Los Angeles launches largest ad campaign

The City of Angels consumer advertising targets London and, for the first time, Manchester and Ireland, totalling investment of more than £1m (€1.2m).

Campaign kicks off with a King’s Cross station takeover featuring a hologram.

Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (LA Tourism) is kicking off its autumn 2023 consumer ad campaign “Now Playing” with a £1.072m (€1.238m) investment across the United Kingdom and Ireland. To complement existing trade and PR activity, LA Tourism is conducting consumer advertising in Ireland and the Manchester area for the first time. The campaign will cover the entirety of the UK and Ireland, with increased focus on travellers based in and around London and the home counties as well as Greater Manchester and its surrounds.

The campaign, which will run in October and November before returning in early 2024, includes ads on ITV and ITVX, along with significant investment in OOH placements including buses, billboards, roadside placements, and trams, complemented by ads on social media, native, display, online and popular podcast “Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster”. There will be a billboard takeover at King’s Cross station in London in the Northern Line ticket hall until 24 October, as well as a hologram in King’s Cross this week and at Westfield White City from 26 to 27 October.

Los Angeles Tourism executives Kathy Smits, Senior Vice President, Global Tourism Development and Francine Sheridan, Regional Vice President, Europe and ME, kicked off the campaign at LA Tourism’s hologram in King’s Cross station in London today.

Francine Sheridan, Regional Vice President, Europe and ME, LA Tourism, said: “This is LA Tourism’s biggest ever consumer advertising investment in the UK and Ireland, showing our continued support for these key markets. We are excited to bring our consumer advertising to Ireland and the Manchester area for the first time to target travellers in these important regions, complementing our long-standing trade and PR efforts. We expect the new creative will entice travellers to choose LA for studios and attractions, food, outdoors and wellness, sports, shopping, and arts and culture.”

Kathy Smits, Senior Vice President, Global Tourism Development, LA Tourism said: “The direct air service from the UK and Ireland to LA has already surpassed 2019 levels, making it even easier for British and Irish holidaymakers to experience the Los Angeles lifestyle. We anticipate this campaign will inspire more people to choose LA in 2024.”

Bill Karz, Senior Vice President, Brand and Digital Marketing, LA Tourism, said: “The UK and Ireland campaign is a key part of our global marketing strategy to put LA at the front of traveller’s minds when selecting their 2024 holiday. In addition to the UK and Ireland flight, the “Now Playing” campaign will collectively reach more than 750 million impressions around the world this autumn.”

Creatively, the “Now Playing” campaign features product-driven :30, :15 and :06 ads crafted by award-winning film title innovators, Imaginary Forces. The eye-catching motion graphics are driven by the iconoclastic tune “WannaBe in LA” by SoCal’s own Eagles of Death Metal.

Forecasts predict there will be 340,000 visitors to LA from the UK and Ireland in 2023, a 25% increase from 2022’s total of 270,000 visitors, and 2019 visitation levels will be surpassed in 2024.