The original slogan was created in 2003 by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and advertising agency R&R Partners.
The idea was to brand Las Vegas as more than a gambling destination,[1] promoting adult freedom and empowerment.
"[3] When the "What Happens Here, Stays Here" ads debuted in February 2003, they became an almost instant "cultural phenomenon" according to Advertising Age.
[4] The phrase was referenced by numerous pop culture mainstays, including Saturday Night Live, Meet the Press, Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune,[5] the Academy Awards, and others.
[4] Two years after the campaign debuted, then-First Lady, Laura Bush, used the tagline in a discussion with Jay Leno on The Tonight Show.