City's CVB moves ahead
with "Viva Laredo! The Color of Cultures" campaign

Things are hopping at the City's Convention and Visitors Bureau as Interlex Media of San Antonio launches the campaign "Viva Laredo! The Color of Cultures."
Interlex, a relatively young advertising firm that was recently featured in Hispanic Magazine, made so earnest and favorable a presentation to a selection committee, a presentation that included photos of the city and a song about the city, that it beat out other contenders for the advertising job. Interlex will focus its Laredo campaign on cities in Texas.
Interlex, which also has offices in Mexico City, represents among its clients the State of Texas and the CVBs for Austin and San Marcos.
According to Laredo CVB director Nick M. Reyna, Interlex was an excellent choice. "They did their research before they made their pitch to the committee. It was very clear that they had a grasp on what our city offers tourists -- history, hospitality, commerce, great buys downtown, birding and eco-tourism, a shared culture with Mexico, and venues for entertainment," Reyna said.
According to Reyna, Interlex will focus the "Viva Laredo! The Color of Cultures" campaign to American markets and will direct a shopping-themed campaign in Mexico called "Siempre Sale Ganando." Interlex will also revamp the Laredo CVB's web page to mirror the campaigns.
Reyna said that tourism has an economic impact of over $800 million in Webb County and creates close to 5,000 jobs for area residents. "With a hotel occupancy rate of 66.7%, Laredo leads the state," he added.
Reyna, who has been at the CVB for about a year and a half, brings a wealth of tourism experience with him as a former hotelier. Under his capable direction, and with the assistance of a small but capable staff, the Laredo CVB recently booked three significant events for the City. Laredo will host the Miss Texas Pageant from 2004 through 2009. The Texas Downtown Association will hold its 2005 state convention in Laredo, and in 2006, 4,000 Catholic youth will converge on the city for the Catholic Diocese Youth Group Convention. Other bookings for 2004 include the Firefighters Pension Commission Association, the Fraternal Order of Border Agents, the Tax Assessor Collectors Association of Texas, and the Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts. The CVB has also booked the All Star Hockey Game in 2005.
In other media news, Amigo Broadcasting has tweaked some of its radio program offerings. Give a listen to Al Guevara's Small Hours, which airs Saturday evenings on KLNT 1490 from midnight to 2 a.m. The free form program featurres air chat about entertainment, music, movies, and games. Joe Guevara and Wolfman Rick Rodriguez co-host the slot with Al.
On KQUR 95, check out the expanded classic hits format which now includes, besides core hits from the 70s and 80s, more music from the 60s and 90s.
Radio Next106.1, a contemporary hits station, has now brought hip hop and R&B into the format.
Also changing to a hip hop and R&B format is FM 98.1.
Those Pro-8 morning updates ought to be called "Hash and Re-Hash." Nothing breaking on those recycled morsels that first appeared on the six p.m. news the day before and were re-heated for the 10 p.m. broadcast the night before.