As vp-marketing for Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Rossi Ralenkotter feels he is responsible for filling the city's 110,000 hotel rooms, building on its base of 3,750 conventions and 30.5 million visitors, filling four million feet of convention space plus adding to gaming revenues.

He decided the best way to do this is to segment the city's advertising campaign, "Las Vegas: Open 24 Hours," by targeting different travel groups.

"Segmentation is the key to our advertising because we are a full-service destination with varied activities," says Mr. Ralenkotter, 51, who administers the authority's $27.3 million ad budget. "We have gambling, family activities, fishing, skiing and sightseeing all around here, and our campaign provides an overview of the destination."

Segments that receive messages are meeting planners, travel agents and conventions. TV, radio and print is placed in Las Vegas' top 10 markets, but the campaign goes from border to border on network and cable TV, travel trade publications and print. R&R Advertising, Las Vegas, handles.

Has it worked?

"You bet," he says (pun intended), noting an increase in vital tourism statistics all across the city. "Visitors are up 2.8%, gaming revenues are up 6.4% and our hotel occupancies are in the top five in the nation with 86.4%.

"It's important to be more targeted and flexible in our marketing," he says.