Matchbook mayhem

Casino advertising has come a long way, or maybe people are less susceptible to reverse psychology. This matchbook was once used to promote Harolds Club, a leading Reno casino:

This image comes from the Nevada Casino Matchvcovers site. I’m amazed at the proliferation of casino collectibles out there.

So, in the space of a matchbook, the marketer managed to squeeze in:
A cowboy
An Indian
Their respective domiciles/transport
The Monopoly guy, frighteningly emaciated, clad only in a barrel (with no visible means of support), a necktie, and sole-less shoes. And, of course, the obligatory top hat.

Talk about an overactive imagination. If someone sat me down and said, “Quick, sketch out a promotional matchbook for a Reno casino,” I’d come up with dice, cards, slot machines, and maybe a stylized view of the casino building. Whoever dreamed this up was a pure genius.

What was the sales pitch, anyway? “Millionaires reduced to poverty: see it in Harolds Club.”