LONDON - Team Saatchi and Saatchi & Saatchi X UK have created a new business first for the SSF Group by entering into an innovative business relationship with their newest client, BingoLotto, becoming both the brand agency and an equity shareholder for the UK launch of BingoLotto, a new TV game.

The £8M account was won in a 4-way pitch in January 2009, and Team Saatchi and Saatchi & Saatchi X are now working on rolling out the multi-platform brand launch work across programme development, TV and print communications, a comprehensive digital strategy as well as all materials deployed nationwide through BingoLotto's supermarket retailer partner. They will work alongside PHA Media (PR), Experience Communications (Media Planning) and Acknowledgement (Digital Creative).

BingoLotto is a mix of lottery, bingo games and entertainment. Players simply buy a £2 Gamecard from a nationwide retailer and then watch the live interactive TV Game to play along and win prizes. There are more than 15 opportunities to win per card. Prizes include holidays, consumer electronics, cars and cash prizes up to £100,000.

BingoLotto is owned and was started by Swedish company IGS 15 years ago in Sweden. To date, over 1.5 billion tickets have been sold and the show has been a massive success. At its peak 67% of the Swedish population had participated in BingoLotto.
Fiona Hortopp, BingoLotto's Marketing Director, also points out that, "With UK good charities already feeling the effect of the 'credit crunch', BingoLotto is hoping to 'plug the gap' of the funding shortfall in the UK, by giving at least 20% of all Gamecard sales to good causes."

The programme will be televised on Virgin1. The campaign will launch this summer.

"We are thrilled to be appointed," said Sophie Hooper, Managing Director of Team Saatchi. "This is a truly innovative business model and we are confident in it being as successful in the UK as it is in Sweden. As people increasingly stay in, BingoLotto is about giving people something to look forward to, with a high chance of winning and lots of fun."

Anthony Hopper, Managing Director of Saatchi & Saatchi X, commented, "This is going to be an exciting launch. We have a great product, a fun brand and a brilliant team to bring them to life. With so much to talk about, we've had to do a lot research with both consumers and shoppers to ensure we're communicating the right message, at the right place and at the right time."

"Team Saatchi and Saatchi & Saatchi X really got under the skin of the BingoLotto brand and target consumer. Their creative idea reflects important insights that we believe are key to our success in the UK," said Fiona Hortopp. "Team Saatchi's entrepreneurial approach to the creative and Saatchi & Saatchi X's firm understanding of the retail market make them optimal partners for us. They provide a truly unique offering."

PHA Media worked with BingoLotto for some of the pilot series last year. Their access to celebrity news and tabloid media is second to none. As part of their broad brief, one of their key roles for the second series of BingoLotto will be to work with NCVO and CCPR to promote the good causes that BingoLotto will be supporting. BingoLotto Gamecards will be sold on behalf of UK charities and sports, providing a substantial, reliable and predictable source of income to mainly grassroots sport, local charity and youth organisations in the UK.

"We are delighted to be working with BingoLotto again and being involved with such an exciting initiative that will benefit so many," said PHA CEO, Phil Hall.

Of Experience Communications, Fiona Hortopp commented, "Greg Turzynski worked with BingoLotto on the pilot series last year. The learnings from that, coupled with Greg's skill at targeting key markets, mean that he is well placed to help us with our communication planning for the new series."

Acknowledgement is an independent, London-based web agency specialising in digital design, development and strategy. "Acknowledgement worked with BingoLotto for the pilot series and their collaborative, yet proactive approach to the project really impressed us, as did the quality of their work," said Fiona Hortopp. "We are really looking forward to making more of their excellent creative on-line offerings for Series 2."

"I'm delighted that Acknowledgement is once again working with BingoLotto. Developing the website digital media for what promises to be the biggest launch of 2009 is an exciting achievement for our entire team," commented Tom Jordan, Acknowledgement's Managing Director.