Loto-Quebec launched its new Extravaganza lottery on Monday, accompanied by a rather unusual campaign for the public corporation.
Created by LG2, it features… a hip hop song and music video.
Philipe Comeau, co-creative director for the campaign with Marilou Aubin, explains how the idea originated.
“When the client came to present the lottery, I looked at the ticket and was hypnotized by the amount of gold on it and the huge dollar signs. Our strategic planner, Julie Dubé, took one look at it and said ‘that’s bling.’ I immediately pictured a song, specifically a hip hop parody,” said Comeau.
Comeau wrote the lyrics and music in collaboration with Paul Maco from Apollo Studios.
The result is a 30-second TV commercial that redirects the viewer to VaVoirLa.com, a microsite showcasing a two and a half minute music video featuring two wannabe rappers, and all the clichés associated with hip hop—auto-tune included.
The agency hired director Iouri Philippe Paillé, who has worked on videos for a number of big-name recording artists including Mika, Coeur de pirate and Ariane Moffatt.
“The presentation of a two minute, 30 second experience is an appropriate reflection of the lavishness of the ticket: the idea is as extravagant as the format.”
Extravaganza will pay out $100 million in prizes, including 14 $1 million awards, with each ticket retailing for $10.
Streamed on Loto-Quebec’s YouTube channel, the video has been viewed 12,000 times in just four days. “Of course we are happy with the number of views, but the bottom line is, we are interested in sales,” said Comeau.
According to Comeau, the public corporation wasn’t targeting a younger clientele.
“Today, the hip hop style no longer only belongs to younger generations,” he said. “We had no desire to skew younger with this campaign.”
“My neighbour, who is in her forties, told me she went to watch the video on the site after seeing the commercial on TV,” said Comeau. “One of the producers showed the video to her grandmother and the next day she was humming ‘bling bling, chick a tching tching.’”
The campaign is featured on the web, on posters throughout the Zoom Media network, and at POP.
