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Heart & Stroke makes a winner out of every lottery player

By Justin Crann
October 27, 2023

The Heart & Stroke Foundation has changed its tack for this year’s lottery fundraising campaign, shifting the focus of its messaging toward its relatively unique proposition in a crowded category.

The campaign, called “It’s a Win-Win,” was developed with creative agency Bimm and hones in on the fact that the lottery doesn’t only offer high-value prizes like a new car or $1 million, but also offers the satisfaction of knowing your money is going toward potentially life-saving heart and brain research that the lottery helps support.

The effort is a shift away from past campaigns that were focused solely on the prizes on offer. It was shaped by market research conducted for the foundation by Dig Insights; the research showed that potential players are just as motivated by the chance to positively affect others’ lives as they are by the various prizes they might win.

“We wanted to highlight that not only can playing lead to you winning great prizes, but that your support will fund research that has the power to save lives and improve health outcomes,” says Avril Goffredo, EVP of fundraising and marketing for Heart & Stroke.


In a 30-second TV spot, the foundation features real stroke survivor Katherine Isaac and her family, who are supporters of its work. Throughout the ad, Isaac and her family are feted as though they have won a lottery themselves, helping to sell the premise that people who buy into the fundraiser are giving families like the Isaacs a win of their own.

“It was important to us to celebrate both the Ontarians who play the lottery every year, and the families – like Katherine’s – who know just how important our work to beat heart disease and stroke is,” says Goffredo, noting that the lottery has raised more than $293 million for research since its launch.

The campaign is also running across OLV, digital, direct and social, through to Feb. 9 or until tickets are sold out. Neo led on paid media, while Pilothouse produced the spots.