February 16, 2024
NASPL Insights Online
Several NASPL associate members are very involved in creating experiential prizes for their lottery partners. We asked them to provide some brief thoughts on the subject from their perspective. After all, many lotteries rely upon these companies to handle all the logistics and provide seamless experiences for players.
Experiential programs enhance player engagement and brand distinctiveness while developing a new connection between players and lottery. Encouraging players to register their instant tickets through lottery websites for once-in-a-lifetime opportunities gives lotteries a new avenue to engage with players and removes some anonymity from a historically anonymous industry.
Providing an unforgettable experience not only stands out, but also creates lasting memories for participants. Promotions offering ultimate vacation destinations, which some may never afford independently, perfectly align with the lottery’s essence of making dreams come true. Offering unique experiences that may attract a new and diverse range of players, like a trip to space or an exclusive event otherwise unattainable at any price, can garner mainstream media attention which is beneficial when advertising budgets are tight.
Injecting creativity into a smaller local experiential prize, like a personalized road trip within the lottery’s home state, not only elevates the promotion, setting it apart, but provides great photo opportunities! In the era of social media, winning experiences create shareable moments online and are less vulnerable to security concerns compared to posting about cash winnings, thereby fostering organic and expanded marketing reach for lotteries.
- Brad Thompson, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Pollard Banknote
There is absolutely a place for experiential prizes in the product portfolio as they offer a different value proposition to the player. Anytime a lottery can diversify its portfolio to offer something exciting for everyone – whether that be cash, merchandise or a trip – it’s a positive. Lotteries know that cash is king, and players can use a cash prize to purchase whatever they want. So it’s important for an experiential prize to be something that is out of reach for most people or not available for purchase at all.
The goal of an experiential offering should be to connect to a different lottery player. Combining that experiential prize with a well-known brand that is also intended to connect to a different player is a great strategy for expanding the player base. So, start with the brand that appeals to the psychographic you wish to reach and build an experience that would not only appeal to that group, but also enhance the brand’s appeal.
- Kyle Rogers, VP of North American Instant Products, Scientific Games
Experiential marketing is a dynamic, immersive approach that delivers memorable brand experiences, fosters engagement, and forges strong relationships. Lotteries that follow these key steps are assured experiential marketing success:
Define your objectives clearly. Establish clear goals for your campaign – whether it’s increased sales, heightened brand awareness, or enhanced customer engagement.
Design an immersive experience that resonates with your brand and target audience. This hands-on approach allows consumers to connect with your business on a deeper, more personal level, forging lasting impressions.
Meticulously plan logistics and execution. Consider the resources, technology and expertise required to bring your vision to life while staying within budget and timeline constraints. Seamless execution is critical to success.
Integrate technology and interactivity to elevate the consumer experience. Explore innovative tools like augmented reality to showcase your products in exciting new ways.
Remember these key takeaways throughout the process: prioritize interactivity, keep it simple yet impactful, leverage online platforms to amplify in-person activations, stay attuned to your audience’s interests, and embrace creativity to defy expectations.
When they embrace experiential marketing, businesses cultivate meaningful, lasting connections with consumers – driving growth in today’s competitive landscape.
- Jeffrey Schweig, President, Alchemy3
Experiential prizing has become more than just a trend; it’s now an entrenched category within our industry. As lottery marketers, we understand the profound impact that memories created from experiential prizes can have. We witness firsthand how these experiences deeply resonate with players, amplifying engagement and loyalty. By incorporating experiential prizing into their offerings, lotteries can curate unforgettable moments that truly enhance the lives of their players.
Strategic scheduling is paramount to maximizing the impact of experiential prizing. We recommend the launch of an annual flagship experiential program, accompanied by the establishment of a catalog of experiences and robust player support to ensure seamless execution.
Our industry thrives on collaboration, and experiential prizing presents yet another opportunity to collaborate on multi-state programs to offer diverse and compelling experiences to players across North America. Not only do multi-jurisdictional games optimize budgets, but they also foster a sense of camaraderie among winners.
Experiential prizes also afford lotteries the opportunity to leverage the power of storytelling by showcasing the stories and winning moments from executed programs. By sharing these narratives, lotteries can inspire excitement and anticipation for future programs, highlighting the transformative impact on winners’ lives while simultaneously driving winner awareness.
- Derek Gwaltney, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Experiences
We have been involved in thousands of promotions in both the commercial and lottery sector. While our core business is providing the prize coverage for jumbo second-chance prizes, we know that players aren’t motivated by cash itself – they are motivated by the experiences that cash will afford them! Players who buy Powerball, for example, don’t dream of laying around on a pile of money. They dream of quitting their job, traveling, and doing what THEY want. They play out these “experiences” in their mind’s eye.
When you are targeting a very specific demographic, a concert with Luke Combs or a Space Perspective flight can be very appealing. In addition, marketers have built-in content and visuals to connect with players. We find the sweet spot is to offer the combination of a great experience (cruise, concert, vacation) plus the opportunity to win a life-changing cash prize that affords players the chance to also “choose their own adventure.”
- Jackie Walker, Director, Lottery Business Development, SCA Promotions
Related posts: