Well, the marketing campaign you reap is what you sow — especially when sex and secrets are the boldest words on Las Vegas’ calling card. Ad campaigns for this great town must show more than implied sex and ‘sin’ in the city, or risk being ranked as an expensive, hedonistic wasteland in this tough business economy.  

Now that national companies’ meetings, corporate travel and conventions are under micro-surveillance by the public and elected officials’ microscopes, there is a marked downturn in the level of tolerance for businesspersons doing what many observers misperceive as funny business versus real business while traveling in Las Vegas.  

The connotation is wrong that equates Las Vegas with a bawdy town fit only for cheating husbands with their laps open for dances and one where frustrated housewives come to get their Vegas ‘on’ as they let their wildest departures from values, good judgment and standards run naughty.  

Las Vegas is, among many other good things, a world-class, full-of-class town for tradeshows, exhibits, retreats and conventions, the prime activities that doubtlessly reinforce business networking, growth and U.S. innovation. That message is not loud enough.  

Letting one’s ‘Vegas show’ — complete with the smirking, nodding, winking innuendo that marketing intended — is the louder message.

So then, why are we surprised when an unintended but unfortunate, high-level reference is made from Washington using ‘a trip to Las Vegas’ metaphorically to mean frolicking, fun-filled times and financially irresponsible usage of company clock time and (bailout) dollars? Wrong, but it is simply understandable.  

Isn’t the simulating, sensual, non-stop seductive image the predominant one that LV mega-marketing and media masterminds sold to the world? Didn’t wives cringe when the hubby had a business ‘meeting’ in that sin-loving city? Didn’t girlfriends and guys come here expecting to hook-up with Mr. or Ms. Anything Goes — or the both of them — with unbridled abandon, bolstered by the TV ads’ reassurances that everything ‘stays here’ in an imaginary Las Vegas lock box?  

Yes, it was, and what a moneymaking catchy campaign it has been. But now it’s falling on skeptical eyes and ears as we try to voice our better message — in fact, our plea to America: We are really an okay city to come to for all purposes, and we are extraordinary and unparalleled in our capacity to help businesses get down to serious business.  

True. Our destination’s appeal is, in great part, that adult-playground theme, and Vegas is always bringing sexy back time and again. But we are so much more.  

This is a significant brain center for corporate travelers from across the nation. But, it’s now time we make a conscious commercial campaign for survival, one that makes Vegas synonymous with Very Eager to Get Away from Sex — only.  

Show our city’s economic benefits, not just our beautiful brown-haired women’s and blonde-haired women’s backsides on billboards and taxi signs. In addition, please emphasize our delightful daytime life, not just our decadent, diverse nightlife.  

Fine, keep the flirtatious flair, but don’t forget the naked fact: If money doesn’t come to Vegas, it can’t be spent in Vegas.  

Recently, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and R & R Partners, the perpetual advertising and marketing firm that launched the successful slogan series, have again extended their relationship. If it’s working for everyone, that’s just great. Certainly, both those parties and others in the media mix can find a way to broaden the scope of how Las Vegas is sold to USA’s public and abroad.  

We have to do so, or else nervous spouses, corporate management, legislators and fed-up, economically distressed Americans won’t be in the mood to see the non-monkey-business world coming to Vegas — especially with the bailout money overseers looking on.  

There is more to Las Vegas than just booze and boobs. This is certainly one of the most productive and hospitable places for corporate travel budgets. Impress this upon members of Capitol Hill, executive managers, spouses and taxpayers in the U.S. heartland and beyond by showing our true diversity and depth of character.  

Viva Las Vegas because it’s a very good, very affordable, very responsible venue for every company’s valuable conventions, tradeshows and meetings, with enough variety for the whole family to visit.  

That’s the message to carry on our new calling card.