Thursday, December 18, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

'What happens here, stays here' strikes sour note for some at conference

A panel of industry experts on Wednesday blasted Las Vegas' "What happens here, stays here" advertising campaign, claiming its risqué themes are "repulsive" and have damaged the city's growing reputation as a leading business travel market.

But a spokesman for the campaign's backer, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said such criticism is unwarranted, adding recent growth in the city's convention and trade show industries refutes allegations that business leaders are largely reluctant to hold professional gatherings in the city.

The debate erupted during a panel discussion at the annual Governor's Conference on Tourism, which ended Wednesday at Caesars Palace.

Moderator Michael O'Keefe, a business meetings sales director for the convention authority, unwittingly unleashed a hail of criticism upon his employer when he asked four panelists if the business leaders they work with perceive Nevada and other gaming venues as viable destinations for trade groups.

Ed Barclay, executive vice president of sales for Minneapolis-based Carlson Marketing Group, one of the world's leading advertising organizations, kicked open the floodgates. After he described the city's convention amenities as "world-class," Barclay said many corporate meeting clients still "find it very tough to come here" because the city's "image (and) reputation hurts it, including some of the creative advertising."

Barclay's comments were echoed by Steven Hacker, president of the International Association for Exhibition Management, a Dallas-based trade association that promotes the trade show, meeting and exhibition industries.

Hacker said he is "very much concerned" about Las Vegas' ability to fend off challengers such as Macau, particularly in light of Las Vegas' current advertising approach.

"If anything is going to hurt (Las Vegas), I would suggest it's going to be attitude," Hacker said. "The advertisement program that's in the market right now is probably not the most-effective message to send into the business sector. That broadcasting message may be valid for some niche markets, but it doesn't sell well for corporate programmers."

Hacker said his organization considered relocating to Las Vegas two decades ago, but the board said, "Las Vegas is not the kind of image we want to be associated with."

"That was the mid-1980s, and I think that message is still operative," Hacker said.

The strongest comments came from Bruce Harris, president of Conferon Global Services, a Twinsburg, Ohio-based company that bills itself as the world's largest independent meeting-consulting firm.

"I am really disappointed in this message that we've alluded to: `What happens here, stays here,' " Harris said. "When I leave my home, what does that say to my wife? What does it say to anyone else's spouse? ... I think it's kind of repulsive. You're pushing the wrong message."

After Harris praised Las Vegas' entertainment, convention centers, hotels and other amenities, he concluded, "You have so many positive things. Why sell the dark side?"

A large segment of the audience quickly applauded.

The panelists' comments were similar to those made earlier this year by Dane Madsen, president and chief executive officer of Henderson-based Yellowpages.com. He said the "Vegas Stories" ads damaged his business' ability to lure top-level employees to Southern Nevada.

Despite claims of business leaders' widespread rejection of its $58 million, 20-month ad campaign, the city's convention industry has enjoyed remarkable growth this year, said Terry Jicinsky, senior vice president of marketing for the convention authority.

"To say that it's difficult to get corporate meeting planners and association trade shows to hold their meetings here is really in conflict with reality, when we know that we're having a banner year in convention attendance," Jicinsky said.

According to the convention authority, convention attendance topped the 5 million mark, a 12.9 percent increase compared with a year ago. Conventioneers' nongaming economic impact also exceeded $5.8 billion, an 11.8 percent improvement from the same period in 2002.

"The proof is in the numbers," Jicinsky said.

He said the "What happens here, stays here" ads, which were developed by Las Vegas-based R&R Advertising, are aimed at leisure travelers, not conventioneers. Business travelers are targeted with a separate campaign through print ads placed largely in trade and corporate magazines favored by business decision-makers, he said.

"That message is focused on, `We work as hard as we play,' " Jicinsky said. "It drives the message that Las Vegas is a great place to do business and, at the end of the day, it's also a great place to enjoy your convention or corporate meeting."

An R&R spokesman referred comments on the issue to the convention authority.

Like other major destinations, Jicinsky said Las Vegas has two major core audiences: leisure and business. What's effective for one group may not appeal to another, he said, adding it's difficult to keep each message confined to its intended target.

"Because of the way media works, there's always going to be some crossover," he said.

Wednesday's controversy marked the second major advertising flap of the conference.

On Monday, convention authority President and Chief Executive Officer Manny Cortez criticized a new statewide advertising campaign for its use of the term "Sin City" in print ads promoting Nevada tourism.

Cortez contended his organization's "Vegas Stories" spots only hint at risqué behavior, but the Nevada Commission on Tourism's direct use of the term "Sin City" went too far.