Caesar once ruled the Roman Empire, and now, is hoping to rule the Las Vegas Strip. Caesars Palace and Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, among other Vegas hotels, are betting a new mobile social rewards program will enhance the visitor experience while fostering consumer loyalty. Caesars Entertainment Vice President Monica Sullivan explains the initiative and its payments-related aspects.
PYMNTS.com: Give us an overview of the new mobile social rewards program at Caesars Palace and Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. How does the program work?
MONICA SULLIVAN: At Caesars Entertainment, we realize that consumers are coming to Las Vegas every day carrying their mobile phones and iPads. We know they are searching for dinner reservations and entertainment when they are in town, and we want to ensure they have the information they are seeking for a great Vegas experience, and that we are offering more choices and more benefits. In Vegas, our mobile program allows us to engage with customers and provide offers and options while there are here and seeking assistance. We also want to offer rewards to our Total Rewards loyal customers and show them that engaging with us in ways most convenient for them is going to yield even more benefits.
So we created a way to offer more value to Las Vegas guests. Visitors at any one of our nine Caesars Entertainment Resorts in Las Vegas can receive Total Rewards® Bonus Reward Credits simply by using popular social media services, such as Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Instagram and Gowalla on their mobile devices.
Members of Caesars Entertainment Total Rewards loyalty program may go to Topguest.com from their mobile Web browser and click to become a member. Once the Total Rewards member is registered, he or she will receive Total Rewards Bonus Reward Credits with each geo-location check-in, tweet or Instagram photo taken at any participating venue in Las Vegas.
Guests will receive Total Rewards Bonus Reward Credits for every “check-in” via Facebook Places, Foursquare, Gowalla, Twitter or geo-located Instagram photos. Existing Topguest members who are not currently Total Rewards members may sign up for the loyalty program via a link from the Topguest website and receive additional Total Rewards Bonus Reward Credits. These credits are awarded after Topguest members verify their account information at any of the Caesars Entertainment Total Rewards Centers in Las Vegas.
PYMNTS: What was the motivation for this initiative, and why has Nine Caesars Entertainment made mobile a focus point?
SULLIVAN: The motivation was to tap the power of social media to enhance the Total Rewards loyalty program for Caesars guests visiting Las Vegas. Each year, we have thousands of geo-location check-ins, photos and tweets shared by visitors. With the mobile rewards program, we now have the infrastructure to offer a unique reward for this new form of loyalty.
Caesars has made mobile a focus point to build a meaningful dialogue with our customers about special deals, offers, programs, events and more via their preferred and on-hand communication method. Caesars customers opt-in to our various mobile programs, including express check-in, sweepstakes and offers, and download one of our many mobile apps to stay connected, book rooms and view their Total Rewards account. We are excited about continuing to introduce mobile enhancements to our customers and reward them for engaging with us.
PYMNTS: Who has Caesars Palace and Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino partnered with to create the mobile rewards program?
SULLIVAN: Caesars partnered with Topguest, a technology company that translates social media activity by loyalty program members into incremental engagement and transaction opportunities. Launched in 2010, their clients include some of the largest travel loyalty programs.
PYMNTS: How is this new offering connected to any of the hotels’ other loyalty programs?
SULLIVAN: The new offering is integrated with the company’s loyalty program, Total Rewards. Customers will receive Bonus Reward Credits for every “check-in”. As customers accumulate Reward Credits, they will learn more about the multiple ways to earn with Total Rewards and the exciting options to redeem the Reward Credits including hotel stays, spa visits, dining and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
PYMNTS: How else is Caesars Palace and Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino using mobile to enhance visitors’ experiences, particularly with regards to enabling payments and purchases?
SULLIVAN: We recognize that mobile purchasing and payment is a great opportunity to improve our customer’s service experience. Additionally, we use a combination of apps, SMS, and social networking to deliver relevant offers to our guests with the singular goal of making the guest experience that much better.
PYMNTS: What other mobile or loyalty-related ventures will Nine Caesars Entertainment be pursuing in the near future?
SULLIVAN: From a mobile perspective, Caesars will be releasing the next version of its core mobile app, the myTR app, this summer. It will include exciting new functionality such as Total Rewards sign-up, ability to earn and redeem Reward Credits, visibility to dining, entertainment, hotel options and the ability to receive and redeem mobile specific offers.
From a loyalty perspective, Caesars has recently launched the Total Rewards Marketplace, an online earnings mall through which Total Rewards customers can earn Reward Credits for shopping at hundreds of their favorite retailers. Caesars will be announcing many new Total Rewards program benefits and mobile enhancements over the course of the year.
Bio: As Corporate VP of Advertising, Monica Sullivan leads brand management, online marketing, wholesale distribution, social media, and traditional media planning and buying across the Caesars Entertainment family of brands, including Caesars Palace, Harrah’s, Paris, Planet Hollywood, Rio, Bally’s, Flamingo, Horseshoe and Showboat.
Related Article: Rewards in Real-Time, Mobile is Making Its Move
We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to partner with innovators and disruptors.
Learn More