The Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority "canceled the rollout of its newest advertising campaign activities after the stunning death" of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, according to a front-page piece by Richard Velotta of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. A 60-second TV spot yesterday aired as scheduled during CBS' Grammys telecast, but "several other rollout activities tied to the campaign were scrapped, including a coordinated display of the 'What happens here, only happens here' slogan on 26 resort marquees across the valley." The LVCVA instead asked its resort partners to "show a message in the Lakers' purple color scheme that read, 'L.A., Our Hearts Go Out To You.'" Underneath the message was an #RIPKOBE hashtag. The TV spot includes singers Shania Twain and Christina Aguilera, plus UFC fighter Francis Ngannou. It ends with Aerosmith's Steven Tyler "wooing the crowd at one of his Park MGM residency shows." Once the ad aired, social media and coordinated technology were "poised to take over," but "all of that was canceled." The LVCVA had "planned strategically placed 'Instagram traps' -- in essence, free social media advertising opportunities -- for people to snap pictures with the new slogan in booths" at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Bellagio fountains, Linq Promenade and other places. The message was then "programmed to appear on the marquees," but the tribute to Bryant ran instead (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 1/27).
