Cruising the Assphalt
November 12, 2009
Several days ago, I saw a bizarre new vehicle rolling down the street. It appeared to be some kind of fishbowl-like truck with women dancing inside. Since I was about 50 yards away and on foot, I was not able to get a closer look as it took off south on Las Vegas Boulevard in relatively mild and unfettered traffic.
Last night was different.
After leaving the Palazzo parking garage and queuing up at the light near the Fashion Show Mall and Treasure Island, it appeared before my very eyes.
I once again saw the windowed vehicle filled with four women dressed in bikini attire, and riding shotgun, I ordered the driver to “follow that van”. Not that he would have done otherwise. Our automatic transmission vehicle had already turned into a stick shift … if you know what I mean. Hell, by the time the light turned green, we could have jumped on the hood of the car and had a sword fight. It wouldn’t have exactly been a fair one though. He was armed with a switchblade while I had Excalibur.
“You couldn’t write an article without mentioning your pecker, could you Rex?”
No, no I couldn’t.
Since my first glance of the new advertising truck, I have seen a few local news reports and this time around I knew exactly what it was. While watching mainstream coverage of the truck online, I couldn’t help but wince. The stale repartee between the anchor desk and the field reporters played out like really bad Vaudeville.
Olivia: “Boy you sure have a tough job, don’t you Matt?”
Matt: “Huh, huh, oh yeah I sure do, tee hee hee. We couldn’t show you all of our news footage because it was sooooo outrageous tee hee.”
The whole thing was cornier than the entire state of Iowa. It sounded like the dialog between two kids who just found a Playboy magazine under their dad’s bed. God forbid anyone at Channel 5 actually admit that they get erections.
I got rid of my television because watching this stuff nauseated me. I need to take the next step and block their websites at the router.
Anyway, for those who are still unaware …
Deja Vu, a local strip club, has rolled out a new marketing gimmick that they hope will lure customers into their establishments. At the risk of stating the obvious, the campaign consists of a truck with a windowed enclosure in the bed, a stripper pole, and a varying amount of women dancing in the makeshift structure while driving up and down Las Vegas Boulevard.
The truck begins its route at 10pm and continues until roughly 2am. It u-turns at Tropicana so if you are staying in the Mandalay Mile, you will need to come north for the festivities.
The women are not nude, nor are they in g-strings, but given that they are on a public street, they are provocative enough.
Deja Vu Strip Club Stripper Truck on The Las Vegas Strip
Deja Vu Strip Club Stripper Truck on The Las Vegas Strip
Deja Vu Strip Club Stripper Truck on The Las Vegas Strip
In my opinion, this is an idea who’s time is way beyond due.
These are the things that should be happening in so-called “Sin City”. No offense to Terry Fator, Garth Brooks, and Lance Burton Master Magician, but Strip advertising has gotten a bit boring lately. Especially with the new office buildings masquerading as casinos.
The “Direct to You” trucks are saturated and static, and they’ve become nothing more than background noise for people who visit the town on a frequent basis. If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.
I think the Deja Vu truck is a brilliant idea, and I hope it becomes a permanent fixture on Las Vegas Boulevard. I also hope it inspires more adult businesses to follow suit.
Imagine sitting in Strip traffic and seeing entire fleets of flatbeds with strippers and masseuses. With dozens of companies competing with one another and pushing the limit, make no mistake about it … there will be a wardrobe malfunction or two. The Adult Entertainment Expo has an explicit “no flashing” policy, but I’ll be damned if I don’t see more nipples than a dairy farmer every time I attend.
Of course, not everyone shares my opinion regarding the stripper trucks.
People have already called the police and public officials expressing outrage. Three dozen complaints have been filed so far, and the Sheriff and the District Attorney’s office are currently looking into the possibility of shutting the trucks down on a variety of specious legal premises.
People’s objections range from “It’s a distraction!” (what are the Bellagio Fountains and the Mirage Volcano?), to “It’s too vulgar!” (have these people ever been to a Vegas swimming pool?) and of course the tried and true “Won’t somebody pleeeeease think of the children!”
