How a galaxy lit up Macau

It was just a year out from the launch, when Galaxy Entertainment Group tapped Jane Tsai to take on the marketing and communications vice-president role - meaning she had less than 12 months to lay the foundations for what would be one of the city's biggest integrated resort launches ever - with a price tag of around HK$15 billion.Galaxy Macau came at a key turning point in Macau's evolution where a growing number of newer "integrated resorts" are seeking to build a business in entertainment and excitement away from the sprawling casino floors.This is the idea that shaped Galaxy's "World Class, Asian Heart" approach."The resort positioning and the Asian positioning still make the product differentiate itself from what is out there," Tsai says. "Even in a congested market like Macau there are still ways to find niches."For Galaxy Macau this saw it venture into areas not typically embraced by casino operators.We were the only property of our kind in Macau to really stick our necks out with a risk like that."For our launch strategy we focused very heavily on PR, simply because a word-of-mouth referral carries so much more weight than what someone is absorbing through a billboard," Tsai says.On top of that, social media was a crucial area where the bulk of its marketing material was released on platforms such as Sina Weibo, Youku and Facebook prior to the more traditional media activities. Two days before its public opening, the company opened up its hotels and restaurants to some 350 bloggers and media."Without question it was the right thing to do. We were the only property of our kind in Macau to really stick our necks out with a risk like that. The media rarely gets the privilege of experiencing something for themselves."Tsai has kept up the media relations programme and continues to run scheduled "fan tours" on a regular basis.She also cites her hands-off approach to her agency partners - three IPG firms, GolinHarris, UM and Jack Morton - as critical in the lead-up to the opening."When you empower agencies they will be very committed to you as a client. I would say the majority of agencies get treated poorly. It's a shame. It means clients really don't understand how to use and wield that sword appropriately," she says.After a relatively short period, Tsai claims Galaxy is now number two in the market and achieving results at the top-end of expectations. "You must hit the ball out of the park right from the start. If you don't, it's really hard to prove it later."And in a market such as Macau where glitzy, multi-billion dollar launches are now taking place a few times a year, that's a risk not many are willing to take.