TV & Radio Campaign for DC Lottery

Storytelling: The Secret Weapon for Boosting Sales

The DC Lottery (DCL) has been making players' dreams come true for over 40 years...

…all while earning revenue for the city.

However, DC Lottery was seeking ways to bring new life into product offerings that had become predictable. This led to the inception of First Wednesday, a monthly event inspired by the release of new Scratchers on the first Wednesday of each month.

“First Wednesday,” a fictitious monthly holiday, was born. This clever framework allowed for effective repetitive marketing to support new Scratchers on the first Wednesday of every month. The spots featured colleagues, friends, family, and strangers exchanging, “Happy First Wednesday!” greetings as if it were another favorite holiday celebration.

Scratching the Surface

In just two days of shooting, on a shut-down DC street, we tapped into a simple concept that resonated with DC residents and produced two different but related commercials.

The first spot opens with a visitor getting into a taxi and passing the Washington Monument with a large sign saying, “Happy First Wednesday.” The curious visitor asks what is First Wednesday? The driver explains that on the first Wednesday of every month, Washingtonians celebrate new scratch games from DC Lottery. The visitor then wishes the driver, “Happy First Wednesday!”

New in Town TV Commercial

The second commercial begins with a shot of an employee walking through a typical corporate office wishing coworkers a, “Happy First Wednesday.” He stops at a colleague’s desk and asks if she has any special First Wednesday plans. The colleague regretfully states that she always celebrates with the latest Scratchers from DC Lottery but forgot to pick up some that day. The employee reaches into his shirt pocket pulls out a scratcher and slides it across the desk. The colleague expresses gratitude and the employee walks away, trips, but catches himself.

The Office TV Commercial

Moving the Needle

After the ads aired, initial metrics indicated that sales jumped more than 30%. Longer term, sales sustained a 10% increase over a 6-month period.

The takeaway: Taoti’s new approach of keeping a bold message in-market at regular intervals is consistently boosting sales.

The campaign also included monthly social media posts, Metro station and bus signage, as well as radio spots. This comprehensive approach not only elevated brand awareness but also delivered unparalleled activation across diverse platforms.

Listen to a radio spot here: