It could be you, and it could be you… Lotto enters exciting new chapter under Allwyn

Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, today unveils a new, large-scale integrated summer marketing campaign to support the launch of new Lotto, a refreshed take on one of the UK’s most iconic games.

Developed by creative agency VCCP and supported by Studio 59, Allwyn’s in-house creative and content studio, with media strategy and buying by Hearts & Science, the campaign brings to life the simplicity and excitement of ‘One ticket, Two chances to win’. 

From 7 June*, every £2 Lotto line will give players two chances to win in every draw, all for the same price and with the same number of balls to choose from. The new two-round format significantly improves players’ chances of winning any prize – from 1-in-9.3 to 1-in-4.9 – and is expected to more than double the number of Lotto millionaires each year, from around 140 to approximately 345.

Marking the biggest change to the game since its launch in 1994, the campaign is designed to drive widespread awareness of new Lotto and spark conversation nationwide, speaking to loyal Lotto players as well as attracting a new generation of players through culturally relevant activations. To support the update, Allwyn is rolling out an extensive, multi-channel campaign spanning TV – led by a new flagship television commercial – as well as radio, social, retail and digital.

The TV ad – directed by Dave Meyers through Radical Media in collaboration with Girl&Bear – is destined for a range of channels and Video on Demand (VOD) and brings the new Lotto proposition to life through a relatable, everyday moment, featuring two friends relaxing at home when one casually decides to play on the National Lottery app. As they chat, the simplicity of the ‘one ticket, two chances to win’ format is revealed, building to a playful twist: one friend says “it could be you” twice, while the other replies, “good luck, good luck then.”

There will also be a significant nationwide out-of-home presence, with 1,088 panels planned across the UK under the theme ‘Paint the Town Red’ in honour of Lotto’s iconic red branding. Key sites in major locations will be taken over, including a large-scale mural installation in Aldgate alongside an eye-catching eight-day crane installation. The activity will be complemented by premium large-format digital OOH placements, including high-impact dual-tower screen sites, ensuring standout visibility throughout the campaign period.

The campaign is further brought to life through a standout real-world consumer activation, ‘Two Yolks: Lotto’s Luckiest Café’ – a London brunch pop-up celebrating Lotto’s exciting new format, where every £2 ticket now gives players two chances to win. Developed in partnership with Tin Man Communications, the experience will run on Friday 12 June and Saturday 13 June – Lott’s first Saturday night draw – at Old Queen Street Café in Westminster, with guests welcomed for three timed sittings.

Inspired by Lotto’s new format, the café leans into the idea of duality throughout. From the guest experience to the limited-edition menu, entertainment and surprise prize moments, every detail is designed to reflect the belief that some things simply feel luckier in twos.

The campaign will also be amplified through collaborations with several popular podcasts, including Staying Relevant with Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks, The Girls Bathroom, and The Jack & Ash Show. Alongside Snapchat and TikTok, the campaign will, for the first time, see Allwyn partner with Twitch with a bespoke livestream activation. 

Shops will also be decked out in red with Allwyn’s new Lotto Point of Sale campaign in 43,500 National Lottery stores across the UK. Allwyn’s retail partners will receive an exciting Lotto launch box containing Playstation and poster POS materials to highlight the new game, along with new play slips and player-facing leaflets to more fully explain the game changes to customers. 

Steve Parkinson, Marketing and Brand Director at Allwyn, said: “With new Lotto, we wanted to bring to life the simple but powerful idea behind the new format — that players have two chances to win from a single ticket, without changing how they play. This campaign is about making that benefit instantly understandable, while celebrating the everyday moments when people come together to play. 

“We’ve taken this idea to scale through bold, standout executions — from attention-grabbing installations like our unmissable mural, to partnership firsts like our tie-up with Twitch — helping us quite literally paint the town red and ensure the message cuts through. The ad for TV and VOD is designed to bring this to life in a playful way, using an everyday moment between two friends. We then wanted to take that same idea into the real world with ‘The Two Yolks’ pop-up café, bringing the ‘two chances to win’ concept to life through food, prizes, and merchandise. With this extensive campaign, we believe we’ve created something people can genuinely enjoy and talk about.”

Simon Connor, Creative Director at VCCP, added: “One ticket now gives you two chances to win, so we created with Allwyn a simple, bold campaign that mirrors the game: double everything. Two crossed fingers. Two voice-overs. Dual sites. One campaign, twice the fun. Good luck, good luck.”

Garrett O’Reilly, CEO at Hearts & Science, concluded: “New Lotto marks the most significant innovation in The National Lottery’s 30-year history. This is a genuine national cultural moment, and our media plan matches that ambition at every level. We’re painting the country red, including four in every five paired 48 sheets sites across the nation carrying new Lotto, making the magic impossible to miss.

“We’ll also be embedding new Lotto into the moments that matter most for potential new players. From the global spectacle of the FIFA World Cup to the real-time pulse of Twitch, we’re showing up in the spaces where culture happens, making Lotto relevant to a new generation of players.”

Source: VCCP

  Advertising, Allwyn, Campaign, Hearts & Science, Lotto, Marketing, The National Lottery, UK, VCCP