Las Vegas Boosts Tourism With First Super Bowl Ad in Decades

Las Vegas, the official host city for Super Bowl LVIII, is breaking a two-decade Super Bowl commercial ban with a new and quirky campaign called "Excessive Celebration Encouraged."

Spearheaded by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), the campaign features a 90-second music video led by the charismatic former NFL All-Pro wide receiver Chad Johnson and the Grammy-nominated artist Tobe Nwigwe.

The video is set to air on November 23 during the Thanksgiving Day game between the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys.

The campaign aims to showcase Las Vegas as a top tourism and convention destination.

At the same time, it pays homage to Johnson's iconic on-field moments, such as his impromptu marriage proposal, river dance and Hall of Fame jacket moment. 

The music track accompanying the campaign can be found on Apple, Spotify and TikTok.

R&R Partners, the brand agency for LVCVA, is responsible for creating and producing the video, which was shot at iconic Las Vegas locations, including Allegiant Stadium, Caesars Palace and Fremont Street Experience.

Why Las Vegas Banned Super Bowl Commercials?

In 2003, Las Vegas found itself barred from airing Super Bowl commercials, a consequence of the controversial "What Happens Here" campaign.

The "What Happens Here" campaign was explicit and suggestive by its nature, promoting a permissive lifestyle in Las Vegas. The slogan "What Happens Here, Stays Here" implied secrecy and confidentiality, and was deemed unsuitable for the wide-ranging Super Bowl audience, leading to its prohibition.

Now, as the official host city for Super Bowl LVIII, Las Vegas is set to defy this longstanding ban with the introduction of a fresh and quirky campaign titled "Excessive Celebration Encouraged."