Making any kind of claim in broadcast or print media has always been a bit of a tricky affair. If you sell an anti-aging potion, you obviously can’t say it makes people younger, so you’d better stick with something suitably loopholed like: "May help reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles." OK, but what if you’re in the casino business? Assuming the odds of winning are the same at your place as they are on the felt in Vegas or Monte Carlo, you’d better not say your place is luckier. But judging by a new TV spot from San Diego’s Valley View Casino, your customers can—or at least come awfully close. In this 30-second ad (shot by Peter Rodger, who directed the 2009 documentary Oh My God), casino guests look at the camera and say why they bring their quarters to Valley View. "These must be the loosest slots!" chirps one. "I feel more lucky here than in Vegas," says another. Affirms a third smiling guest: "I win here—I like that." Hmmm. Well, one thing’s for sure: Even if you lose your shirt, the lobster buffet’s free on your first visit.
—Posted by Robert Klara