The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, like many other brands, is attempting to connect with the under 35 set in ways the demographic is receptive to. The brand is now making a concerted effort to increasingly show up in the context of entertainment, sports and fashion, while emphasizing its brand purpose at the same time.
Maxine Chapman, VP of brand and marketing officer for OLG, tells strategy the budget conscious under 35s are 3X more afraid of losing than they are of wanting to win, and admits segment has been in decline. After having “taken a look under the hood” at all the marketing the brand has been doing, Chapman says it is showing up in more relevant ways.
OLG just unveiled a big media push behind its instant lottery game, “Living Lucky with Luke Combs,” a $250k prize and also a VIP package to Nashville see the popular country singer.
Also, to connect with the younger set, OLG got Canadian EDM duo, Loud Luxury and singer songwriter Preston Pablo to remix its famous “winner, gagnant” Win Tone, “taking the Win Tone out of the corner store and on tour into communities.” That means, actually driving a tour bus around to different concert pop ups and urging people to keep their eyes and ears open, as part of a contest outreach, giving away all kinds of prizes, including merchandise and concert tickets.
And with under 35s placing heightened importance on purpose-led brands, Chapman sees opportunity in engaging that way too, positioning itself as a community contributor for a segment that might not know about the work that it does in the space.
For example, Proline highlights the silver lining of losing bets, namely, that 100% of the proceeds go to the province, leaning into the broader benefits to the community in its summer campaign work.
As Chapman explains, it’s about putting the customer front and centre, while at the same time associating plays, which even while losing, are community wins. It’s a shift the organization has consciously made – articulating the idea of me to the we.
The organization successfully courted younger audiences last year with a wearable lottery ticket fashion drop that also included a doing good component – proceeds going to BLACK HXOUSE, a charity that supports black creators in the TV and film industry.
It sold out 400 units, with a 65% bonus code redemption, topping a benchmark that’s typically about 30%, and spurring a 194% boost under 35 registrations. “We were really happy with that,” Chapman says.
This was followed up with a Lotto Max Dream Bar vegan ice cream, whose proceeds were donated to Friends of Ruby, a welcoming space for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, and which resulted in a 79% lift in sales during the campaign period. “It speaks to being relevant with that demographic, with things they are passionate about, but also speaking to them in an authentic, genuine way,” Chapman says.
According to her, its masterbrand work in particular has done a “tremendous job” lifting sales across the board, including for example, its emotional storytelling around an all-Black 1930s baseball team.