UNITED STATES – As reported by Wired News: "Drew Black, director of marketing for online casino GoldenPalace.com, doesn't care what you think about his company's decision to spend $28,000 on a grilled-cheese sandwich bearing the likeness of the Virgin Mary.
"He's just glad that you're thinking about it.
"Black is one of the masterminds behind the unorthodox marketing campaign that has transformed GoldenPalace.com from a little-known casino into a household name.
"To generate media interest, the company is bidding up the price of seemingly worthless items on eBay by thousands of dollars.
"…The company invariably wins auctions like these, at which point it promptly pays up and waits for the phones to start ringing with calls from incredulous reporters. The result is the sort of media coverage that Madison Avenue executives would kill for.
"…Last week, the company paid roughly $245,000 for a Volkswagen Golf once owned by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger before he became the pope. The purchase was mentioned on NBC's Today Show, which boasts an audience of more than 6 million viewers.
"…Though Black said he didn't know how many new customers signed up to gamble at GoldenPalace.com after each eBay purchase, the stunts seem to be having a positive effect on the company's top line. Revenues are growing at a rate of 5 percent per year, and the company has been profitable since it launched in 1997, according to CEO Richard Rowe…"
