New York Lottery rolled out the red carpet for players in April when it introduced $1,000,000 Premiere, a $5 instant ticket that put a creative twist on instant gratification. The stars of the Alchemy3-licensed program included desirable instant win prizes including cash, FandangoNow streaming credits, GrubHub delivery credits, and much, much more.
The Script – Program Design
“Alchemy3 wanted to provide a program for the New York Lottery to support several key strategic objectives. “Firstly, this program provides a product with solid core player appeal that also introduces new players attracted by the associated promotion to core themes and playstyles,” said Ben Nicolls, Director, Marketing & Sales, Alchemy3.
“We also wanted to offer players relevant prizing that aligns with current consumer trends and promotes a safe social distancing message. These prizes will be delivered in a digital environment, not only providing additional convenience and safety for winners, but also setting the table for future engagement opportunities,” said Nicolls.
“Finally, we wanted to reimagine the 2nd chance paradigm by offering instant 2nd chance wins. The moment players enter their non-winning tickets, they know if they won a 2nd chance prize which they can use immediately,” he added.
Alchemy3 first presented the concept to the New York Lottery in late 2019 as a program that featured in person movie theater prizes and movie themed events. The onset of the pandemic changed all that. A key part of Alchemy3’s 2020 strategy was to reimagine their portfolio offerings and provide clients with solutions that align with new consumer trends and offer relevant prizing. Fandango’s streaming service, FandangoNow provided a perfect solution, and the addition of GrubHub only strengthened the program.
These prizes match consumers’ current behavior during the pandemic: dining and entertaining at home. “What makes FandangoNow distinctive is that you don’t have to pay that monthly subscription fee to a streaming service,” said Nicolls. “FandangoNow offers movies and next day shows from the same services you’d have to pay $15 to $20 a month for, so it provides incredible value.”
The Feature – Core Appeal
New York’s $1,000,000 Premiere ticket was designed from the ground up with the core player in mind.
“What we tried to do with this game was instead of just focusing on the secondary prize component, we wanted to keep it aligned to what the core player would react to favorably, which is a cash concept,” said Jeffrey Schweig, President of Alchemy3.
As a result, the design of the Premiere ticket is all about cash. The scratch-off symbols feature dollar bills in a pile. The ticket’s name features the $1,000,000 top prize. “Brands are helpful for bringing in those new players but if lotteries want us to deliver on index, then you must offer the cash component,” explained Schweig.
The Sequel – 2nd Chance Promotion
“The New York Lottery launched a 2nd chance promotion in support of their $1,000,000 Premiere scratch game,” said Schweig.
Unlike most second chance drawings where players must wait days or even weeks to find out if they won a prize, this program offers instant gratification. Every non-winning New York $1,000,000 Premiere ticket entered on nylpremiere.com is eligible for an instant win of an Ultimate Movie Nite at Home prize.
Each Ultimate Movie Nite at Home prize includes:
- $200 FandangoNow/Vudu promo code
- $200 GrubHub credit
With 4,500 Ultimate Movie Nite prizes available, there are plenty of opportunities to give players a meaningful winning experience they can enjoy immediately as the entry microsite stores every player’s wins for instant digital redemption the moment they are ready to enjoy.
“Instant 2nd chance prizes provide value on a number of different levels” added Nicolls. “Not only do they align to the core experience of an instant game, but they are delivered in a channel where they can be enjoyed instantly as well.”
If players don’t win an instant prize when entering their non-winning New York $1,000,000 Premiere tickets, the show doesn’t end there as they receive an entry into monthly prize drawings of an Ultimate Home Theater Makeover Prize.
For these prizes Alchemy3 leveraged two brands that “are the most popular choices among New York Lottery Collect ‘N Win prize winners: The Home Depot and Wal-Mart,” said Schweig.
Each Ultimate Home Theater Makeover Prize includes:
- $5,000 Wal-Mart Gift Card
- $5,000 The Home Depot
The Credits
“It’s been so much fun working with the New York Lottery team. We are really excited to see the results of this program,” said Nicolls.
“This concept can extend to other lottery customers as well. Regardless of a lottery’s budget, we can provide a solution that works for them,” said Schweig.