Allwyn's Powerball Asks 'What Would You Do?' In UK Debut

Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, today launches a major integrated marketing campaign to support the UK arrival of the world’s biggest rolling jackpot game, Powerball – one of the most significant game 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 is designed to drive nationwide awareness of and excitement for Powerball. It introduces UK players to the transformational possibilities of Powerball wins 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, designed to make Powerball one of the most talked-about launches of the summer. 

The campaign will reach audiences through major broadcast, streaming and digital platforms, including ITV, Channel 4, Sky, ITVX, Netflix, Disney+, Amazon and Spotify, complemented 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 most-watched sporting moments of the summer. The campaign will then continue across TV, VOD and online video, delivering maximum reach and impact throughout the launch period.

Cinema will also play a major role in the campaign, with Powerball securing exclusive placement across  cinemas during the opening weekend of The Odyssey (17 July), anticipated 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. This will help users visualise how a life-changing win could transform their lives, communities, ambitions and dreams. 

In partnership with Coolr, Allwyn will also be bringing ‘What Would You Do with Powerball Money’ to life through influencer activity. The creators will visualise the life-changing wins through niches of comedy, cooking, art, community, and more. They will get their audiences thinking about how they would make a difference whilst creating excitement around Powerball and generating 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 gives us an opportunity 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.”

CREDITS: ‘Powerball: What Would You Do?’  

Client: Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery

Managing Director, Digital: Richard Dawkins 

Marketing  Director: Steve Parkinson

Media Director: Ben Brown 

Brand Director: Anna McInally

Head of Product Marketing, Jackpot Games: Ana Trompeta Garcia 

Senior Marketing Manager: Heather Turner

Media Strategy Lead: Mark Edmunds

Advertising Agency: VCCP

Global Chief Creative Officer: Darren Bailes

Creative Director: Liam Wilson

Creative Team: Sarah Lisgo & Agatha O’Neill

Managing Director: Hannah Fitz-Gerald

Business Director: Piers Raffo

Senior Account Manager: Jasmine Khaliq

Account Executive: Miles Seymour

Group Planning Director: Joe Miller

Planning Director: Thom Pickering

Girl&Bear

Integrated Project Director: Romana Kit

Senior Integrated Creative Producer: Jonny Powell

Senior TV Producer: Ed Mueller

Senior Post-Producer: Heather Mooney

Executive Art Producer: Ellen Webb

Film & Content Producer: TJ Sulaiman

Design Director: Clary Vikstrom

Designers: Steve Tinkler, Matt Montgomery-Taylor, Lee Bodell

ArtLab Manager: Scott Mitchell

Senior Artworker: Lee Forster

Editor: Amelia Eve

Film Maker: Ed Roe

Colourist: Syd Harvey

Audio Operator: Emily Vizard

Photographer: Alex Bingham

Stills Line Producer: Emma Modler

Production Company: Iconoclast

MD / Executive Producer: Jean Mougin

MD / Executive Producer: Guy Rolfe

Head Of Production: Beatrice Warren

Director: Glenn Kitson

Producer: Alex Jefferson 

Production Manager: Ada Almeida

DOP: Elliot Holbrow

1st AD: Alan Finlay 

Production Designer: James Hatt

Edit: Marsheen

Editor: Rob Daglish 

Exec Producer: Harriet Crawley

Post-Production Company: Electric Theatre Collective 

Executive Producer: Laura Northover

Producer: Jamie Hughes

Creative Director: Jess Gaynor, Ryan Knowles

VFX CG Supervisor: Will Medcalf

VFX 2D Supervisor: Amy Smith

Colour: Luke MorrisonAudio Post-Production Company: 750mph 

Sound Engineer: Sam Ashwell, Mike Bovill

Producer: Rachel Saxon, Olivia Ray

Music Supervision: The Hogan

VCCP Loyalty & CRM

Managing Director: Matt Broekhuizen

Business Director: Lottie Phillips 

Account Director: Skye Taylor 

Strategy Director: Lawrence Heath 

Creative Director: Emma Leaney 

VCCP Social Cub

Executive Creative Director: David Feldman

Social Creative Director: Rachael Kendrick

Senior Creator: Charlotte Kelly

Hearts & Science

CSO: Simon Carr

Strategy Director: Alex Rubins

Managing Partner: Chris Evans

Client Partner: Sophie Whitton

Business Director: Zac Abbott

Account Director: Simon Rayson

Connections Planning Director: Paul Ward