Does It Still “Happen” In Vegas? #FeelingFriday

Source: Las Vegas

I've long said that cities, states, and countries are brands. Great examples of that are New York and Las Vegas, best exemplified by their "I Love New York" and "What Happens in Vegas" campaigns.

Iconic.

Let's talk for a minute about Las Vegas, as a brand.

There have been so many versions of the "What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas" campaign through the years, it's a study in brand voice, brand positioning, competitive white space, and brand consistency.

Inspiring. Breakthrough. And by all accounts, it worked.

It drove tourism to the city as a unique destination to let loose with gambling, partying, and entertainment options unlike anywhere else in the world. Vegas became a worldwide symbol of American travel and escapism. With all sorts of feelings.

So much so that entertainers started holding residencies there. They had guaranteed sold-out crowds night after night without packing up production and moving from venue to venue. The audience came to them. That's the power of a brand promise kept.

The city added professional sports teams too. Even hockey. An ice rink in the desert? Yup.

Let's check-in on the brand now, is it holding up?

From what I'm reading, not so much.

The new generation of travelers isn't buying the Vegas brand premise. They don't seem to be as interested in the all-night drinking, gambling, and escapism that defined the brand for the last couple of decades. There are too many other options, both around the country and online, that compete for their attention and their money.

So is Vegas dying? Let's not go there yet.

For years, brand Vegas sold escape from the rules and escape from your life at home. It sold excess and consequence-free nights with permission for adults to act like they're not adults.

Let's face it, it was compelling.

To my eye, the new generation of Vegas travelers want experiences with meaning, authenticity, and connections with their friends/family. They don't want to escape life, they want to live it fully and richly with each other.

So what's the Las Vegas brand to do now? What's the brand challenge here?

Man, would I love to be the brand manager right now!

I wouldn't say that the brand needs to abandon its identity, but it does need to evolve it.

What if Vegas became the place where you explore who you want to be, not where you run away from who you are? What if the brand promise shifted from "anything goes" to "find yourself here?" What if it was less about excess and more about experiences and exploration?

Every brand faces this moment when culture shifts. When the promise that once defined you becomes less relevant to the people who are now seeking your brand.

The question is whether you can adapt quickly or go extinct seemingly overnight? Like a Vegas one night stand.

The brand manager who cracks the challenge of redefining Vegas for a new generation while keeping its swagger intact will become the instructor of a masterclass in brand evolution.

I'd love to see it happen. Let's watch it happen, shall we?!? Marketing is a spectator sport, after all! It’ll give us all the feels!

What would you do? What's your experience? JIM