October 15, 2014
Recognizing how this city has achieved such singular cult status in a matter of decades and how it delivers the extraordinary to its fans were unmatched feats worthy of celebrating last year at The Gathering. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is the brains behind the brand’s success. It has coordinated the countless resorts, attractions and local jurisdictions into a single unified voice to share the brand on a global scale.
It’s easy to think of Las Vegas as a playboy and party destination, but the city embraces the spectrum of adult entertainment: shopping, shows, sports, dining, spas. Not only does it offer everything in a way that no other city on earth does, but it’s the best of everything – from the world’s most sought-after acts to the best accommodations money can buy. The brand has also established the city as a major business centre. For 19 years, it’s been the top destination for trade shows in North America.
Part of Las Vegas’s success comes down to understanding and listening to its followers. They’re loyal (84% of visitors are repeat customers) and they want new experiences. They want to come to Las Vegas for a trip they can’t get anywhere else.
Ryan Gill, host of Fearless Brand Leaders, sits down with Cathy Tull who oversees all marketing, advertising and sales efforts for Las Vegas. Together Ryan and Cathy explore how Las Vegas has preserved the only-in-Las Vegas moments for their visitors.
Watch the full episode here.
Ryan began his professional life in digital marketing. His first company, Suitcase Interactive, was a consistent best-digital-agency award winner. And his tenacity and forward thinking also led him, personally, to being awarded a coveted place on the auspicious 40 under 40 list. (Notice that we're not telling you how many years ago that was, we're kinda attached to our kneecaps ; ) Those seminal years also led Ryan to the enlightenment that the whole concept of advertising and digital agencies was dead. From there it was a short putt to the birth of Cult, one of North America's first true engagement agencies. As Cult's President, his legacy as a pioneering thinker has blossomed from pushing pixels, to pushing forward what marketing actually means. Ryan then founded The Gathering in 2012, an annual international event to honor cult-like brands that put the generation of movements before the creation of ad campaigns. The Gathering is now widely acknowledged to be one of North America's premier annual marketing conferences. And it's an idea that has introduced Cult to brands like Keurig, Converse, Airbnb, UFC, Las Vegas Tourism and Red Bull, among many others… hey, there's only so many names you can drop in one bio. Never one to whine about the status quo, but rather put his energy into finding a better way, Ryan’s latest innovation is the founding of a whole new operating model for marketers, both on the client side and in the industry that serves them. Called Communo, this tech-enabled work model is an incomparable brain trust of talent for brands, a human resources platform for marketing professionals, and an unprecedented business development engine for both. In his "spare time" Ryan continues his strong commitment to giving back, both at home in Calgary, and around the world. He spearheads Cult's ongoing monthly commitment to Ronald McDonald House and continues to lead Project Smile, the international relief organization he founded over a decade ago. He even managed to find some spare, spare time to co-author three editions of Fix: Break The Addictions That Are Killing Brands, Cult's thought leadership book that's changing the way CEOs and CMOs see the marketing function. 
