Marketing the Indiana Lottery
Here is a very interesting statement from the Indianapolis Business Journal earlier this month:
The $791 million Hoosier Lottery threw open bidding July 11 for a 10-year contract on marketing, sales and distribution services. The lottery wants to be among the fastest-growing in the country, and it’s looking to the gambling industry to help it reach that goal.
Marketing the lottery raises ethical problems, as Michelle Malkin explained in 2001:
The states spend an estimated $400 million a year on publicly-sponsored ads promising players that "everyone is a winner" and that you can "win every day" with "more prizes" and "better odds." To help ensure that lottery ads reach their at-risk target audience, state officials saturate the airwaves around the first of each month. Why? As an advertising plan for the Ohio Super Lotto explained: "Schedule heavier media weight during those times of the month where consumer disposable income peaks. . . . Government benefits, payroll and Social Security payments are released on the first Tuesday of each calendar month.''
Can you imagine if a tobacco company had a similar marketing plan and got caught with a memo telling ad execs to time their campaigns in order to entice welfare recipients and senior citizens?
Hoosiers should pay very close attention to this.