I’m afraid I’m going to have to pull the cliche’ card on the last one. If you don’t want your kids to see things like this, don’t bring them to The Strip. For god’s sake don’t ruin it for everyone else. We’ve got billboards, porn racks, and porn slappers all over the place. I don’t think it harms kids to see the Deja Vumobile. I have no idea why it would. It’s just chicks in bikinis acting goofy.
That being said, the truck doesn’t roll until late at night. If your goal is to protect your children from naughty images, and you expect to have that goal met by walking down Las Vegas Boulevard at midnight, then you are not only delusional but you are also a colossal failure as a parent. Don’t blame the County or Deja Vu. It’s your choice. I’m pretty sure that Jesus would disapprove of almost everything that goes on near the corner of Flamingo and LVB. Enjoy your fire and brimstone.
Fortunately, the objectors appear to be in the minority.
In the decade I have been visiting and living here, I’ve frankly never seen any ad campaign go over quite this well. It’s the first time I’ve seen people genuinely excited about what is in essence, an advertisement.
We followed the truck for a solid 20 minutes, and from my own observation … the Deja Vumobile is an absolute hit.
Deja Vu Strip Club Stripper Truck on The Las Vegas Strip
Deja Vu Strip Club Stripper Truck on The Las Vegas Strip
Deja Vu Strip Club Stripper Truck on The Las Vegas Strip
I could not turn my head without seeing people on the sidewalks pointing, smiling, and waving. I heard cars honking their horns, I saw people giving thumbs up signs, and a dozen camera shutters clicked with delight as the girls rolled by.
I’ve become very jaded toward this town, and my “only in Vegas” moments have become few and far-between, but last night restored my faith a little bit. I once again had one of those moments, and by the looks on the faces of a hundred other people … so did they.
I think the overwhelming majority of people would like to see it stay.
It’s the most original idea to hit the Boulevard in quite some time, and it tries to make good on the image that we have been fraudulently selling to the rest of the country for the last ten years.
As the faux-outrage escalates from certain members of the public, however, it may be on borrowed time.
Here’s hoping that it is not only allowed to stay, but that this is the beginning of a long overdue trend that Las Vegas desperately needs.
It also makes sitting in Boulevard traffic just a little more tolerable.
Written by Frank on November 12, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Hey Rex great photos and video! I think that gimmick is perfect for Las Vegas, bet Dejavu gets tons of business from it. Thank you for going out there and getting your own material. Every place else that I’ve read about it link to the exact same video. Your effort isn’t going unnoticed, I really appreciate it.
Written by philipj on November 12, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Thank you good guy. This is what we expect of and adventurous man in Sin City. Keep up the good work!! And, glad to know you can win a sword fight.
Written by Bob on November 12, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Woohoo I knew we could count on you Rex! Awesome photos and excellent post as always!
Written by Rice on November 12, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Boing!
Written by dean on November 12, 2009 at 1:59 pm
What a great treat to find during my lunch break. Thank you!
Written by SPRUNT on November 12, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Great idea, and the chicks are hot and everything, but I got to thinking during my refractory period: I wonder what the girls are getting paid to be in the truck. To my knowledge, strippers income is solely from the dances and tips they make while working. They don’t get an hourly wage. Are these girls getting tipped out from the dancers back at the club? Do all girls do a shift each night; 1 round trip each?
Rex, these are questions that need answering! As much as it pains me to say it, I think you need to go to Deja Vu and talk to these girls in person and do some deeper investigative reporting. I know it’s just more work for you, but I think it can really increase your journalistic integrity.
Written by ColinFromLasVegas on November 12, 2009 at 5:56 pm
This is hilarious. This kind of advertising is doing more for the overall advertisement of Las Vegas. More than anything Snow, oops, Mr. Snow, I mean, can ever do.
Lemme help Randy, oops, I mean, Mr. Snow out here. This is a freebee ad slogan suggestion:
“Where else can you go where the Strip has two meanings. Come to Las Vegas.”
Yer welcome, Snow, you asshole. If yer reading this.
Written by Rex on November 12, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Thanks.
Something that I didn’t mention but that I found notable was that the truck drives much faster than I expected it to.
I thought it would stay in the right lane and go very slow, but it got up to 30-35Mph when the road opened up, and it was fairly aggressive with lane changes.
Written by ColinFromLasVegas on November 12, 2009 at 6:26 pm
If this was just a billboard truck, they would go slower than snot and block traffic.
So I think they realize they are onto some serious advertising going on here. And they go faster to spread the word as far and wide as possible. I guess the idea is to be seen by as many people as possible to drum up business.
The bad thing is the gals in there are probably bouncing around like crazy if the dude floors it. They’ll be doing some spectacular pole spinning and all of a sudden end up like a Garfield doll smushed up against the glass or something like that.
Written by blueboar on November 12, 2009 at 6:35 pm
“…it got up to 30-35Mph when the road opened up, and it was fairly aggressive with lane changes.”
Damn, I was kind of hoping this thing would cruise along at a walking pace. Kind of hoped I could walk along and check things out with a beer in my hand and my, well you know, in my other hand. Save the cover they’d charge at the club.
By the way, I notice that all of the appreciative comments so far have been from guys. What no appreciative rug munchers? I always figured they were a big part of your demographic Rex.
Written by tully on November 12, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Guys, you missed something in the photos. Look down. Further down, all the way down to the girls’ feet. The pole dancer is wearing heels, but the three girls working the windows are barefoot—one may have flip flops on. Guessing that’s to improve their footing in turns on sudden stops.
It’s probably been a bit of a learning curve to figure out what they can safely do on the pole.
FWIW, the County Commission has added this to their discussion agenda for next Tuesday. One commissioner has safety and “decency” concerns.
Written by Phouchg on November 12, 2009 at 7:48 pm
I’ll be in my bunk…
Written by SPRUNT on November 12, 2009 at 7:50 pm
I also noticed that one of the girls was, at one point, holding onto a chain/rope attached to the ceiling.
Written by blueboar on November 12, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Hey, is that one chick’s name Whitney?
@SPRUNT – Looks like a microphone cord.
@tully – Uh yeah, we might not have been looking at their footwear. But your point is taken in that it’s probably a work in progress. If only the Commission will allow them to continue that is. I’ve got believe that Deja Vu has already gotten a huge return on their investment with all of the publicity.
Written by catherine on November 12, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Brilliant publicity stunt and kudos to the people that came up with the idea and put it into action. I enjoyed your article as always Rex! I’m appreciative but sorry I’m no rug muncher, lol.
Written by edzeplin on November 12, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Sprunt,
Working on a truck in Vegas, they’ve got to be Teamsters! Not as much money as lap dancing, but close.
This is the kind of creativity that the LVCVA, and the city in general, needs.
Written by FoolsGold on November 13, 2009 at 2:00 am
I hear some casinos are going to go “tit for tat”. No, Rex… that is NOT what it means.
The casinos are going to buy similar trucks and drive them up and down the strip with ancient and doddering retirees wearing oxygen tanks playing slot machines that never pay off. There will even be a glass-sided truck showing a Tray Lizard bringing some watered-down booze in a glass of ice every two-hours.
Dancing girls on the strip, eh? I hope they distract the pornslappers and condo hawkers long enough for me to watch the next cop-motorist shootout.
Written by Tom on November 13, 2009 at 9:16 am
Now if they could just put some attractive girls in that truck. The girls shown are not good looking enough to intice me to the club.
Written by superfarmer on November 13, 2009 at 11:18 am
My only complaint is that most of those chicks look like they are 12 years old. Let’s get some booty and boobies in that truck.
Otherwise, capital idea.
Written by Dave on November 13, 2009 at 1:19 pm
I think the chicks are pretty hot and it’s a fantastic idea. Thanks Rex!
Written by Tom S. on November 13, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Another great post Rex.
However, I don’t understand the slogan “100s of Beautiful Girls and 3 Ugly Ones”?
What’s up with the 3 ugly ones?
Written by alberta on November 13, 2009 at 7:37 pm
I give it one month max. It is a great idea….but the prude police are not going to let this happen.
Written by FoolsGold on November 14, 2009 at 10:19 am
>but the prude police are not going to let this happen
Heck, the strip club doesn’t want it to happen for long! That truck doesn’t bring in any horny drunk males. Taxicab drivers do! That truck just brings in some good publicity for about a week. I bet that truck is rented even!