VCCP’s National Lottery’s 2024 Christmas commercial has outdone itself. It’s heartwarmingly real and the excitement of playing festive Scratchcards is all the more palpable because of it. The campaign highlights the importance of simple joys and the fun, away-from-the-phone, interactive role that National Lottery Scratchcards play in social moments – festive gatherings being a perfect example.
Darren Bailes, global chief creative officer at VCCP, commented, “We did a piece of research all about National Lottery Scratchcards – and learnt the weird and wonderful games, and traditions that people already have. This work will share those ideas with everyone, in the hope that more traditions and games are invented. The cast was stellar and Steve, our director, brought out some incredible performances in the film.”
The campaign, Musical Scratchcards, launched in the same week that The National Lottery celebrates its 30th birthday and announces a landmark £50 billion raised for Good Causes. Owner, Allwyn, aims to put The National Lottery at the centre of group traditions that families with grown-up children and groups of adult friends can look forward to each year.
The campaign was written by Katy Stanage and Alice Marani and directed by Steve Rogers. Biscuit worked alongside VCCP’s global content creation studio, Girl&Bear, to bring the spot to life. The full campaign includes a National Lottery-funded choir, VoxSkool, singing a version of on radio. A social campaign includes local community groups, Deal Dippers and Swindon Skaters, showing how they have some fun with Scratchcards during their Christmas celebrations, with a print campaign running in press and OOH. Additional activity includes a takeover of the entire WHSmith store in Victoria Station with static window posters and in-store retail media and activation, led by VCCP Retail Experience, and produced by Girl&Bear, as well as a series of partnerships, influencer activity and podcasts.
Steve Parkinson, brand and marketing director at Allwyn, commented, “Christmas is all about shared moments, many times involving games and a healthy dose of competitiveness! National Lottery Scratchcards are all about adding some fun and excitement – so are the perfect thing to bring along to festive gatherings. Hopefully some big festive winners will be made, but of course, each moment of play also contributes to UK Good Causes – so it really is a win-win.”
Having so far focused its marketing activity on draw games, such as Lotto and Set For Life, this is Allwyn’s first campaign for National Lottery Scratchcards. The campaign will run across social, radio, AV, OOH, press and YouTube for six weeks. With Christmas also being a natural gifting period for Scratchcards – with 59% of 18-44 year olds saying they have bought or would consider buying a Scratchcard as a gift at Christmas, the media plan celebrates delivering moments where people are in a seasonal giving mindset. This will peak around festive category entry points such as Secret Santa and those final flourishes. A continuity partnership with ITV will also tap into winning moments across the peak schedule and a radio sponsorship across Global’s network will give listeners a chance to win big in the build-up to Christmas.
Credits
Client: Allwyn
Advertising Agency: VCCP
Creative Director: Simon Connor (Radio, OOH & AV), David Feldman (Social & Influencers)
Copywriter & Art Director: Katy Stanage And Alice Marani
Managing Director: Hannah Fitz-Gerald
Senior Account Director: Izi Hutchinson, Jess Ridley
Account Director: Jasmine Beale
Account Manager: Honor Munden
Influencer Marketing Manager: Ismahane Ileye
Group Planning Director: Charlie Kirkbride
Planning Director: Camila Toro
Senior Planner: Saskia Meagher
Agency TV Producer: Edmund Thorn
Integrated Project Director: Doris Tydeman
Creative Producer: Joe Maskall
Media Buying Agency: Hearts & Science
Media Planner: Ben Rutherford
Production Company: Biscuit
Director: Steve Rogers
Producer : Simon Eakhurst
Executive Producer : Katie Keith
Production Manager : Georgia Mills
Casting Director: Lara Manwaring
Director of Photography : Daniel Landin
Editor: Jonnie Scarlett
Executive Producer: Olly Calverley
Post-Production Company: Time Based Arts
Post Producer: Lily Barron
AV Music Supervision: Siren @ Factory
AV Music Supervisor: Alice Benton
Colourist: Simone Grattarola
Audio Post-Production Company: Factory
Social Film Production Company: Girl&Bear Studios
Social Film Director: Ed Rosie
Social Film & Content Producer: Selena Cunningham
Social Film Editors: Syd Harvey & Ashley Sykes
Social Post Producer: Heather Mooney
Photographer: Lewis Khan
Photographers Agent: At Trayler
Radio Producer: David Vass
Choir: Voxskool
Radio Music Supervision: Dlmdd
Radio Music Supervisor: Lizz Harman
Arrangement: James Joshua Otto
Vocal Arrangement: Erin Mccullough
