• by Nina Lentini  @Nina_Lentini, June 13, 2007

A product that could come in handy for the winner is promoting a sweepstakes that will take him and three friends to Sin City for "the ultimate guys' getaway weekend."

In an agreement with the Palms Casino Resort in Sin City, the Alka-Seltzer Living Large in Vegas Sweepstakes runs through August and invites consumers (it doesn't specify men, ladies) to visit alkaseltzerinlasvegas.com and enter a code found on Alka-Seltzer packages (or available by mail).

The grand prize includes round-trip, first-class (as available) airfare, a weekend stay at the resort's "The Real World Suite," 24 hours of limo service and $2,000 in cash.

Additional instant prizes include $1,000, $500 and $100 Visa gift cards, as well as gift certificates from Amazon, Sports Authority and iTunes.

Alka-Seltzer says a survey it commissioned from Opinion Research Corp. among a random sample of 600 adult males ages 21 to 55 shows that 42% of men ages 25 to 44 have been on an all-guys' vacation, with Las Vegas ranked as the top destination.

More than 85% of men surveyed reported spending time with good friends as a primary benefit of getting away with the boys, the survey showed. While quality time with friends is a prime motivator, former president Bill Clinton and pro golfer Tiger Woods ranked highest among celebrities that guys would most enjoy having on their guys' getaway. And whether it is the intent of these trips or not, half (50%) of men 21-55 tend to overdo it with food and drinks when hanging with the boys.

I'm in!--at imin.com--a leading Web site that helps consumers plan gender-specific trips, estimates that 20 million men currently spend $10 to $12 billion annually on guys' getaways. According to research conducted by I'm in! in partnership with Compete, Inc. an online market research firm, 65% of men who take these trips are setting aside time for more than one guys' getaway per year.

Says Josh Lesnick, CEO/founder of I'm in!, "Guys' getaways are all about reconnecting, letting go and having fun. Part of that is enjoying indulgences, like that extra round of beer or a late-night plate of wings, which they may pass on when at home."

Through its status as a sponsor of the Palms Casino Resort, Alka-Seltzer is proud to help guys live large in Las Vegas, the top destination for guys' getaways. "We know that guys are indulging in good times--especially on vacation, and Alka-Seltzer is the perfect complement to a good time, helping you to feel yourself again," says Jay Kolpon, vice president/marketing and new business, Bayer HealthCare's Consumer Care Division.

"Our partnership with the Palms Casino Resort, as well as the sweepstakes, reinforces Alka-Seltzer as the perfect guys' getaway accessory."