RendezRouge:
A New Year’s Eve Spectacular
MGM National Harbor
Sunday, December 31, 2023
8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Project Category: Event Branding
Company: MGM National Harbor
Background: MGM National Harbor holds the esteemed title of being the highest-grossing casino and resort in the United States outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. Recognizing the paramount importance of two key elements to its success — being one, the substantial role played by the top 1% of casino players in driving 90% of the company's revenue, and two, the unparalleled significance of New Year's Eve as the highest grossing night of the year — the property hosts an annual New Year's Eve celebration, designed to drive VIP players to the property, thank them for their loyalty, and push them onto the casino floor, encouraging their participation in high-stakes gaming. By doing so, MGM National Harbor aims to solidify New Year's Eve as the pinnacle of profitability for the property, in alignment with established expectations.
My Role: In 2024, the theme for New Year’s Eve was declared to be RendezRouge, a reimagining of Parisian nightlife inspired by the world-renowned cabaret, Moulin Rouge. As the event’s Brand Marketing lead, I collaborated with my department’s creative team to develop the event’s overall branding strategy as well as its name, creative design and messaging, which would later be incorporated into the event’s creative marketing materials. I further collaborated with the Casino Marketing and Special Events teams, who were responsible for planning the event itself, to ensure that each of the brand marketing assets produced by my team were produced within budget, on schedule, and in alignment with the overarching vision and objectives of 2024 the New Year’s Eve spectacular. The event ultimately secured 250 VIP players and their plus ones, achieving a total of more than 500 guests in attendance, as was the event’s goal.
Project Parameters
Event Theme: Moulin Rouge
Attendee Goal: 500 Attendees
Creative Budget: $35,000
Production Timeline: 20 Weeks
Creative Conceptualization
The event’s theme was selected and announced by MGM National Harbor’s Special Events department on August 4, 2023. Once announced, the Brand Marketing department was given 20 weeks to develop a final event branding concept and produce each of the creative materials requested by MGM National Harbor’s internal clients. While there were many creative materials requested (to include a high-end mail invitation, photo booth displays, and day-of event signage) the direct mail invitation was the most intricate, expensive and time consuming asset to produce. As such, it was encouraged that the Brand Marketing team begin their assignment by building the event’s creative concept around the direct mail invitation and then mocking up the remaining creative requests after the invitation was approved.
Creative Presentation
The Brand Marketing department’s first task was to produce 3 creative concepts, which we would later present to our internal clients to review. While the department has historically selected its Creative Manager to produce and present these concepts, the need for diverse perspectives and creative styles led me to select 3 different designers on my team to research and design the concepts requested. Furthermore, as the Creative Manager was absent during the time of planning, I presented each concept myself, discussing creative direction and production timelines with my team’s clients and creative requirements and feedback with my team.
As our internal clients previously communicated their desire to remain faithful to the Moulin Rouge theme, incorporating “dark and sexy” elements traditionally associated with the cabaret and its cinematic adaptions, the final 3 concepts that were developed each played on a different aspect of the Moulin Rouge, with one being simple and sexy, one being elegant, yet playful and one being fun and exciting.
Final Concept: RendezRouge
The approved concept was “RendezRouge”, a reimagining a of Parisian nightlife in the MGM Grand Ballroom of MGM National Harbor. While our internal clients were impressed by the creativity of all 3 concepts, it was the RendezRouge concept, that was deemed exciting, engaging and what our clients refer to as a “WOW Moment” for invited guests. Clients also appreciated how many of the elements used in the RendezRouge concept could be recycled for a range of event materials.
The corresponding mail piece for the RendezRouge concept was then an 8”x8” box-fold design whose exterior resembled a feathered show girl fan. Upon opening the mailer (or opening “the fan”), the recipient would unveil a collage of images which were traditionally associated with Parisian nightlife (such as can-can dancers, champagne bottles, theater curtains, etc.). The recipient would also unveil a 2024 clock which they would have to rotate in order to reveal key event details, such as check-in expectations, event activations and variable data pertaining to giveaways and drawings.
Creative Production Timeline
Granted that the mail piece was estimated to have a 6-week production timeline, the design and production timeline for the event revolved entirely around the production of the mail piece, given that it took the longest amount of time to produce. As the in-home date for the mail piece was December 1, I then worked backward from the in-home date in order to set deadlines for the dates to share the updated mail piece to the clients for presentation, submit the final artwork and variable data to the vendor, mail the mail piece and begin working on the remaining creative materials.
FINAL CREATIVE ASSETS
HIGH-END MAIL INVITATION
The final artwork and copy for the adjacent box-fold mailer worked in conjunction with each other to create an upscale mail invitation for invited guests. The mailer was highly interactive, heavy in imagery, and relatively sparse in copy in comparison to other mailer pieces that the property had created in the past, playing on an element of mystery and enchantment. The mailer was also full of textures and patterns and was outlined in gold foil, playing on the extravagance that the Moulin Rouge is known for.
With a budget of $14 per mailer, the mail piece was delivered to 2,000 recipients with an anticipated 2.5% response rate. Creative and messaging used in the mail piece were then recycled to be used in a variety of other event materials.
EXECUTIVE HOST COMMUNICATIONS
As many VIP players are assigned an Executive Host to inform them about ongoing VIP promotions and attend to their needs while they are on and off property, event flyers were designed on behalf of Executive Hosts to share with assigned players who were invited to the event.
EMAIL REMINDER
A “Know Before You Go” email was scheduled 2 days prior to the event to all registered guests. The email recycled creative and messaging that was found in the mailer and was deliver to about 250 recipients with a 61% open rate.
EVENT SIGNAGE
A series of 7’x2’ tall signs were designed and printed on foam core panels, so as to provide guests with information regarding event scheduling, registration, drawings, prize structures and menus. As the Special Events team declined to produce event programs, these signs were helpful and offering direction to guests in areas where direction was needed.
DRAWING TICKETS
As attendees of the event were to be assigned a designated number of drawing tickets depending on their tier, 4”x3”drawing tickets were designed and printed. As the names of attendees were to be printed on these tickets, we opted out of having the print vendor number the tickets upon printing.
GRAND PRIZE REVEAL
As the night would culminate in a grand finale prize drawing, two grand prize reveals were designed for two lucky winners to open, thus revealing their prize of either a 2024 BMW SUV or $50,000 in FREEPLAY. The boards that served as grand prize reveals were 42 inch foam core boards that were scalloped and die cut to resemble feathered show girl fans.
360 PHOTO BOOTH
Working in collaboration with the event’s designated Graphic Designer, I worked to produce a curved 360-degree camera backdrop that seamlessly encapsulated the spirit of the cabaret. Inspired by the vibrant imagery featured in the event's initial mail invitation, the backdrop served as a panoramic canvas for capturing unforgettable moments throughout the event. Each carefully selected image evoked the allure of Paris after dark, from the iconic silhouette of the Eiffel Tower to the bustling streets adorned with dazzling lights.
EVENT DISPLAY
While event displays were planned by the Special Events department in collaboration with an external vendor, they incorporated many of the visual cues utilized in the original event concept that was produced by my team in Brand Marketing. The adjacent display showcases a heart-shaped entrance, which mimics the heart imagery and font packaging utilized in the event’s mail creative.
PHOTO GALLERY
