The direct link between college scholarships and gambling was something Arkansas’ first state lottery commissioners weren’t eager to point out.
But a new class of commissioners is hoping to remind Arkansans of that link each time they attend a football game.
This fall marks the first time the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery has advertised with Arkansas colleges and universities, creating a marketing campaign that thanks the lottery for sending Arkansas kids to college.
Since ticket sales began on Sept. 28, 2009, the Arkansas Lottery Commission has had a self-imposed ban on advertising with universities. But as early commissioners have been replaced, new commissioners began to question the ban. This spring the commission decided the lottery was mature enough for campus life.
The Lottery Commission awarded Mitchell Communications Group of Fayetteville and Mangan Holcomb Partners of Little Rock an advertising budget of $5 million for the year — a half-million boost from the $4.5 million for each of the past four years. Of that, about $300,000 is being spent on the university promotions. Hunter Gray Associates Inc. of Little Rock was the other finalist for the 2015 advertising contract.
The two advertising agencies are working in tandem to promote the lottery’s five-year anniversary. A key component of the campaign is celebrating lottery beneficiaries, including lottery winners and scholarship recipients.
Four university athletic programs partnered with the lottery for the 2014 football season: the University of Arkansas, the University of Central Arkansas, Arkansas State University and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Each university’s partnership contains a combination of promotions, including videos on the scoreboard, promotional booths during pregame, on-field check presentations, radio spots on the college network and print ads in the game day program.
These multifaceted sponsorship programs range from $75,000 at UA’s Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, followed by $20,000 at ASU, $10,000 at UCA and $9,000 at UAPB.
Patrick Ralston, director of public relations and legislative liaison, said the commission is not only targeting students and parents with its beneficiary message, but lottery players as well. Any time you’re able to show it is not only entertainment, but providing profound public impact, it promotes the idea that purchasing tickets is a win-win, helping bring jobs and education to Arkansas, he said.
The lottery sold $410.6 million worth of tickets in the fiscal year that ended June 30, down 6.7 percent from the previous year and down more than 13 percent from two years ago.
A TV ad features a UCA student directly thanking lottery players. The voiceover reminds viewers that “every time you play, you’re providing even more opportunity,” and the student says, “Thank you for doing that.”
Since September 2009, about 150,000 Arkansas residents have received a lottery scholarship, bringing nearly $460 million gambling dollars to Arkansas colleges.
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