Lotto Max delivers the sweet taste of success

Dream-bars

People are often said to have developed a “taste” for the finer things, and OLG and Lotto Max are playing off that concept with Dream Bars, ice cream flavours that taste like things only the well-heeled can afford.

Created by agency FCB and Toronto-based Creamery X, the four-flavour lineup includes Rare Oil Painting, Private Island, Designer Handbag and Grail Sneaker. The purchase of a Dream Bar also includes a Lotto Max lottery ticket on the package. All of the proceeds are going to charity.

The bars were available at the sold-out Harry Styles concerts in Toronto this week, and will also be at upcoming Post Malone shows, as well as a variety of music festivals and city parks throughout the remainder of the summer.

Max Chapman, OLG’s VP brand and marketing officer, tells strategy that over the last decade, OLG has been expanding its view of public engagement in order to keep its brands fresh and top of mind for existing and new customers. And as summer is filled with concerts and events, the brand wanted to lean into the desire for unique food experiences and provide an unexpected way for people to tap into their biggest dreams.

That’s part of Lotto Max’s longstanding “dream” positioning, and while things like it’s “Dream Coach” appeal to its slightly older, traditional demographic, efforts like the ice cream bars and streetwear collections that double as lottery tickets are a more effective way to communicate that to younger folks.

“The new generation of customers prefer experiences and engagement when it comes to seeking out new products and being attracted to new campaigns,” Chapman says, adding that experiential engagement will continue to play an important role in how OLG brings partnerships and select campaigns to life.

Chapman says OLG learned from the “Dream Drop” fashion campaign that a physical presence naturally drew more attention and gave people the ability to experience the brand in-person in order to strengthen that brand connection. Much like that campaign, all proceeds of the sale of the Dream Bars are going to a local charity – in this case, 2SLGBTQ+ youth organization Friends of Ruby.

The brand is promoting the activations through paid social, influencers, PR and a lengthy list of on-site activation experiences that run through September across much of south and central Ontario.

Ad spend, Chapman says, is consistent with other campaigns, but the organization strategically focused on a heavy up for social content, which included influencers, as opposed to the more traditional media approach.

Segal Licensing, a division of FCB Canada, facilitated the relationship with Creamery X. Experiential activation was led by T1, PR by Hill + Knowlton Strategies and media was handled by MediaCom.