A top three casino in the Upper Midwest, Treasure Island Resort & Casino recently undertook a 50 million dollar renovation project – including 230 new suites, a 2800 seat showroom and a 24 lane bowling alley. Successful past campaigns featured humorous live action scenarios, but the 50 million dollar renovation needed a chic, sophisticated approach. Long-time advertising agency Periscope partnered with Gasket to enhance the brand with a mix of retro Hollywood chic and contemporary styling in a campaign that builds anticipation for Treasure Island’s grand re-launch in August, 2008. This was the first fully animated campaign the casino had undertaken.
Gasket and Periscope collaborated early on during the agency’s casino renovation campaign pitch. Working closely with the agency creatives, Gasket designed style sheets, storyboards and multiple animatics. Following client approval, Gasket was charged with production from start to finish, including the live-action green screen shoot as well as the subsequent compositing, animation and seamless integration of green screen footage with 3D environments. They also worked closely with music and sound design company BWN, and produced high-resolution designs for the Treasure Island’s companion print and web banner ads. The result was a multi-platform campaign that places the viewer in the heart of the high-style, high-energy casino action.
What happens when a 24-lane bowling alley meets the ‘Rat Pack’? Magic. The Island XtremeBowl is a new concept for Treasure Island and it needed to say high-style night-life entertainment. We follow our iconic ‘ante’ poker chip from gaming table to bowling lane, flanked by dual rows of sexy patrons, building to a climax as we smash the pins apart into chips. Based on the innovative concepts and animatic, this spot won Treasure Island and Periscope over to working with Gasket.
“Ante Up” poker chip push from green screen through final composite.
Final boards for “Bowling” spot which won Gasket the campaign.
On the heals of this highly visible "Ante Has Been Upped" campaign, the Treasure Island Resort & Casino was voted Minnesota’s Favorite Casino in the Midwest Gaming & Travel Readers’ Choice Awards in July of 2008. Treasure Island scored a total of ten awards in the magazine’s seventh annual survey of casino patrons this year.
“The cool thing about working with Gasket was having them involved right from the beginning,” says Agency Copywriter Rob Peichel. “It made the project come together really smoothly. Their team is fun and easy-going. They had a big part in the concepts and, in the end, exceeded our expectations.”
“From the beginning Periscope wanted iconic, ‘Rat Pack’ style design and animation to drive the campaign,” says Gasket Creative Director Greg Shultz. "Gasket worked as a extension of the agency. We pushed the spots, exploring and pushing their potential from every angle.”
The renovation included 230 new luxury suites, whose amenities included plush new beds, master baths and fantastic service. The luxury suite and high-rolling gambling paired with champagne bubbles and poker chips said it all. Like the other spots in the campaign, our people were shot live-action while the environment, design and detailing were created digitally.
Final boards for the Suite commercial.
Big big big! Treasure Island built a brand new showroom specifically to host national music and stage artists, like country music star Tim McGraw and comedian Ron White, as well a boxing and rock & roll. In our spot, the stage is the center of focus, surrounded by a massive crowd. We filmed talent playing, singing and dancing, then refined the graphic nature of their silhouettes and instruments digitally. We also shot plates of our crowd rockin’ out. The final image is all wrapped up with the poker chip…
Final boards for Showroom.
Behind the scenes of the green screen shoot for Showroom.
The so called "Generic" spot is anything but. The newly renovated casino needed a flashy spot to "open" the joint with. What’s better than the red carpet? This spot introduced us to the overall retro Vegas concept as well as the "Ante Has Been Upped" theme replete with all-in gambling action at the tables. This spot uses a combination of approaches. Our hero gambler was shot live action on green screen in HD, then repainted to enhance his crisp profile. The rest of the environment was created in 3D and with digital matte paintings. Our goal was to capture that moment when you risk it all–and it pays off.
Final boards for Generic.