Drivetime Marketing Podcast

Copying the casino down the road isn’t a strategy. This conversation looks at how airlines, streaming services, coffee chains, gyms, and more are already solving the loyalty, churn, and habit-building challenges casino marketers face every day. Listeners get practical, road-ready ideas they can test at a regional property without Vegas-level budgets or huge teams. Perfect for anyone juggling a full to-do list who still wants to think more strategically about players while driving between meetings. Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: https://bit.ly/3MS2pOz Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://bit.ly/3MXUe3c

Most casinos won’t think about 2026 until January. But the ones who win next year? They’re already pulling key levers — right now. This episode breaks down 7 strategic moves you can make in December that pay off all year. From brand clarity to promo audits and cross-team alignment, these aren’t nice-to-haves — they’re what separates leaders from the pack. For the brand sprint and all 7 levers: https://www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-marketing-strategy-2026-levers/ Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Billboards are still working. Yes—really. This episode breaks down what $78 billion in traditional media spend means for your casino and how to apply it to your 2026 plan. From hybrid TV to house print, get smart about what to keep, change, or cut—and how to sell it to your GM. Perfect for marketers who need to move fast with limited budgets. Join the Casino Advertising Masterclass https://bit.ly/3XY35Ei Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Marketing legend Mark Schaefer joins Julia to explore what it really means for guests to belong to your casino brand. Drawing on stories from his book Belonging to the Brand and his global community work, Mark contrasts old-school neighborhood loyalty with today’s over-optimized, tech-driven marketing. He explains why connecting players to each other can be more powerful than connecting them to offers, and why personalization isn’t the same as being personal. You’ll walk away with practical, human-scale ideas—like simple manager walk-arounds, host gestures, and welcome videos—that can turn casual visitors into loyal regulars who proudly say, “This is my place.” Connect with Mark Schaefer at businessesgrow.com Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Trying to improve your marketing results without blowing your budget? This episode breaks down how AI personalization helps regional casinos increase trips and loyalty using data they already have. We walk through real tactics—send-time optimization, churn scoring, smarter offers—and how to scale personalization with a small team. You’ll get ideas you can test next week, all backed by what’s working on real casino floors right now. See what this personalization could look like by segment at https://www.jcarcamoassociates.com/ai-personalization-casino-marketing/ Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Sponsorships get you appreciation. But they won’t win loyalty. This episode dives into how regional casinos can move from “supporting” the community to becoming essential to it. If you're tired of seeing regulars bounce between you and the competitor down the road, this one’s for you. Five practical shifts that make all the difference. Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Jeff Gray of Lean Revisions joins Julia to talk about how casino marketers can apply Lean and Six Sigma practices to streamline operations, improve outcomes, and build better systems. Whether you're working with a green team, a tight budget, or just too much on your plate, this conversation shows how small shifts in thinking can lead to big wins. From analyzing past campaigns to aligning your entire operation, Jeff’s approach makes marketing more effective—and less exhausting. Key Topics: Why casino marketing is a system (and how to map it) The one metric marketers ignore—but shouldn’t Small changes to reduce chaos and improve performance Fan or Flop or Fix: A rapid-fire game on common marketing practices Connect with Jeff at https://leanrevisions.com/ Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

How do you build a players club that works for your guests and your bottom line? We talk about designing a loyalty program that reinforces brand identity, drives real progress, and avoids common reinvestment traps. You’ll get insights on tier strategy, mailbox vs. entitlements, and how to make sure your team delivers the loyalty experience you’ve promised. This one's built for busy marketers ready to stop copying and start creating. Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Brittany Hodak breaks down how casinos can turn casual players into superfans—and why apathy is the silent threat to your revenue. We dig into designing story-worthy moments, reducing wait-time friction, and engineering word-of-mouth that compounds via referrals. Plus: a rapid round of Fan, Flop, or Fix you can borrow today. You’ll learn • How to define a casino superfan (and measure the signs) • Simple ways to make waits feel shorter—and more human • Apathy indicators to watch weekly (and how to respond) • A 30-day starter kit to spark advocacy without big budgets Links & CTAs • Connect with Brittany: brittanyhodak.com • Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. • Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ • Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Think you have a loyalty problem? You might actually have a depth problem. This episode breaks down how regional casinos can move beyond promo calendars and start using brand-led loyalty to build relationships that stick. You’ll get quick wins, long-term plays, and a new lens for retention that doesn’t start with more reinvestment. How to build your brand ladder: https://bit.ly/4qKw0cf Get your 90-day Depth Sprint at https://bit.ly/4qpWfEm Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Email is still one of your highest-ROI channels—if you use it right. In this episode, Julia is joined by email marketing powerhouse Andrew Kordek to explore how casinos can improve welcome series, collect better data, and stop sending one-size-fits-all blasts. Whether you're short-staffed or just overwhelmed by your database, this episode gives you real ways to fix what’s broken. Plus, a fun round of Fan or Flop or Fix that might change how you think about subject lines forever. Follow Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewkordek/ and Email Never Sleeps podcast at https://www.youtube.com/@ipost_email Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

