Powerball makes UK debut with campaign by Allwyn

Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, has launched a major integrated marketing campaign to support the UK arrival of Powerball, the world’s biggest rolling jackpot game and one of the most significant launches in The National Lottery’s history.

Developed by creative agency VCCP and supported by Studio 59, Allwyn’s in-house creative and content studio, with media strategy and buying led by Hearts & Science, the 360-degree campaign aims to drive nationwide awareness of and excitement around Powerball. It introduces UK players to the transformational possibilities of winning through a bold creative platform centred on a simple yet powerful question: “What Would You Do With Powerball Money?”

The multi-channel campaign spans TV, cinema, social media, creator partnerships, retail, experiential activations and a large-scale national out-of-home programme, to make Powerball one of the most talked-about launches of the summer.

The campaign will reach audiences across major broadcast, streaming and digital platforms, including ITV, Channel 4, Sky, ITVX, Netflix, Disney+, Amazon and Spotify. It will also be supported by a significant outdoor presence across rail networks, roadside sites, the London Underground and shopping destinations nationwide.

To mark the launch, Allwyn will debut its new Powerball: What Would You Do? film with a premium 30-second television spot during the FIFA World Cup Final on 19 July, one of the summer’s most-watched sporting events. The campaign will then continue across TV, VOD and online video to maximise reach and impact throughout the launch period.

Cinema will also play a major role, with Powerball securing exclusive placement across cinemas during the opening weekend of The Odyssey (17 July), which is expected to be one of the year’s biggest film releases.

Extending the campaign into the digital space, Snap Stars (Snapchat influencers) will ask their followers, “What Would You Do?” and use Snapchat’s Imagine Lens, which leverages generative AI technology, to bring their answers to life. The activation will help users visualise how a life-changing win could transform their lives, communities, ambitions and dreams.

In partnership with Coolr, Allwyn will also bring “What Would You Do with Powerball Money” to life through influencer-led content. Creators will imagine life-changing wins across niches including comedy, cooking, art and community, encouraging audiences to think about how they would make a difference while building excitement around Powerball and driving cultural relevance. Confirmed creators include Sketched by Siena (557.4k IG/TikTok), Harriet Rose (140.8k IG/TikTok) and Lagom Chef (1.5m IG/TikTok).

Additional activity includes a nationwide OOH presence featuring 43 of the UK’s largest advertising sites, including The Cromination and the Liverpool and Edinburgh Media Walls.

Steve Parkinson, Marketing Director at Allwyn, said: “Powerball represents an immensely exciting moment for The National Lottery and allows us to introduce UK players to a game known globally for creating extraordinary prizes and unforgettable winners.

“With this campaign, we wanted to bring the transformational nature of Powerball to life in a way that feels relevant, culturally engaging and impossible to ignore. Whether that’s through landmark outdoor advertising, creator-led content, our innovative Snapchat activation or partnerships that place Powerball at the centre of social conversation, everything has been designed to get people thinking about one simple question: ‘What Would You Do?'”

Darren Bailes, Global Chief Creative Officer at VCCP, added: “Powerball jackpots are on a different scale to anything we have ever seen. This is not ‘fancy holiday, new car or bigger house money. It’s sooooooo much bigger. A Powerball win is truly transformational-not just for the winner but maybe for their community, their town, maybe even the whole country. Our work poses the question ‘What Would You Do With Powerball Money?’

“We are encouraging the country to think bigger, past the usual stuff and into the realms of ‘Oh yeah, I really could make almost anything happen’. This is going to be a conversation with the country about their wildest dreams…some for good wholesome reasons, some for pure silliness, and some just for the sheer hell of it. Our AV, directed by Glenn Kitson, brings people’s answers to life in beautiful, fantastical CGI and collages that feel unlike anything in the category.”

Simon Carr, Chief Strategy Officer, Hearts & Science, concluded: “A transformational game requires a transformational media strategy. We therefore couldn’t approach Powerball with a conventional playbook – the scale and ambition of “What Would You Do With Powerball Money?” meant we had to challenge every assumption about where and how this story gets told. From the World Cup Final to The Odyssey to AI-powered creator content, every media decision was built around how we put players, not the product, at the heart of the campaign.”