In a Break From the Usual Vegas Hotel Ads, The Venetian Goes for Bright and Quirky

"Come as You Are," from boutique creative agency Zambezi, is one of the luxury hotel's first big marketing campaigns since The Venetian opened its doors in 1999. The hope is that the campaign will attract all kinds of people to stay at the hotel for a weekend getaway.

"There's just a lot of luxury product in Las Vegas and so for us, we thought there was this gap in the market around [the fact that] yes, we are still luxury, but we can be optimistic, inclusive, really likeable and celebrate the guests that are coming to Las Vegas," Lisa Marchese, CMO at The Venetian and The Palazzo Resort Hotel and Casino. 

"If you look at any advertising on the strip, other hotel properties are asking you to buy into something, to alter yourself to fit some convention," Chris Raih, CEO of Zambezi, said. "This work is a rally cry for the individual, for that person who defines themselves on their own terms."

The quirky spot premiered during the Olympics opening ceremony in a few key markets including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas and New York. The campaign also includes a few print ads, which will run in publications including Vanity Fair and Food and Wine.

Photographer and director Autumn de Wilde—who has shot album covers for artists including Beck, The White Stripes and Wilco—shot both the print and TV work, creating a nice sense of unity between the two.

Even the music is meant to sync perfectly within the ad itself. Hoping to channel an authentic Italian experience throughout the campaign, the team chose to feature a song, "Tintarella di Luna," by Italian pop star Mina. Lyrics from the upbeat track translate to the story of a girl who loves the moon, while all the other girls love the sun. It's all about standing out and being yourself—a perfect fit for a campaign hoping to embrace individuality and challenge the idea that luxury items and experiences are only meant for a certain group of people. 

Added Raih: "For a luxury property to swing the spotlight around on the type of guests that we want to celebrate is something that is totally unique in the category and it became undeniable that we should pursue it."