Podcast Summary

The Big Impression

Episode: Kate Wik, the CMO of Las Vegas, on Marketing an Iconic City
Release Date: December 3, 2025
Host(s): Damian Fowler and Ilyse Liffreing
Guest: Kate Wik, Chief Marketing Officer, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

Main Theme

This episode delves into the unique challenges and opportunities involved in marketing one of the world’s most famous cities: Las Vegas. Kate Wik shares insights into the recent evolution of the Vegas brand, the launch of a major new campaign, and lessons for marketers steering high-profile destinations through rapid change. The discussion also explores the power of cultural representation, hospitality innovations, and the effects of social and technological trends on tourism marketing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Marketing an Ever-Evolving City

• Unique CMO Role
  • Kate’s Perspective: "Las Vegas is my product, which is very unique... It's a destination, it's unbelievably dynamic... Our product is constantly iterating and evolving, and that is a marketer's dream come true." (00:56)
  • Vegas has moved from being known solely for gaming to becoming the U.S.'s top hospitality destination, entertainment capital, and now a sports hub.
• Rapid Transformation
  • Huge shifts in just the past 5–10 years: less than a decade ago, there were no professional teams, and now the city boasts the NHL's Golden Knights, WNBA's Aces, NFL's Raiders, and soon MLB's A’s.
  • Big events like Formula One (F1) have elevated the city's sports profile.
  • Sports visitors spend $500–800 more per trip than typical leisure travelers. (04:27)
  • "Revenue from gaming hasn’t been the primary source for over a decade... People come here to see shows, comedians, residencies like Lady Gaga and Adele." (04:37)

Shifting Brand Perception & New Campaign

• Brand Evolution & Perception
  • Vegas is now marketed as a multifaceted city: hospitality, entertainment, culture, and sports.
  • "We needed to get out there and make sure people understood Vegas is the ultimate destination... The breadth and depth that exists is incomparable to any other destination." (06:00)
• Launching the "Welcome to Fabulous" Campaign
  • Inspired by the iconic "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign; neon and lights feature heavily in creative assets.
  • "It truly has been our brand promise for over 65 years." (07:36)
  • Campaign launched following a summer of negative headlines, which highlighted the need for continuous brand storytelling:
    "If you're not actively talking about your brand day in and day out, you create room for others to create their own narrative." (06:00, 28:36)
  • Initial response to the campaign has been very positive, with a noticeable drop in negativity after going to market.

Target Audiences & Media Strategy

• Broad Audience Appeal
  • Vegas audience is the "21+ adult playground"—diverse in interests and budget, from luxury travelers to those seeking affordable fun.
  • Extremely high repeat visitation (80%) and visitor satisfaction.
• Pop Culture as a Channel
  • Movies and TV are seen as powerful marketing platforms; recent F1 movie with Brad Pitt filmed in Vegas as an example of leveraging pop culture for city branding. (11:27)
• Integrated Multi-Channel Approach
  • TV: Launched campaign during NFL Kickoff (Sept 4), leveraging sports viewership.
  • Experiential: Raiders "tunnel walk" transformed with neon signage for TV and social moments, covered by GQ, ESPN, CBS.
  • Outdoor: High-impact digital boards in Times Square (3D Vegas sign), neon installations on Sunset Boulevard, coordinated takeovers in major markets.
  • "Every time Vegas shows up, we want to make sure that we're... doing something very unique, bold, and different. Whatever we do, it's sort of Vegas worthy." (14:52)

Measurement & Industry Partnership

• Continuous Measurement
  • Long-standing brand health tracker for ongoing consumer sentiment.
  • Campaign tested best in history for message impact and travel intent, with metrics climbing weekly post-launch.
  • Active social listening revealed notable shifts in sentiment—negativity peaked in August, declined sharply post-launch.
• Partnership with Businesses
  • The destination marketing organization (DMO) works closely with property partners to develop campaigns, gather insights, and coordinate executions.
  • "...we are the engine behind tourism, which is the number one economic driver for Southern Nevada." (21:15)

Global Reach & Hospitality Innovations

• International Visitors
  • Top overseas markets: Canada, Mexico, UK, and Australia.
    Canada is typically #1, but numbers have declined; Mexico and UK showing growth, especially with F1 partnerships.
  • International travelers are 10–15% of total visitors.
• Changing Hospitality Expectations
  • Tech innovations like keyless check-ins; core emphasis remains outstanding service for every guest, regardless of budget.
  • "The welcome to fabulous Las Vegas isn't just a sign, it is the brand promise... making every individual feel like somebody special. That is so uniquely Las Vegas." (24:03)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Brand Storytelling:
  "If you're not actively talking about your brand day in and day out, you create room for others to create their own narrative." —Kate Wik (06:00, repeated at 28:36)

• On Pop Culture as Marketing:
  "Movies represent an amazing opportunity to penetrate culture, reach new audiences... It's kind of interesting to think of it as almost like a marketing channel." —Kate Wik (11:27)

• On Campaign Impact:
  "We drove four times the amount of website volume that we normally do... referral traffic to property partners was 120 times the normal weekly average." —Kate Wik (18:48)

• On Continuity in Marketing:
  "Nothing is ever done right. You put something out in the world, there's always a chance to continue to iterate and learn…" —Kate Wik (27:27)

• On AI in Marketing:
  "It's a friend, but it's like a starting point... using it as information, as research, but not a final output, is really important." —Kate Wik (27:46)

• Favorite Vegas Movie:
  "Oh gosh, I love Ocean's Eleven. I mean, how can you not? Icon." —Kate Wik (28:13)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:56 — Kate Wik describes her unique role as CMO of Las Vegas
• 02:19 — The city’s rapid sports evolution and economic impact of sports tourism
• 06:00 — Rationale for launching new brand campaign; shifting media narrative
• 07:36 — Creative inspiration behind campaign; the neon sign as brand promise
• 09:10 — Audience segmentation and broad appeal
• 11:27 — Leveraging pop culture and movies for marketing
• 14:52 — High-impact, multichannel launch; Times Square and Sunset Blvd activations
• 16:18 — Campaign measurement, social listening, and the impact of ongoing brand conversation
• 18:48 — Results from the "Fabulous Five Day Sale" and partnership engagement
• 21:15 — How the Las Vegas DMO is uniquely funded and structured
• 22:42 — International visitation trends
• 24:03 — Innovations in hospitality and service as the Vegas differentiator
• 25:44 — The future of the "Welcome to Fabulous" campaign as an enduring platform
• 26:29 — Quickfire answers: hacking social algorithms, lessons for marketers, AI, and favorite Vegas movies

Conclusion

This episode offered a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to market Las Vegas in a new era, emphasizing the importance of consistent storytelling, partnership, and adaptability in both strategy and execution. Kate Wik’s reflections are full of actionable insights for both brand and destination marketers—especially around leveraging culture, data, inventive media, and authenticity to drive enduring success.