The possibility of a life changing Lottery win is brought to life with grit and grace in The National Lottery’s latest campaign from Adam&EveDDB.

A beautifully shot 90-second film directed by Oscar-winner Tom Hooper, charts three decades of life lived through lost Lotto tickets, hopes and dreams.

‘Pockets’, which tells the story of Edward and Isaac, is a masterclass in emotive storytelling. A dropped ticket sparks the attraction between the two protagonists and viewers are invited along on a journey of the highs and lows of their love story. Through Millennium celebrations, a lover’s tiff and a wedding, their love endures – along with their hope that Edward’s Lotto numbers will come up. The film reaches its joyful crescendo when Edward sees his winning numbers and, after a brief scare that the ticket is lost, they celebrate the win they’d always hoped for. Hope - and love - wins out.

Lived experience sits at the heart of this campaign and the agency worked with On Road, a cultural research agency which ensured the accurate portrayal of gay men from the 1990s to the current day. 

Ivor Burns, Marketing Director at National Lottery operator, Camelot, explained: “We wanted to create a campaign that celebrates the relationship our regular players have with their Lotto ticket – the excitement they feel about the possibility of a life-changing win, and their never-ending belief that, one day, their numbers will come up.”

Ben Tollet, Group Executive Creative Director, adam&eveDDB added: “The National Lottery is an iconic and loved part of British history and culture. Starting our film in 1994, at the first-ever draw, brought back all that excitement and gave us the inspiration to tell a poignant story of a player through the ages who never stopped believing.”

In the midst of the Pridewashing and the lipservice marketing which holds the entire industry back, this campaign is a compelling reminder of the power of creativity to change the narrative.