Pressroom

Colle+McVoy Scratch Game Campaign Makes Everyday Life More Fun

Posted 01/14/2010

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 14, 2010 – Minnesota State Lottery scratch games provide welcome fun from the grind of the rat, er hamster, race, according to a new campaign by Colle+McVoy.

The new campaign breaking tomorrow features hamsters comically interacting in human-like scenarios that represent the monotony of the human rat race. After the situations are set up for the viewer with very detailed miniature sets and voiceover dialogue, a scratch game is dropped into the scene to the huge relief of the hamsters who begin to play the game. Seven 30-second television spots directed by Rocky Morton of MJZ will run statewide and can be viewed here: http://tinyurl.com/scratchhamsters.

“Often the best comedy comes out of mundane situations,” said Dave Keepper, group creative director, Colle+McVoy. “By using hamsters in their little cages for the spots we serve up a fresh, and we think pretty funny, look at everyday life and then show how scratch games let players break out and live a little."

The campaign shoot was unusual since it took place over two nights to accommodate the nocturnal animals. The spots were scripted and prerecorded, but because of the spontaneity of the animals, some of the spots were re-scripted and recorded again to account for the new “action.” The sets were assembled to include 15 percent hamster items (wood chips, wheel, etc.) and 85 percent realistic human details in miniature (working lights, custom posters, etc.) to make the viewing experience richer and funnier.

“The unique and comical quality of the scratch campaign brings out the fun of playing scratch games and shows how entertaining they can be,” said John Mellein, director for marketing, Minnesota State Lottery.