Allwyn’s campaign rolls out for UK lotto revamp

The new operator of the National Lottery aims to promote “everyday winners”.

UK.- Allwyn has rolled out its campaign to promote its rebranding of the UK National Lottery after it took up the licence on February 1. The former Sazka is promoting “everyday winners” of the Lotto jackpot, emphasising that an average of two new millionaires are created every week.

VCCP and Leo Burnett were jointly appointed as the creative agencies for the advertising account. The former is acting as creative lead of National Lottery Lotto and Set For Life games while Leo Burnett’s mandate is focusing on the National Lottery brand and promoting the funding raised for good causes.

Media planning and advertising strategy are being overseen by Omnicom Group subsidiary Hearts & Science, which is developing a digital-first strategy.

VCCP’s work sees the Lotto draw being promoted with a campaign around the tagline ‘Will you be next?’

Allwyn CCO Lucy Buckley told Campaign: “Lotto is the heart and soul of the National Lottery so this had to be the first campaign we went live with. As we take on the treasured institution that is the National Lottery, we’re so excited to reimagine Lotto and solidify its place with new players and consumers, as well as to attract back some of those who might have stopped playing along the way.”

VCCP global chief creative officer Darren Bailes said: “The fact that Lotto makes two millionaires a week on average is amazing, and something that many people don’t know. So we wanted to shout this from the rooftops and remind everyone that normal people, in normal places, become millionaires every week.”

It’s the first time in the lottery’s three decades that it has passed to an operator other than Camelot, which had run the lottery since 1994, winning two consecutive retenders. The British Gambling Commission has announced the creation of a new “Incentive Mechanism” under which all National Lottery products will make returns to good causes at the same level. It said that Allwyn’s profits would increase only if returns to good causes rise.

The regulator’s executive director Andrew Rhodes said: “The fourth licence by design will mean more of every pound spent on the National Lottery will go to good causes whilst still making sure it is safe to play.”

Allwyn said it planned a bold new vision that would build on the legacy that has seen over £48bn provided in funding to 700,000 community, sport, arts and heritage projects. It said it would invest a significant amount to revamp the National Lottery’s products, services and operations.

In December, Allwyn appointed Mark Hughes as chief security officer for the UK National Lottery. Allwyn, formerly Sazka, reported consolidated revenue of €2bn for Q3, double its results in the same quarter last year. The leap in revenue was due to its acquisition of Camelot UK and Camelot Lottery Solutions in the US from the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board.