The Irish Lottery Finds The Right Angle

The Irish Lottery Finds The Right Angle

5.6

Like its UK counterpart, Ireland’s national lottery distributes millions to good causes, and it recently announced the winners of its Good Cause Of The Year award, for the charities and organisations that have made the most inspiring use of Lottery money.

One of them is the Lough Ree Lanesborough Angling Hub, which was set up as a not-for-profit community venture to promote angling as a recreational sport, particularly good for keeping people active in later life but open to all.

“Open to all” doesn’t always mean open to people with disabilities, though, and as with any other kind of business it’s too often the case that wheelchair users find themselves unable to take part in community activities. Not so with the Angling Hub, though, as the organisation put their lottery grant towards designing and building a unique boat which allows easy wheelchair access, and gives up to 8 wheelchair users the opportunity to go fishing.

It makes for a great story for the Lottery’s new ad, combining great shots of the boat sailing on Lough Ree, powerful testimony from a wheelchair user who tells us that out on the water, people don’t see her disability, and a warm glow for the viewer at home knowing that their money is what’s helped the organisation take this innovative step.

It’s a no-frills ad, and sometimes that’s the way to go: an authentic voice, attractive scenery, and a clear, strong story to tell. The mighty 5.6-Star score is testament to how well it works. The ad also scores exceptionally on short-term Spike and strongly on Brand Fluency, even though the focus is firmly on the charity, not on the lottery that enabled it: the familiar logo is enough to cue the brand.

In the upcoming Feeling Seen report, published in partnership with ITV and DECA, we look at how difficult but effective it is to make great inclusive ads. Ads starring people with disabilities can often feel condescending or sad: the best ads starring people with disabilities are about the people first and the disability second. The Irish National Lottery has made a great example, creating powerful happiness and letting an older woman with disabilities speak for herself.

Creative agency credit: Core