It's a busy afternoon on the Strip, and Nathan Green is walking quickly through MGM Grand Hotel & Casino Las Vegas on his way to a business meeting. Suddenly, he hears a Bruno Mars track kick in through the sound system above and he can't help but stop, sit back and observe.
Before long, Green notices most of the patrons inside one of the world's largest casino floors willfully bobbing their heads and mouthing the words to the smash hit "Locked Out Of Heaven." The vibe throughout the space, full of table games and slot machines, has taken a sudden upbeat turn. Green can’t help but smile, knowing that he is just as responsible for the newly festive atmosphere as is Mars’ distinctive tenor.
Along with his partner Sam Ambrose, Green founded New Level Radio in 2007 and began providing customizable radio networks for businesses all over the U.S. Since that time, Green has delightedly experienced many moments just like the one described above as he strolls through casino floors from coast to coast.
The thriving Denver-based company has found its niche in the casino industry, working with nearly 40 properties in more than 20 states. So, chances are, it is New Level Radio that has coerced you to get your groove on while sitting at a blackjack table at some point over the last decade.
“Yeah, even after all these years, it never gets old,” Green admits. “I’ll always get a kick out of seeing people on the casino floor having a good time and knowing that we’re helping the cause.”
The idea for New Level Radio spawned just like so many other start-up businesses, with two longtime friends spitballing ideas. Green was working in radio sales and marketing for terrestrial radio stations in Hawaii, where Ambrose was an on-air personality. One of the clients for the radio station Ambrose worked at asked if he could cut a promotional spot that they could play at their business, and the proverbial light bulb went on.
“We started to brainstorm and we said, ‘Instead of just cutting a promotional piece, why not provide an entire playlist of songs surrounding it?’” Green remembers. “We both agreed that it could be huge, and before long, we were in business.
“It was a pretty innovative thing when we started; we really didn’t have any competition, and even today there’s not anyone else that does exactly what we do. We kind of created the category and we’ve owned it ever since.”
There are several factors that make New Level Radio’s offerings much different and more effective for a business to use than firing up Pandora or a satellite radio station. First off, everyone in the company comes from a radio background.
“We’re not just throwing 500 songs against the wall to see what sticks,” Green says. “There are other companies out there that have the tech expertise, but not the experience in the music industry. We have both.”
Secondly, the programming New Level Radio creates is unique to every client, based on the business type and not only the customer, but the demographic of the clientele as it changes throughout the day. This is essentially why New Level Radio is perfect for a casino. In the case of MGM Grand Las Vegas, there are more than 20 zones throughout, with specific music and messaging tailored to the kind of customer that comes in at different times of the day. So, playing that Bruno Mars song wasn’t an accident. It was a well-thought out plan.
While every property is different, typically some sort of promotion is played after every four to eight songs (or about every 15 to 20 minutes), although most restaurants don’t have any marketing messages included in their playlist.
“We’re so much more than a background music provider,” says Green. “The idea is to make music a part of the whole experience. When you walk into the casino, you immediately smell, taste and hear something. The audio is a huge part of that. If they’re playing Metallica and Slayer, that’s probably not going to provide the vibe you’re looking for, unless it’s at the Hard Rock.
New Level Radio provides original programming and messaging for many popular Las Vegas casinos, including the MGM Grand. (photo by MGM Resorts International)