Las Vegas paints the town purple

Las Vegas celebrated its new campaign with special events and activities across the destination to light the town purple.

The campaign was launched on Sunday, Jan. 26 with a 60-second ad debuting the destination’s new slogan “What Happens Here, Only Happens Here,” which aired during the 62^nd GRAMMY™ Awards. The ad continues to reinforce the legendary brand’s status as the paramount purveyor of adult freedom.

To kick off the celebration, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) hosted a press conference at Fremont Street Experience in Downtown Las Vegas where Governor Steve Sisolak proclaimed Jan. 30, 2020 as Only Vegas Day. Also in attendance were Brian Yost, COO of the LVCVA, Patrick Hughes, president and CEO of Fremont Street Experience and Derek Stevens, CEO of The D Las Vegas, Golden Gate Hotel & Casino and Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.

Following the proclamation ceremony, selfie-worthy Instagram pop-ups were unveiled at some of the city’s most iconic locations including Fremont Street Experience, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Fountains of Bellagio, The LINQ Promenade, McCarran International Airport – Terminal 1, Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas and Wynn Las Vegas. Later that evening, resort marquees up and down the Las Vegas Strip displayed #OnlyVegas messaging, while the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas, The High Roller at The LINQ Promenade and the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign glowed purple in reflection of the new campaign.

“As 2020 marks the start of a new decade, Las Vegas is at the forefront of business innovation, technological advancement, and of course, spectacular entertainment. The marquee takeover and Only Vegas activations celebrate the destination through the evolution of one of the most iconic advertising campaigns in existence. We are proud to show the world that ‘What Happens Here, Only Happens Here’,” said Steve Hill, CEO and president of the LVCVA. “Our research shows that with the stress and pressure of everyday life, our travelers are seeking an escape from it all, which Las Vegas has always provided. In this campaign, we give people the permission they are seeking to actually indulge in that escape.”

The festivities will continue throughout the weekend including airing of the new commercial during Fremont Street Experience’s Viva Vision Light Show at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. nightly. Visitors and locals alike are encouraged to visit the Instagram activations through Sunday for their chance to score special Only Vegas swag from 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Also, for the first time ever, Las Vegas will run the new ad during the Super Bowl LIV pre-game festivities, this Sunday, Feb. 2, between 5:30 – 6 p.m. EST/2:30 – 3 p.m. PST. The ad features Las Vegas residency artists Shania Twain, Christina Aguilera and Aerosmith, and highlights the experiences that visitors will only have in this one-of-a-kind city.

Events and activations surrounding the launch were originally scheduled for Jan. 26 but were postponed in wake of the deaths of Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others out of respect for the families and Los Angeles community.