How do you get people to listen to facts about gambling odds and randomness? Make them fun and playful, just like gambling.

After PlaySmart’s launch campaign, the team created a series of engaging, modular activations that could be leveraged within OLG’s broader sponsorship strategy. By integrating with OLG, PlaySmart gained access to audiences at large corporate events while mitigating negative perceptions of gambling promotion with effective gambling education. A win-win for both brand and business, and a perfect bullseye on PlaySmart’s two-fold strategy to build awareness and prove value to stakeholders.

The Activations

First up, the PlaySmart Snack Machine. If there’s one takeaway from this activation, it’s that people will line up for a free snack – even if it’s the wrong one.

Next, our very own magician. People love magic tricks, and in true PlaySmart fashion, our magician goes the extra step of revealing his mysteries.

And finally, the Odds Table: a demonstration of how odds work that invites people to play and visualize instead of the traditional math lecture.

These activations helped to spark a watershed moment of integration between PlaySmart and OLG’s various lines of business, something unheard of only a short time ago, when “Responsible Gambling” was seen as tantamount to sales prevention. It’s proof that gambling education can be more fun than reading a judgemental brochure, and also good for business.

Bonus Activation!

We had such success with our first three activations that our Lottery counterparts wanted in on the PlaySmart action. Meet the RandGUMizer, a towering gumball machine that gives people more than just gum to chew on. It’s a fun demonstration of randomness in Lottery games and a pun-hater’s nightmare.