GGRAsia – Marina Bay Sands launches first ever Japan ad campaign

Marina Bay Sands launches first ever Japan ad campaign

Apr 07, 2016 Newsdesk Industry Talk, Latest News, Singapore

Singapore casino resort Marina Bay Sands (pictured) launched this month what is dubbed as the property’s “first-ever advertising campaign” for the Japanese market. The campaign features ex-England soccer captain David Beckham.

Marina Bay Sands is owned and operated by a subsidiary – Marina Bay Sands Pte Ltd – of U.S.-based casino operator Las Vegas Sands Corp. The latter is the parent company of Macau casino operator Sands China Ltd; Mr Beckham is also a brand ambassador for Sands China.

Marina Bay Sands said in a press release the new advertising campaign in Japan included a series of print and television commercials – as well as usage of online channels – highlighting the property’s offerings.

“The campaign culminates in a gala event in Tokyo in late 2016 featuring Japanese and global celebrities from the worlds of entertainment, fashion and culture,” Marina Bay Sands stated.

“Japanese travellers have ranked as the No. 1 overseas inbound market to Marina Bay Sands over the last five years,” George Tanasijevich, chief executive of Marina Bay Sands, said in a statement.

He added: “These figures demonstrate that Marina Bay Sands has a unique appeal to Japanese who are drawn to our leisure and entertainment attractions. In response to the strong demand, we have been developing attractions and programming, as well as tailoring our customer service, to better serve our Japanese guests.”

More than 789,000 Japanese tourists visited Singapore in 2015, down 4.3 percent in year-on-year terms, according to data from the Singapore Tourism Board.

Casino gaming is not legal in Japan. There are ongoing discussions in the country regarding a potential bill to legalise casino operations but so far no legislation has been approved. Las Vegas Sands is among the several international casino operators that have expressed an interest in investing in Japan, were gaming to be legalised.