—and that is no small feat to be sure.”

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 220 total entries.

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

2010 Gaming Voice Award Winners

Best 2009 Annual Report

WMS Gaming Inc.—“2009 Annual Report: We Listen"

(Assisting agency: Jaffoni & Collins Incorporated)

Best Broadcast Advertisement—Radio

Seminole Gaming—“You Know How to Rock”

(Assisting agency: The Glenn Group)

Best Broadcast Advertisement—Television

Fallsview Casino Resort—“Lucky Streak”

(Assisting agency: GJP Advertising + Design)

Best Communications Campaign