I'd say nearly every move the CAH folks make is some form of nontraditional marketing. Sure, buying an island may seem like just throwing away profit, but the amount of buzz and fan loyalty generated by that sort of stunt is a big part of what keeps their brand relevant & growing.
You could argue that their entire holiday promotion is really an exercise in marketing, and that they've already written off any profit from it as part of their marketing budget. Their business is selling the boxed card game, rather than gimmicky promotions.
