_edited.png)
Social Campaigns
Viejas Cash Surprise: 14.19 Million+ Views
Here's the strategic thinking: What better marketing investment than giving players cash while they're already in our casino?
I developed this approach specifically for our loyal myViejas members...to reward them with surprise cash while creating organic lo-fi content that markets itself.
We knew our existing players were our best brand ambassadors, but we needed a scalable way to activate them. So we tested a $2,000 monthly investment to see if we could turn player rewards into earned media.
​
That $2,000 generated 20 pieces of organic content every single month, reaching more than 14 million views. Players reinvested 90% of their rewards right back into gaming.
​
The revenue impact: This wasn't just about retaining existing players, though it absolutely strengthened those relationships. The authentic moments we captured became customer acquisition magnets, drawing new prospects to Viejas Casino & Resort.
We were seeing both immediate revenue return from existing players and measurable growth in new player acquisition.
​
Bottom line: We found a way to reward loyalty, generate millions of impressions, and convert 90% of our marketing spend into immediate gaming revenue.
6.7 Million+ Instagram Views
.jpeg)
_edited.jpg)
934K+ Views
532K+ Views
Bet on Viejas: 1.42 Million Views
What would you do if a random lady walked up to you with free cash?
​
Our Viejas Cash Surprise videos were performing extremely well, so I saw an opportunity to take things up a notch. Instead of just handing out free money, what if we added some real stakes to the story?
​
The strategy: I created a two-part series where people had to put their free play cash on red or black. The first video ended on a cliffhanger, getting viewers to guess what happened next for a chance to win free play. Then we dropped the reveal 24 hours later.
Every single dollar we "gave away" went straight back into our casino. So while it looked like we were spending big on marketing, our actual net investment? Zero. We were essentially recycling money through our own gaming floor while creating premium organic content.
​
The results speak for themselves: We saw a 200% jump in brand awareness. But here's what really got my attention, the earned media explosion. People couldn't stop sharing their experiences, posting their own videos, talking about us online. We generated thousands of dollars in free publicity that you simply can't buy.
​
​
1.2 Million+ Views
113K+ Views
Influencer Marketing & Partnerships
Vegas Matt: 4.1 Million Impressions. CPM: 4.13
The strategic thinking: Our hardcore players were literally asking for Vegas Matt by name, that's market research you can't buy.
We knew bringing him to Viejas would serve dual purposes: reward our most valuable players with celebrity access while showing prospects that serious gamblers choose our property.
​
We made the unprecedented decision to allow Vegas Matt to stream LIVE while gambling at Viejas. This was a first for our casino and created an entirely new level of real-time engagement with players watching from around the world.
​
The data that drove our decision: Vegas Matt's audience is exactly our sweet spot...dedicated gamblers who follow his every move. His YouTube reach meant we could tap into a highly engaged, gambling-focused demographic that's notoriously hard to reach through traditional advertising.
The live streaming component added immediate authenticity that pre-recorded content simply can't match.
​
Our marketing investment generated 4.1 million impressions across two LIVE YouTube videos with 752,000+ combined views. That's a CPM of $4.13, targeting exactly the high-value players we want walking through our doors.
​
Our team witnessed dozens of myViejas players recognizing Vegas Matt on the floor...pure excitement you can't manufacture. One couple drove three hours just to see him and visit Viejas for the first time. That's new player acquisition happening in real time.
​
San Diego locals were actively engaging in the comments, many sharing their own Viejas experiences. Our social team (aka me) capitalized on every mention, turning viewers into potential visitors.
​
​
Kendra Wilkinson: 1.294 Million Impressions. CPM: 3.95
We needed to crack the code on reaching our core demographic: players 45 and older who drive our revenue. Enter Kendra Wilkinson: perfect nostalgic appeal for our target market, plus 6 million followers we could tap into.
​
The data-driven approach: Instead of going with overly polished influencer content that screams "advertisement," we had Kendra post authentic, lo-fi content from her weekend with us.
We wanted two outcomes: online reach for new player acquisition, and in-person buzz to show our existing players that Viejas is where celebrities choose to spend their time.
​
Here's where the numbers get exciting: Within 24 hours of her post, we gained 539 new Instagram followers and reached 772,087 people. After one week? We hit 1.29 million impressions with a reach of 1.2 million people. That's a CPM of just $3.95.
​
The revenue connection: But here's what really matters to your bottom line: the comments section became a goldmine. Tons of San Diego locals were sharing their own positive Viejas experiences, creating authentic peer-to-peer recommendations that money can't buy. Plus, our existing players saw celebrity validation of their casino choice, reinforcing their loyalty.
​
Bottom line: For a fraction of traditional advertising costs, we delivered 1.3 million brand impressions to exactly the right demographic, while simultaneously elevating our brand prestige among current players.
Micah Lussier: 1.4 Million Impressions
​This was our inaugural launch into influencer marketing; our very first test case to see if celebrity partnerships could expand our reach beyond traditional casino marketing.
I identified a golden opportunity with "Love is Blind" dominating pop culture conversations, especially among women ages 30-45—a demographic we wanted to expand within our player base.
Micah Lussier was our perfect entry point into this market and our pilot program. The strategy was to show that Viejas isn't just for hardcore gamblers, but also the go-to destination for celebrities looking for a sophisticated escape from the paparazzi and daily pressures.
​
The data that drove our decision: "Love is Blind" was generating massive social media buzz, and Micah's fanbase perfectly aligned with our target expansion demographic. As our first influencer experiment, we wanted to tap into that cultural moment while positioning Viejas as the kind of upscale venue where reality TV stars choose to unwind.
​
Here's what we achieved: Micah's organic-looking post delivered 1,390,429 million impressions—nearly 1.4 million brand touchpoints with exactly the demographic we were targeting. The content felt authentic and aspirational, not like a forced advertisement. More importantly, this first campaign proved our influencer concept worked.
​
The strategic positioning: This wasn't just about one post...it was about brand perception and launching our entire influencer strategy. We wanted to plant the seed that when you're gambling at Viejas, you might just spot a celebrity or reality TV star. That kind of "you never know who you'll see" mystique is marketing that elevates the entire casino experience.
​
Bottom line: Micah didn't just help us break into a new demographic, she validated our entire influencer approach, paving the way for Vegas Matt and Kendra Wilkinson and dozens of others like former UFC Fighter Chuck Liddell, Reality TV Star Brandi Glanville from "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills", Reality TV Star Ronnie Magro from "Jersey Shore" and Britney Spear's former husband Sam Asghari.
We transformed a reality TV cultural moment into lasting brand awareness among women 30-45, while proving that celebrity partnerships could be a cornerstone of our marketing strategy.
​
Sometimes the best marketing is showing people they're in good company...and this campaign showed us how to do it at scale.
​