Challenges and Objectives

Postcode Lottery is one of Britain’s biggest charity lotteries, built on a simple premise: playing gives you the chance to win cash prizes alongside your neighbours, while also raising money for charities. But building that brand on television is highly regulated – gambling and lottery regulation restricts how a lottery can advertise on air. Its Dutch parent, Novamedia, had built advertiser-funded shows at home, but nothing of this scale had been tried in the UK. After years of ITV partnership – from sponsoring

Emmerdale to “Is Your Door in the Draw” commercials – Postcode Lottery wanted a show of its own: one that could drive subscriptions, re-engage lapsed players and build to its big December draw, where greater reach and engagement means more money for

charity partners.

Idea & Implementation

Unlike the solitary image of a traditional lottery win, the Postcode Lottery is fundamentally communal—winning is an experience you share with the people around you. We realized this spirit of 'winning together' was the perfect foundation for a new show format, not just a tagline. Enter Win Win: the most interactive entertainment show in British television history. By enabling studio contestants and home viewers to play the same game for the exact same prizes—up to a £1m finale—we transformed the audience from passive observers into active participants, ensuring the nation didn't just watch others win, but played to win themselves.

Targeting Strategy

Inclusive Gameplay: Hosted by Mel and Sue, the show drew questions from the UK’s largest survey, allowing anyone to play along.

• Tech-Driven Interactivity: In collaboration with ITV’s interactive team and Tectonic, a bespoke microsite was developed to enable thousands of home players to compete in the live game simultaneously.

• Format Structure: Each episode featured four parts with matching spot prizes (e.g., cars, sports tickets) for home viewers, culminating in a £1m finale on 'Millionaire’s Row.'

• Charitable Integration: The format incorporated Postcode Lottery’s charity partners into the quiz questions, and every win triggered a matching donation.

• Regulatory Adaptation: The show format was designed to work within strict industry regulations, ensuring the brand was named only at the top and tail of each segment.

• Strategic Pivot for Fairness: Following an initial pilot, the production moved from a live format to an 'as-live' model. This guaranteed fairness and democratic access, allowing any viewer who completed the quiz to be entered into a prize draw.

• Leveraging Brand Loyalty: To engage existing customers, special prize draws were integrated into players’ online accounts, strengthening the connection between the show and the broader Postcode Lottery experience.

Client Quote

“We operate in a highly regulated environment, but Win Win proved it’s possible to create

a commercially successful primetime format within these constraints. The impact

on our business is best demonstrated by the fact we’re back for a second series.

Much more than entertainment, it became a platform to grow our brand and

reach new audiences.”

David Pullan, Managing Director at Postcode Lottery