John is a veteran of 46 years in the casino business and the author of two books. In 1994 came "Casino Marketing," a collection of his marketing essays in IGWB from 1985 through 1994. The relentless logic in these unusual pieces, most of them devoted to direct marketing, is credited for pushing the industry into the database revolution.

His second. "Secrets of Casino Marketing," was published in 1998. In it, John reveals the persuasive sales tactics he uses to find casino players, bind them to his client casinos, and keep them coming back.

His direct mail package for the Las Vegas Tropicana in l986 drew a 75% response and won him a Gold Echo from the Direct Marketing Association, New York (the Echo is an award based on sales results, not on beauty).

A magazine ad for Lady Luck Casino Hotel in Las Vegas produced $l5 in revenue for every dollar spent on it and won him a Silver Echo in l987. A mailing package for the former High Sierra, Lake Tahoe, led to the casino's largest New Year's Eve handle of the 80's and won him a second Gold Echo in l988.

John's views on advertising are untraditional--even radical. He asks, "If an ad doesn't make a sale or capture a prospect name, what good is it?" He shuns flashy and expensive 4-color ads in favor of "long copy" black-and-white ads written to look like magazine or newspaper feature stories. And he prefers to sell with long, benefit-packed letters instead of elaborate and costly invitations and brochures.

One of his most successful lead-generating ads (for the Claridge in Atlantic City) contained l,087 words. Written under the byline of Roger Wagner, then Claridge president, the one-time ad aimed at dollar slot players drew hundreds of personal, responses. A "newsfeature" magazine ad for Lady Luck ran 802 words. A series of "long copy" ads for Universal Slots, and later for VLC, averaged 876 words.

John's direct mail letters, written in a breezy, personal style, run to four pages for casino clients (and up to l6 pages for other clients outside the gaming industry). Each is crafted to appeal to the casino segments and player attitudes that Romero learned while building business in Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin, Atlantic City, the midwest, Mississippi and the Bahamas.

He understands both casino and player as few marketing and advertising specialists do. "I lived on the casino floor," says John. "That's where marketing theory ends and reality begins. That's where you learn the business. That's where you learn what goes on in the minds of your customers."

John is a former sports editor (the Las Vegas Review-Journal) and feature writer for Associated Press, United Press International and Sports Illustrated. He was voted Nevada's Best Sportswriter and Best Sportscaster in consecutive years in the late 50s

He soon discovered the pulling power of direct mail and "converted" from the mass market advertising used by most casinos in the 1960s to pinpoint direct marketing and direct response advertising. He modernized the Sahara's database and used it as his primary marketing tool.

In 1964, he conceived and for 15 years directed the Sahara's "Super Sahara Celebration," the first of the large scale casino promotions and cash giveaway events that have become a staple of gaming marketing. The "Super Sahara Celebration" featured 14 straight hours of events based on the casino games and slots and turned the casino's worst month of the year (December) into one of its best.

In 1975, he conceived the idea of gaming in tournament format. In one afternoon he wrote most of the rules and regulations that to this day govern 21 tournaments, including the rotating marker that dealers use to start each hand.

In l979, after l9 years as marketing director of the Sahara, he formed his own Las Vegas advertising company. Simultaneously, he became a co-founder and principal owner in International Gaming Promotions, Inc., which promoted gaming tournaments worldwide. With his IGP partners, he co-founded Players International, Inc., a public company, in 1986. (Players was acquired by Harrah's in early 2000.)

John left Players in the mid 80s to form John Romero Direct Marketing. He soon became famous for his unusual casino direct mail and direct response advertising copy. His two books and a continuing presence in IGWB and Slot Manager magazines earned him international fame--and in 2004 he was named the first winner of the Casino Marketing Lifetime Achievement Award at Casino Marketing, the National Conference, held annually in Las Vegas.

Also in 2004, Conference sponsors Raving Consulting and the Ascend Media Gaming Group inaugurated the Romero Awards for excellence in casino marketing. Winners in the various categories are those who best fulfill the spirit of John's 46-year crusade for measurable and accountable casino marketing. John personally presents the trophies.

A few of John's offbeat credits: A speaking role in "The Gauntlet," directed by his friend Clint Eastwood; a 439th place finish in the 1973 Boston Marathon; scored six world championship bouts as a boxing judge including Gene Fullmer-Dick Tiger and Harold Johnson-Willie Pastrano; formed a team of marathon runners and in 1972 they broke the Guinness Book of World Records mark for 18 holes of golf, finishing in 47 minutes, 17 seconds; once roared across Lake Mead in an unlimited hydroplane at more than 150 miles per hour.

His current clients include Harrah's Las Vegas, Harrah's Flamingo Las Vegas, Imperial Palace Las Vegas, G.A. Wright Marketing of Denver, Gomes Gaming of New Jersey and special assignments for the Oaklawn Park race track and casino.

Reach John by Fax at 303-805-2509 or by e-mail at Romeromkt@aol.com

"Secrets of Casino Marketing" and "Casino Marketing" are published by American Eagle Arts & Letters. Order with a free call: 1-888-317-6727. From metro Denver dial 303-805-4269.