Camelot CMO Keith Moor on the power of advertising through a crisis

The coronavirus outbreak has thrown up different challenges for different brands. While some are negotiating a return to life after hibernation, others are capitalising on new routes to market fuelled by the consumer shift to ecommerce.

For National Lottery operator Camelot, the pandemic has presented a chance to highlight the good causes its games support via a £600m Covid-19 response. There has also been a switch in strategy to push messaging around playing online, a new campaign and an announcement of record sales off the back of The National Lottery’s 25th anniversary year. It’s fair to say, the action of the past couple of months has provided a shot of adrenaline for the business.

“In our jobs something as radical as this very rarely comes along, so on an abstract level there’s something fascinating about it. It’s terrible and fascinating at the same time,” admits CMO Keith Moor.

“Adrenaline does kick in, everyone gets it. The big project, the new brief, the new campaign and idea, there are always periods when you’ve got a lot more adrenaline in your system because you’ve got something really exciting happening. The problem with adrenaline is it’s good for you in short bursts, but it’s not something you can live off.”

The key, he suggests, is to harness the way you feel and try to “systematise” it, so you can enjoy the benefits of the adrenaline rush in a sustainable manner. Making decisions quickly has been central to removing frustration and enabling Camelot to be fleet of foot in response to the crisis.

During the early days of lockdown, for example, the marketing team switched the messaging to focus on playing The National Lottery online or via the app, while also pulling advertising for scratchcards typically sold in shops. The messaging pivoted to ‘only shop for your National Lottery in store when you go for your weekly essential shop’, an important switch given retail accounts for almost 70% of ticket sales.