Aspiring filmmakers can win $12,000 cash in casino video contest

In a marketing first for a California casino, Barona Resort & Casino is launching an new social networking campaign encouraging people from across the country to create a video that captures the magic of gambling. Called the Barona Video Contest, Hollywood hopefuls have between now and May 29, 2009, to share stories about what they love about casinos – the sights, the sounds, the games and the thrill of winning. The creator of the highest rated video will win a total cash prize of $5,000 while the finalists and even online voters will share a total of $17,000 in additional cash prizes.  

“Barona’s Video Contest is intended to open new doors of awareness for our property through a combination of online, social, viral, traditional and in-house media,” said Troy Simpson, senior vice president of innovation at Barona Resort & Casino. “While we have been integrating social media into our marketing for quite a while, this is our first major foray into the space. We are excited to tap new audiences and gain insight into the mind of our customers.”  

The premise of the contest is easy: demonstrate, in up to two minutes, what you love most about casinos. Is it poker, blackjack, slot games, casino movies, gambling as a sport? Is it the thrill of winning? A casino promotion? The atmosphere? The food? The entertainment? Do you have a winning moment at Barona to share? Or, what do you love most about Barona Resort & Casino?  

“In recent focus groups and research, we’ve discovered that our guests just love to share their experiences and opinions about Barona,” continued Simpson. “We thought this would be a great way for them to visually express what they love best and share their favorite gaming moments with the world. We expect that we’ll get some very creative entries!” 

Videos can be uploaded at www.baronavideocontest.com and submissions will be accepted through May, 29, 2009. The top five finalists, selected by Barona judges, will be voted online from June 5 through June 25. The finalist to receive the most online votes will be announced live at Barona on June 26, 2009.

Official rules, conditions and the prize chart are available at www.baronavideocontest.com.