Integrated launch spans TV, cinema, OOH, creator partnerships, AI-powered social and experiential
Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, has unveiled its largest integrated marketing campaign to support the UK launch of Powerball, one of the most significant new game launches in the lottery’s history.
Created by VCCP, with support from Allwyn’s in-house creative studio Studio 59 and media planning and buying by Hearts & Science, the campaign introduces UK audiences to the world’s biggest rolling jackpot through the creative platform “What Would You Do With Powerball Money?”
Designed to build nationwide awareness and drive excitement ahead of the game’s arrival, the campaign spans television, cinema, social media, creator partnerships, retail, experiential activations and a major national out-of-home rollout.
The launch includes a premium 30-second TV spot during the FIFA World Cup Final on 19 July, before extending across linear TV, BVOD, online video and streaming platforms including ITV, Channel 4, Sky, ITVX, Netflix, Disney+, Amazon and Spotify.
Cinema also plays a central role, with Powerball securing exclusive advertising across cinemas during the opening weekend of The Odyssey, one of the year’s biggest film releases.
Outdoor activity includes 43 of the UK’s largest digital advertising sites, including The Cromination and the Liverpool and Edinburgh Media Walls, alongside rail, roadside, London Underground and retail environments.
The campaign also leans heavily into creators and emerging technologies. Snapchat creators will invite audiences to answer the campaign’s central question using the platform’s AI-powered Imagine Lens, generating personalised visualisations of what a life-changing Powerball win could look like.
Meanwhile, influencer agency Coolr is leading creator partnerships across comedy, food, art and lifestyle, with creators including Sketched by Siena, Harriet Rose and Lagom Chef producing content designed to spark conversation around the possibilities of a Powerball jackpot.
Steve Parkinson, Marketing Director at Allwyn, said:
“Powerball represents one of the biggest launches in The National Lottery’s history and gave us the opportunity to create a campaign that matches the scale of the game itself.
“Every element of the media strategy has been designed to get people asking one simple question: ‘What Would You Do With Powerball Money?’ Whether that’s through landmark outdoor advertising, creator partnerships or AI-powered social experiences, we wanted to create a launch that’s impossible to ignore.”
Darren Bailes, Global Chief Creative Officer at VCCP, added:
“Powerball jackpots are on a scale that most people simply can’t imagine. Rather than focusing on the numbers, we wanted people to think about what that level of money could actually enable. The campaign invites the country to dream bigger, with creative designed to bring those ideas to life in unexpected and visually distinctive ways.”
Simon Carr, Chief Strategy Officer at Hearts & Science, said:
“A launch of this scale demanded a media strategy that reached audiences across culture, entertainment and everyday life. From the World Cup Final to cinema, outdoor and creator-led social, every touchpoint was selected to maximise visibility and encourage participation in the campaign.”
Powerball, which originated in the US in 1992, launches in the UK with an uncapped jackpot starting at £12 million. Allwyn expects the game to generate around £1 billion for UK Good Causes during its first five years.
The convergence of tech and brands 