To help put Los Gatos on the map as a place to shop, dine and stay for the weekend, the advertising team from Comcast has plans to film local businesses for commercials that are to air on cable television.

"We're trying to package Los Gatos as a destination escape. It's accessible, fun and safe," said Philip Farrer, chair of the Los Gatos Lodging Association and manager of Hotel Los Gatos.

The advertising campaign is the result of a collaborative effort between the town of Los Gatos and business owners to produce 30-second commercials. The rotating commercials will feature different businesses, but each commercial will also emphasize general points of interests in town.

"The general message will be 'Los Gatos,' " said Ronee Nassi, executive director of the Town of Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce. She added that the goal is to promote businesses unique to the town.

Suggestions for general messages that have been tossed around include "Let's go to Los Gatos" or "Discover Los Gatos," Farrer said.

"We're trying to find something to direct people to town," he said.

The opening and ending of each commercial, paid for by the town, will highlight seasonal events in town, such as Music in the Park or the tree-lighting ceremony in the winter. The merchant whose business is featured will pay for the middle portion of the commercial.

The town has agreed to kick in $7,500 thus far, with the possibility that more money will become available, said Redevelopment Manager Marty Woodworth. Each year the town sets aside money for advertising campaigns during the holiday season. In the past, the fund mainly went toward radio and print advertisements, but that money may be reallocated toward Comcast commercials now, Woodworth said.

Merchants may choose from more than 45 networks as well as the time of day, geographic regions and number of weeks they wish their commercials to run, with each factor affecting the ad rate.

If the town can sign on 26 businesses to each commit to at least two weeks of airing their commercials, that would potentially provide the town with one year's worth of visibility, Farrer said.

"The whole point is to try to get some continuity. If you have constant exposure, you'll get into people's heads," Nassi said.

Comcast senior account executive Sean O'Callaghan said there's a public perception that businesses that have television commercials are more prestigious.

"There's the illusion that you look a lot bigger if you're on TV," he said.

Also, according to information that O'Callaghan distributed at an informational meeting last week, people remember 10 percent of what they read, 20 percent of what they hear and 30 percent of what they see. However, when a person has the chance to read, hear and see at the same time—as they would while viewing a television commercial—they absorb 50 percent of the information.

The one time that Hotel Los Gatos aired on Wine Country Living a few months back, the hotel got more calls than it had received through any other form of media, Farrer said.

"There was immediate feedback," he said.

Organizers emphasize that even if a business is not featured on a particular commercial, constant reminders of town services would still draw visitors into Los Gatos, which would benefit businesses overall.

According to Nassi, eight businesses—including many of the hotels—have already committed themselves to the project as of last week, and she expects more to follow "once people see that there's support."

The filming of the commercials is tentatively scheduled for July 30 and Aug. 3, when crowds of people will be downtown attending the Jazz in the Plazz and Music in the Park concerts. According to O'Callaghan, it usually takes about 10 days after shooting footage for a commercial to air.

To learn more about how to be featured in the commercials, call the Chamber at 408.354.9300.