Wednesday, January 15, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

TOURISM: New ads center on `Vegas Stories'

Campaign hopes to capitalize on city's mystery, sex appeal

A commercial in the new "Vegas Stories" ad campaign commissioned by Las Vegas tourism officials features a sensual conversation between a woman and her limousine driver. COURTESY LAS VEGAS CONVENTION AND VISITORS AUTHORITY A mysterious ride in a limousine is the subject of one of the new "Vegas Stories" commercials. The spots begin airing today on ESPN, Fox News Channel and CNN Headline News. COURTESY LAS VEGAS CONVENTION AND VISITORS AUTHORITY

A late 1950s-era television show once suggested there are 8 million stories in the Naked City.

Nearly 50 years later, local tourism officials are betting big that retelling a handful of entertaining "Vegas Stories," naked or otherwise, is the best way to market the destination to would-be travelers.

On Tuesday, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and its contracted advertising agency, Las Vegas-based R&R Partners, debuted the first phase of a new 20-month marketing plan they believe will drive more business to the market.

Dubbed "Vegas Stories," the campaign includes a mix of television and print ads as well as Internet-based content centered on the personal experiences of hundreds of local visitors.

Using a mixture of the city's inherent mystery, sex appeal and sense of debauchery, R&R Chief Executive Officer Billy Vassiliadis said the $58 million television and print ad campaign should differentiate Las Vegas from other gaming-themed destinations.

"Our competitive advantage continues to be ... the very unique, almost exclusive experiences that only Las Vegas seems to offer," Vassiliadis said. "The stories (visitors) tell are honestly better than what we can create."

Vassiliadis and fellow R&R staff members debuted four television spots that will begin airing today on networks such as ESPN, Fox News Channel and CNN Headline News. Phase one of the 20-month plan, which runs through May, cost about $17.2 million, the authority said.

One ad shown Tuesday begins with a sensual conversation between a sexy woman and her limousine driver. After closing a shaded window to hide the back of the vehicle, the woman later emerges dressed in professional attire as though she had shed her "Vegas persona" on her way out of town.

Vassiliadis said tests showed the ad was particularly popular with women, many of whom view Las Vegas as a place where they can let loose and set aside traditional behavior patterns.

A second ad shows several men eating breakfast following what appears to be a party-filled night. Although the previous evening's behavior is never shown, Vassiliadis said the ad shows a sense of fun, and subsequent guilt, to which many local visitors can easily relate.

Although some networks have restricted the ads for late-night viewing, Vassiliadis said he wants the ads "to take things to the edge."

A self-professed conservative who initially worried that the new strategy might be too risqué, board member Yvonne Atkinson Gates said following Tuesday's viewing she now believes the ads are tasteful and "didn't go over the edge."

Vassiliadis said the new ad campaign has taken on added significance as Las Vegas faces problems associated with continuing airline security issues, the United States' potential war with Iraq, and increased competition from Indian casinos in nearby states, particularly California, which now ranks second to Nevada in statewide gaming revenue.

"Gov. (Gray) Davis is looking to balance California's budget by expanding gaming," Vassiliadis said. "Our biggest competition is (also) our biggest customer."

The authority also will debut a new design on its vegasfreedom.com Web site to coincide with the new campaign. Designed by an award-winning Canadian interactive marketing firm called Critical Mass, the new Web page design allows users to submit their own "Vegas Stories" that Vassiliadis said will be considered for future ads.

In other business Tuesday, the board:

• Elected Jim Gibson to serve as board chairman, Bob Forbuss as vice chairman, and Goodman as secretary/treasurer. The three officials are scheduled to serve in their new positions for two years.

• Agreed to pay $588,234 to Jacobs Facilities to close out a contract related to work Jacobs performed on the South Hall expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

• Appointed Mesquite City Councilman Paul Henderson to serve as that city's elected authority board representative. Henderson replaced Cresent Hardy, who stepped down from the Mesquite City Council in November for personal reasons.