The National Lottery in the UK is a huge success story. It has changed thousands of lives since its launch in 1994 through winnings on the games and contributions to a vast range of National Lottery Good Causes. It gives nearly £30million a week to Good Causes, making it an unparalleled force for good across the UK.

But The National Lottery had a problem. From 2002 to 2011, marketing communications had focused solely on the games in order to drive sales. Previous Good Causes marketing activity had failed to deliver a financial return so game play became the priority. However, as the portfolio of game brands - Lotto, EuroMillions and Scratchcards – thrived, the masterbrand image began to suffer. Research showed that people were disconnected from Good Causes and held negative perceptions around the types of causes receiving funding. In the eyes of the British public, Good Causes were losing the ‘good’.

This negativity had potential for consequences beyond brand image decline. For players, knowing that a proportion of ticket sales go to Good Causes gives them a justification to continue playing, even if they don’t win. This leads to loyalty and therefore an ongoing return to Good Causes. It is a win-win offering that we had to protect.

It was time to reengage the nation with Good Causes and show people the life changing difference that the National Lottery makes beyond the jackpots. This paper tells the story of our search to find a way to represent the 370,000 diverse Good Causes that would connect with people personally, and change perceptions universally. It was a journey that helped us understand the emotive power of telling an individual’s story to move a nation of people. In doing so, we proved that doing good can pay back. Not only did we change attitudes towards The National Lottery brand and strengthen the game brands, we also delivered an unprecedented financial return to the business. And that means more money for more Good Causes, and more lives changed.