24-hour theme rings in LV ad campaign

Wednesday, June 26, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

The Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority has approved a $25 million advertising campaign expanding on the theme "Las Vegas: Open 24 Hours" for fiscal 1997.

The theme is designed to position Las Vegas as the world's leading gaming and resort destination offering a wide range of entertainment options on a round-the-clock basis.

The campaign will target people ages 35 to 65 and making $35,000 or more a year in hopes of luring 200,000 visitors to Las Vegas every 3 1/2 days.

Developed by R&R Advertising, the campaign will feature the gaming logo chip currently displayed in television commercials, billboards and print advertising.

The program will stress the Las Vegas "experience" through use of colorful images conveying a destination offering a wide range of entertainment options.

Consumer advertising will reach into more households in specific markets, while targeted messages will be developed for potential visitors from overseas and the Americas.

Nationally, the ads will be placed on radio, cable television networks such as CNN, ESPN and Prime Sports and consumer magazines including People, Forbes, Golf Digest, Sports Illustrated and various ethnic publications.

During winter months, the campaign will stress Las Vegas' climate, values and accessibility to visitors from cold-weather markets. Summer ads promoting spontaneous Las Vegas getaways will be placed in key feeder markets including Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Denver and Dallas.

The November presidential election will reduce the number and increase the price of available television spots, so TV ad buys will be heavier from December through June, the end of fiscal 1997.

NBC will air late-night spots, while cable nets TNT, Comedy Central and the Sci-Fi Channel are under consideration for buys.

Billboards will be placed in Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Denver, Houston, Phoenix and San Diego.