Exploiting women's suffrage and a one-armed surfer to sell Powerball tickets?
The odds of winning, according to the Powerball site, are 1 In 175 million. The odds of getting attacked by a shark? 1 In 11.5 million.
IN 2003, Bethany Hamilton had her left arm bitten off by a tiger shark. I guess the California State Lottery folks are using her here with her permission.
Powerball has just come to California this month. These are the new outdoor posters created to promote it.
First, the ad agency press note:
What do women's rights, a one-armed surfer, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the first man on the moon have to do with the California Lottery? None of them could have been possible without this single word: Believe. Because in order to achieve the seemingly unfeasible, you must truly believe that big things are possible. When the California Lottery was ready to launch Powerball, they decided they needed a different approach than anyone had ever attempted before. With only about 30% of Californians feeling positive about the Lottery brand, they needed to go beyond just showcasing Ferraris or yachts in advertising. They needed to start changing perceptions about the Lottery and its players. The Powerball campaign begins a new stage for the Lottery, giving the brand meaning beyond opulent stuff.
Wow. BELIEVE.
I believe I'm going to puke.
What a cringeworthy marketing strategy.
Two dollars (one ticket) is a lot money for a poor person to BELIEVE.
Ad agency: David & Goliath
They Said Women Would Never Vote...Ergo, Go Gamble!
One small step for man, one GIANT misstep by the California Lottery.
