Everything is right with adam&eveDDB’s National Lottery Christmas ad. Firstly, mimicking the traditional Christmas romcom. (Of course, we all watch Love Actually year after year. It’s exactly what the world needs as its end of year reset button.) Secondly, the commercial’s suspense and relatable humanness. (Both perfect.) Thirdly, the ending. (“Just imagine” is the encouragement to hope we all need right now.)

Christmas Love Story was masterfully directed by Oscar-winner, Tom Hooper, and is underscored by a new arrangement of George Michael’s Faith, performed by artist, Sleeping At Last. Two more ticks in its box. The full length, three-and-a-half minute commercial will appear in cinemas, with cutdowns appearing online and on TV in the UK.

The ad brings Tom Hooper, director of The King’s Speech and Les Misérables, and the National Lottery full circle – as the film for which he won his best director Oscar, The King’s Speech, received National Lottery Good Cause funding through the British Film Institute.

It is supported by a full campaign, including a real life experience that invites the public to get involved. Special photo booths, placed at chosen train stations across the UK, will invite passersby to have their photo taken and see it projected on nearby digital OOH space. The campaign will also run across social, radio, OOH, retail, press and will be complemented by integrated creative for all individual Lotto, EuroMillions and festive Scratchcards games.

National Lottery owner, Camelot’sexecutive director, Matt Ridsdale, stated,“The National Lottery is a uniting force for good in the UK – with players raising over £30 million every week for Good Causes. This latest campaign is all about The National Lottery’s ambition to bring people together. It also taps into the feelings of hope and possibility that we collectively experience at Christmas, showing that it’s always worth taking a chance to win big.”

Ben Tollett, group executive creative director, adam&eveDDB, added, “At a time when the nation needs some magic in the air, we wanted to create a larger than life story about the lottery and true love – two games of chance that make the perfect subject for a Christmas romantic comedy.”

To enable people to come together with their friends and family this Christmas, The National Lottery will also be launching a unique offer for players as part of the campaign. More details will become available soon on how players will be able to access a special experience for free this Christmas.

Credits:
Client: Camelot [The National Lottery]
Executive Director: Matt Ridsdale 
Head of Marketing Communication: Anna McInally 
Marketing Manager: Sophie Morgan 
Brand Managers: Lauren Pinkus & Jayna Bacchus
Assistant Brand Manager: Lucie Pelaez
Campaign Planning Manager: Natalie Littlechild

Agency: adam&eveDDB

Group Executive Creative Director: Ben Tollett
Chief Creative Officer: Richard Brim
Creatives: Forrest Clancy; Jay Parekh
Agency Producers: Nikki Cramphorn; Tristan Baker
CEO: Tammy Einav
Managing Partner: Sam LeCoeur
Business Director: Fay Taylor
Account Director: Tejen Shah
Account Managers: Zahra Ahmed
Global PlanningPpartner: Heather Alderson
Planning Directors: Stuart Williams, Róisín Mulroney
Senior Project Manager: Amy Waldman
Project Manager: Caitlin Fletcher
Designer: Scott Silvey
Agency Legal Counsel: Tom Campbell 

Media Agency: Dentsu
Media Planners: Niall McEvoy; Dominic Sadler; Sarah Francis

Production company: Smuggler
Director: Tom Hooper
Executive Producer: Fergus Brown
Producer: Nick Sutherland-Dodd
Cinematographer: Steve Annis
Casting: Dan Hubbard Casting & Beast Casting

Editing Company: The Whitehouse 
Editor: Russell Icke
Editor Assist: Steven Waltham

Post Production: Framestore
Post Producer Alexia Paterson
VFX Supervisor: Pedro Sabrosa
2D Supervisor: Ben Taylor
Colourist: Simon Bourne @ Company 3

Music Written & Composed by George Michael
Arranged & Performed by Sleeping At Last
Additional Orchestration: Chris White
Produced & Supervised by Siân Rogers @ SIREN
Label: Music Alternatives 
Publisher: Warner/Chappell
Audio Post Production: Sam Ashwell @ 750