Moving Forward

Late last year, we won a branding assignment that was a first for Kochan & Company: it required a translator! A former client, who knew we were the perfect agency for his new challenge, awarded us the business. As an agency owner, there is nothing better than getting that call from a past customer.

As their new agency, our first task was to reposition Dubuque Greyhound Park and Casino as a completely remodeled, re-themed and more importantly re-named casino by April 1, 2009. Very exciting stuff, but our client wasn’t the only local casino planning an extensive remodel and expansion. A competitor was planning practically the same thing, minus the name change, a few months earlier!

Adding to the challenge, the client’s direction was that the new name and branding had to be based on a French theme, drawing from Dubuque’s history as a French fur-trapping outpost, founded by Julien Dubuque.

So where were we? Casino expansion and remodel. French theme, new name. Competitor down the street opening their remodeled facility a few months earlier. Oh, yes, an employees contest for the new name. Not exactly the dream branding scenario!

Fortunately, the contest did produce a number of great names and our client called on us to review the options. Based on the simplicity of a one-word name, ease of pronunciation (“Bonne Chance” seemed to invite problems), and Cirque du Soleil didn’t have a show by this name, “Mystique” was selected as the winner.

Once we had a name, we worked with our client on all aspects of their new identity by using our Brand Kinetics process to develop the best positioning and marketing plan. One objective was to claim a position of superiority with a statement that could only be owned by our client. Another goal was to create a position that was not only credible, but also so memorable that it would diffuse any momentum gained by the earlier opening of the remodeled competitor.

The positioning statement of “Mystique. Magnifique!” met those objectives. After consulting with our translator on spelling, the theme line was incorporated into all aspects of their marketing campaign, including print, collateral and interactive. To make it even more memorable in the marketplace, a jingle was created using the phrase “Mystique, C’est Magnifique!” for their multi-market broadcast campaigns.

On April 1, 2009 Mystique opened to crowds and we met our objective of creating another satisfied customer with our Brand Kinetics process.