When the Miccosukee tribe geared up for the launch of a brand new resort, casino and entertainment venue in at the edge of the Florida Everglades, Roman Fernandez was appointed with a unique challenge. In a market famous for it’s sunny beaches and trend-setting night life of South Beach, how does one create a demand and go about changing the perception of what a hotel in the middle of a swamp can really be? Particularly, given the propensity for questionable wildlife?

The answer was not to avoid the elephant in the room. Instead, one of the Disney artists form the Pixar studio was commissioned to paint the somewhat apprehensive panorama with a friendlier and more colorful brush. This became the nexus for a marketing campaign and a launch event that surpassed everyone’s expectations. 

Over 25,000 attendees were sprawled throughout the resort grounds to watch live music performances, WWE wrestling, and a fireworks display. Parked cars lined the solitary two-lane road leading up to the event as the resort’s parking lot began to overflow. Nobody saw that one coming!