Project Overview

Project Title: Dealerless Poker Advertising
Project: Digital Advertising and Branding for Gold Country Casino Resort
Duration: 1 month

Role:  My role as the Graphic Designer 2 on this project for the client was to create a visually compelling and cohesive brand identity that effectively communicates a new style of poker.

Problem: To ensure that this style of poker is both dealerless and digital, and to engage the audience and players to come to the casino and play while keeping the branding consistent.

Solution & Programs

My design solution for this project was to advertise this digital poker game that is brand new to the casino while also creating a brand that is unique and effective in order to attract players towards Digital Poker. This included creating signage such as digital content around the casino, using social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, and creating a page on the Gold Country Casino App and website. Some print ads included sending out monthly mailers to players with a page dedicated to Dealerless Digital Poker, and even table tents in the food venues. To engage non-gamers, the casino created promotions and tournaments with cash prizes and also partnerships with food venues with exclusive specials for those playing which I created signage for. The branding of the project had a specific purpose to keep in theme with what the players will be looking at. After meeting with the Gaming Operations Director at Gold Country Casino Resort, we decided to keep the branding consistent by matching the color scheme and alignment to that of a poker table. It engages the viewer as if they’re looking at the game itself through the advertising. To have a successful project I used programs: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Wordpress, RockBot, Optx, and Watchfire.

You may view my work in the gallery below. Enjoy!

Research

The research process for designing graphics for the Dealerless Digital Poker project is a multi-step approach that involves understanding my client’s goals, audience preferences, and competitor strategies. As a graphic designer, my research will inform my design decisions and ensure that the visual identity I create aligns with both the brand and the expectations of the target audience.

Email blasts are a powerful tool in a marketing strategy, especially when aiming to reach a large audience with a specific message or promotion. For the Dealerless Digital Poker game at Gold Country Casino Resort, email marketing can help generate awareness, encourage players to visit, and drive engagement with the new offering. We used email blasts to push towards the entire casino database and also specific table games players by using Optx for campaigns.

Challenges

Before diving into the design work, I need to fully understand the Dealerless Digital Poker concept, the goals of the casino, and how the project fits into the broader marketing strategy.

  • Client’s Vision: As mentioned before, I met with the Gaming Operations Manager and the Marketing Director to understand their vision for the game and the campaign. What is the core message they want to convey to the audience about Dealerless Digital Poker?

  • Branding Guidelines: Review Gold Country Casino Resort’s existing brand guidelines. Pay attention to logos, colors, typography, and overall tone. Understanding the existing brand aesthetics ensures that the new graphics will align seamlessly with the resort’s broader identity. Do we want to create something completely different? Do we want to use the same branding as the creators of Digital Poker (Jackpot Digital)? Do we want to match the branding with the casino? 

  • Target Audience: Gain insights into the demographics and preferences of the casino’s target audience. Who are they? What types of visual styles or themes appeal to them? Are they poker enthusiasts, younger players, or casual gamblers? College students or local older players?

  • User Feedback & Testing: Before finalizing designs, it’s important to test ideas and gather feedback.

Working on this project for Gold Country Casino Resort, I faced several challenges that require creativity, problem-solving, and attention to detail. Here are some potential challenges I encountered:

Adapting Designs Across Multiple Platforms

  • Challenge: Designing assets for a wide range of platforms, from email blasts and social media ads to in-casino displays and promotional banners. These platforms have different technical requirements and design specifications (e.g., file sizes, mobile vs. desktop formats).

  • Solution: Stay organized by creating design templates for different formats. Ensure that my designs are scalable and can be easily adapted to fit multiple formats without losing visual quality. Keeping key design elements (colors, fonts, logos) consistent will help maintain uniformity across various channels.

User-Testing

During our process of user-testing and feedback, I had team members portraying poker players enter the casino with no knowledge of the Dealerless Digital Poker tables and conduct how they respond. Right away some players knew about the table because of the email blast being sent out advertising the game, so I went ahead and focused on those who did not receive that email blast. Very quickly they noticed all the information promoting the project from digital signage, to table tents in restaurants, even on the escalator heading towards the poker area. Although I did receive some feedback such as players pointing out the colors I used in the project since it was very different from the surrounding colors in the casino it definitely popped. Which was exactly one of the key factors I was hoping for.

Learnings

Throughout this project I gained valuable insights into the importance of a cohesive brand identity and how it impacts the audience’s perception. One of the key takeaways was being able to identify what visual elements are most effective to convey a message or connection with the players and audience. I learned how to identify core values of the game and the casino, and translate them into a visual representation. This project taught me the step-by-step process of digital advertising, and how to use color and perspective to resonate with my target audience.