By Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (LA Tourism) has unveiled a new campaign called Now Playing, which showcases the city’s arts, culture, sports and entertainment offerings. The campaign aims to inspire travellers from Australia and New Zealand to visit the City of Angels, as LA Tourism forecasts 420,000 visitors from Down Under in 2024.
Now Playing is the latest iteration of LA Tourism’s global advertising campaign, which features a 30-second media spot with live-action film, animation, music and the voice of Jenifer Lewis, a famous LA resident and actress. The spot highlights some of the iconic attractions and experiences that LA has to offer, such as the Hollywood Sign, the Getty Center, the Griffith Observatory, the Santa Monica Pier, the Staples Center and Universal Studios Hollywood.
The campaign also involves partnerships with local artists, who have created LA-inspired works in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. These include a bus shelter in Newtown that commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Hollywood Sign, a tram wrap in Melbourne that features the artwork of Steven Harrington, and a mural in Fortitude Valley that showcases the talent of Mister Cartoon.
In addition, the campaign includes six 15-second spots that focus on different aspects of LA, such as food, music, art, wellness, sports and film. These spots are complemented by collaborations with Expedia Group ANZ and Urban List, which provide travel tips and deals for LA-bound travellers.
LA Tourism Expects Strong Recovery and Growth in 2024
The launch of the Now Playing campaign comes as LA Tourism prepares for a big year in 2024, with several major events and attractions on the horizon. These include the Super Bowl LVI, the opening of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the debut of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games logo, and the expansion of the Los Angeles Convention Center.
LA Tourism President and CEO Adam Burke said that the city is well-positioned to achieve new milestones as it continues to focus on tourism recovery, especially from Aussie and Kiwi travellers. He said that LA anticipates 4.3 million overseas visitors in 2024, which would represent 93.8 per cent of 2019’s international tourism levels.
He also said that LA expects to surpass 2019’s record-breaking visitation in 2025, with over 51 million visitors and $26.6 billion in total business sales. He attributed this to the city’s resilience, diversity and innovation, as well as its commitment to providing visitors and travel trade partners with updates on all the exciting new developments in LA.
Now Playing: An Invitation to Discover LA’s Magic
Now Playing is more than just a campaign, it is an invitation to discover the magic of LA, a city that combines elegance, excitement, entertainment and adventure. The campaign is a reflection of LA’s spirit, which is always evolving, always surprising and always playing.
The campaign will run from February to May in various media channels, including out-of-home, display, social, CTV, audio, partner direct and search. It will also appear in key international markets, such as Mexico, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.
For more information on LA and the Now Playing campaign, visit discoverlosangeles.com.