Ad campaign for Maryland lottery invokes childhood (nostalgia)

March 13, 2008

Dubble Bubble Gum and scratch-and-sniff books. If you’re thinking about childhood nostalgia items, you’re on the right track — sort of.

In a new promotional campaign launched this week, Maryland State Lottery is introducing the nation’s first scratch-and-sniff lotto tickets, called “Dubble Bubble Doubler.” Television ads will air in the next few days, and the lotto plans to promote the new game at Oriole Park on Opening Day, Mar. 31.

The bubble gum company’s “Pud” character (pictured in the ad) will meet and greet game attendees, and souvenirs such as Dubble Bubble Doubler t-shirts, gum and scented pencils will be given away. The lottery will also hold a bubble blowing contest at a booth.

A mid-summer lottery promotion of the new game is also planned at Oriole Park.

Buddy Roogow, director of the state lottery, said today the advertising was not meant to attract children.

“What we’re trying to do is bring the nostalgia back to adult players,” he said. “We made sure that the [television] advertising is not with kids, it has adult themes, and all the commercials will have adults in them.”

But Doug Steigler, director of the Association of Maryland Families, a non-profit Christian organization, said that the partnership with the baseball team shows “they are definitely going after children” with the nostalgia campaign.

“[The state] went from a lottery at one game per week which was supposed to solve the education [funding] problem — and you can see the results of that — to now selling scratch-offs to kids,” he said.

What do you think? Is the new game and advertising too enticing for kids, or does it just remind you of the good old days?

LIZ FARMER, Business Writer

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Posted by Jackie Sauter | Filed Under advertising, business, marketing, maryland state lottery | 4 Comments