Imagine if you won Lotto NZ. It’s such a simple idea by DDB Aotearoa. One with incredible power. Little wonder that the new campaign is launching its seventh instalment.
This time, things are taking a saucy turn. For this edition, DDB Aotearoa leant into the playful humour of the “If I win” promises we make when we daydream about a big win, without thinking we’d really have to follow through with them.
The new episode also changes direction in terms of tone and storytelling. The 2025 campaign says goodbye to its long-form cinematic story. Goodbye to its emotional twists, from lost tickets to surprise seaside house move. It relies on very human humour and thrill. In the campaign, one Kiwi follows through on a promise he made to his group of friends – that if he won Powerball, he’d tackle an epic ski run, wearing nothing but his birthday suit. And of course, take them along to witness.
“We’ve all had those ‘what if’ chats,” stated Gary Steele, chief creative officer at DDB Aotearoa. “And we loved the idea of what happens when someone takes one of those longed after ideas and makes it a reality. Like a nudie run through the snow, we wanted to make this campaign totally unforgettable.”
Leah Neilson, Lotto New Zealand’s chief marketing officer, added, “We know from our research that consumers are seeking more playfulness and humour from brands, so we decided to embrace that, telling a simpler, yet still epic, story that amps up the fun.
“This campaign is all about celebrating the joy and generosity that comes with dreaming big – and often, the most important part of a win is following through. In a first for Imagine, a well- known music track from the ‘90s joins our winner along the journey, so keep your ears peeled.”
The seventh Powerball Imagine campaign went to air following Saturday night’s live Lotto draw on TVNZ 1 on May 31, before launching further afield from June 1.
Credits:
Client: Lotto NZ
Chief Marketing Officer: Leah Neilson
Head of Brand: Genna Duff
Creative Agency: DDB Aotearoa
Gary Steele: Executive Creative Director
Creative Directors: Freddie Coltart & Matt Williams
Business Partner: Zofia Wereszczynska
Head of Business Management: Kate Lines
Lead Integrated Producer: Claire Colohan
Executive Producer: Judy Thompson
Joint Head of Planning: Laura Davies
Planner: Natassja Cox
Production Company: Good Oil
Director: Joel Kefali
Executive Producer: Andrew Mclean
Managing Director: George Mackenzie
DOP: Ziga Zupancic
Editor: Lucas Baynes @ ARC
Colourist: Matic Prusnik
VFX Artist: Stu Bedford
Service Production Company: Mr+Positive
Executive Producer: Peter Grasse
Photographer: Irwin Wong
Sound: Liquid Studios
Sound Design: Craig Matuschka
Music Editor: Peter Van Der Fluit
Music: Franklin Rd
Music Licensing: Jonathan Mihaljevich
Media Agency: PHD New Zealand
