OLG is turning what has stereotypically been seen as a rushed or impersonal gift into the “gift of instant possibilities.”

The colourful “Could be Cards” feature illustrations of gifts a recipient is likely to consider if they win on the instant-win lottery ticket contained inside, like flying over Muskoka in a hot air balloon or owning a 70s muscle car.

“OLG lottery tickets offer a different value proposition compared to other ‘traditional’ holiday gifts,” says Maxine Chapman, OLG’s VP of brand and marketing officer. “We wanted to show people that by giving a holiday instant [ticket] you could potentially give someone the gift they’ve always wished for.”

“Experiential things do resonate more and they are more memorable,” says Frank Macera, group CD for Taxi, which was added to OLG’s agency roster in August. The campaign also plays on an insight that has been put to use for other OLG brands, like Lotto Max: the excitement of playing the lottery is not in the act of winning or the money that comes with it, but the kinds of experiences a prize could make accessible.

Macera tells strategy that while scratch cards and lottery tickets aren’t generally considered to be thoughtful gifts, they definitely can be.

“Cards can be very personal,” Macera insists. People can write very thoughtful and emotive messages in a greeting card, and the “Could Be Cards” take that to the next level by showing that the gift-giver knows the exact kind of thing a friend or loved one would want most.

Toronto artist Jackie Lee designed six different cards with different experiences to address work colleagues, family members and “everything in between,” for a campaign that targets a pretty wide demographic.

“Experiences speak to people interest-wise, instead of age-wise,” Macera says.

In addition to the social, online video and digital out-of-home, there’s a heavy experiential component: in partnership with MLSE, OLG will be giving away 10,000 “Could Be Cards” to attendees of Tuesday’s Toronto Maple Leafs game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Scotiabank Arena.

MediaCom is behind the media buy, and ad spend is line with OLG’s past efforts around the holidays.