MGM Resorts Names Mischief Creative AOR for Entire Portfolio

Mischief @ No Fixed Address continues its hot streak with another big client win, being named creative agency of record for MGM Resorts. Mischief will be responsible for the entire portfolio of MGM Resorts properties, including Las Vegas hot spots MGM Grand, Aria, the Cosmopolitan and Bellagio, along with global locations in the U.S., China and Japan. Mischief won the business without a review. “We had a strategy project come up last spring … and we looked at a couple of agencies to give us a really objective, unbiased assessment. And it was actually me who knocked on their door,” Sarah Moore, MGM Resorts International svp of marketing, told Adweek, adding that the energy and chemistry between their respective teams made for a perfect fit. Together, Mischief and MGM will work on briefs against the MGM Resorts hero brand platform as well as specific property assignments and launches. “There's magic in the brands. It’s a given the brand is great, but we say no to a lot of great brands if the chemistry is not right. It's really about appreciating each other's point of view and what you can bring to the table and not trying to change either one of us,” Greg Hahn, co-founder and CCO at Mischief, told Adweek. Mischief’s Excellence at Brand-Building for Clients (and Itself) Makes It Adweek’s 2023 US Agency of the Year Mischief takes over from McCann, which had been MGM Resorts’ agency since 2015, with an expanded remit in 2018. Details of the deal were not disclosed but MGM Resorts' projected total media spend in 2023 was $220 million, according to COMvergence. Industry challenges and new work Moore said MGM’s business, and the broader resort tourism industry, has changed significantly over the last five years, which means that MGM needs to think differently about its brands and how it brings them to market, which is why it chose Mischief. With more competition in Las Vegas, including the Fontainebleau and other new properties, MGM wants to remain competitive while staying true to its brand. Mischief isn’t planning a huge overhaul of the brand, and the positioning and core mission aren't changing for MGM, but the company is looking to focus on digital and strategy as it works out its new positioning. “We can do a lot more with what we have if we just tell the right stories and really get back to the basics of who we are,” said Moore. Mischief and MGM have just begun to work on the creative, but they have worked a lot on the strategy side to find out the business problems and figure out how to best roll out the overarching campaign theme before concentrating on individual properties. While the partnership is too new to plan a Super Bowl campaign, MGM and Mischief plan on capitalizing on the many sports opportunities available in Las Vegas throughout the year. And it’s not just about the properties, but also events, experiences and gaming entertainment, so there will be multiple facets to the upcoming campaigns. MSG’s Sphere in Vegas–Largest Orb on Earth–Courts Marketers for its ‘Unique Canvas’ “Each one of our brands has very strong positioning that ladders up to that master brand. But we're not afraid of change. We know who we are and how we show up to the world,” said Moore. Hahn added that MGM has great brand equity, so Mischief is looking back and capturing some of the magic that made MGM Resorts a top destination for travelers. “It's a chance to work on an iconic brand and bring them into different conversations. And that's Mischief’s strength is getting brands to be a part of the conversation. So let's jump into that and find places that we can interject them in culture and get MGM top of mind,” said Hahn. Mischief has had numerous wins over the last year, many without pitches, including Pizza Hut and Outback Steakhouse, which contributed to the agency being named Adweek’s U.S. Agency of the Year. Regarding the change of agencies, McCann responded through a spokesperson: “When MGM Resorts came to us in 2015, they were known as a Las Vegas Hospitality and Casino company. Fast forward to today and MGM Resorts’ influence and brand has expanded exponentially—it is now known around the world as a global entertainment powerhouse with a single mission: To entertain the human race. We’re incredibly proud to have played a key role in MGM’s biggest marketing moments and in the collective work we’ve done evolving the brand to what it is today.” McCann led several key campaigns for the brand, including "Joy" for Bellagio, which won a silver at Cannes in the film category in 2022, and "Universal Love" in 2018, which was praised for its celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.