What if your most important team member never clocked out, greeted every single guest first, and quietly influenced their loyalty without ever speaking a word? That’s your website — and if it’s still acting like a brochure, it’s probably working against you. This episode breaks down how casino marketers can turn their website into a loyalty-building machine (and what it's costing them if they don’t). Plus: how AI and changing guest behavior are reshaping how casinos need to think about digital presence. Hear my conversation with Philippa Gamse https://www.jcarcamoassociates.com/stop-flying-blind-website-analytics-for-casino-marketers/ Get the FREE Website Audit Checklist https://share.hsforms.com/1XnPXLNp5RHmfZ6MtC4cAyg1c65y Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Most casino loyalty programs are built on transactional logic — and that’s exactly the problem. In this episode, we break down how to build emotional loyalty, convert uncarded players, and design rewards that feel personal (without bloating your reinvestment budget). Perfect for regional marketers looking to modernize their approach without losing what makes their property feel local and loved. Get the plan at https://www.jcarcamoassociates.com/reframe-casino-loyalty-program-brand-strategy/ Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Most casinos are only capturing 15–20% of their potential Hispanic market—even when that market is right outside their doors. We’re unpacking why translation alone doesn’t work, why Sunday is your sleeper hit day, and what high-ROI channels are worth your budget. Plus, how operational readiness can make or break everything. It's a must for any marketer managing loyalty, events, or media strategy. Get in touch with Jose at sensisagency.com and jrvilla@sensisagency.com Get information on Hispanic marketing at hispanicmarketingcouncil.org Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Smart casino marketers aren’t waiting for headcount to grow; they’re building capability with the team they have. In this episode, we explore the critical skills modern marketers are learning right now, from loyalty and player development to strategic branding and smarter segmentation. If you’re feeling stuck or spread thin, this is your chance to reset and refocus. Tune in for practical ideas to help you build a stronger marketing team before 2026 hits. Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Hispanic marketing in casinos isn’t about translating ads—it’s about translating the welcome. Josh LeDuff (former VP of Marketing at Pala, now CMO at Full House Resorts) breaks down what really drives loyalty: Staffing that speaks the language—hosts and frontline teams Environments tuned for comfort, down to the music Entertainment that connects, not panders He also shares why research-first saves budgets—and why Sundays can outperform Saturdays in many markets. You’ll learn A practical approach: segment → target → position, then validate with quick, low-cost research dinners before spending big. Why language-capable staff across the floor (not just hosts) increases comfort, conversion, and spend. How music, wayfinding, TV programming, and menu cues shape comfort—and what to prioritize first. Programming that resonates vs. performs: the case for Sunday concerts and community-driven promotion. Hiring when you’re short-staffed: pay for language, get creative with dual-rate and community influencers to “host” friend groups. Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Creating emotional loyalty takes more than points and tiers. In this conversation with Chalkline CEO Dan Kustelski, we explore what casino marketers can learn from the sports world when it comes to building long-term player engagement. From fan behavior to mobile app strategy to smarter promotions, Dan shares real talk—and real tools—for modern casino marketing. Plus, don’t miss our new segment: Fan or Flop? Connect with Dan at https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielkustelski/ Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Loyalty isn't just about offers — it's about meaning. This episode breaks down how regional casinos can use brand purpose to guide their marketing calendars, team alignment, and loyalty strategies. You'll walk away with practical ways to turn promotions into something more powerful: guest connection. Great for marketers looking to grow loyalty without growing their budget.

Most casino marketers track reinvestment to the dollar—but stop there. This episode digs into how to bring analytics into advertising, promotions, and digital campaigns so you can cut waste, prove ROI, and make smarter decisions. If you’ve ever wondered whether your last promotion was truly profitable—or just popular—this one’s for you. Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/

Your guests are mobile-first—often mobile-only—and your marketing needs to reflect that reality. From loyalty enrollment to SMS timing, we’re diving into the mobile moments that matter most. This quick-hit episode is packed with tools for optimizing on a budget and making mobile your MVP. Especially useful if you’re a regional casino marketer trying to win locally without getting lost in digital noise. Learn more at www.jcarcamoassociates.com/. Get insights delivered to your inbox: www.jcarcamoassociates.com/casino-mark…newsletter/ Join the most effective casino marketing training. https://casinomarketingbootcamp.com/