Allwyn UK Launches Biggest-Ever National Lottery Christmas Campaign

Allwyn UK has launched its biggest-ever Christmas campaign for The National Lottery, bringing its entire portfolio of draw games, Scratchcards and Instant Win Games together under a single festive advertising platform for the first time.

The campaign, titled ‘This Christmas It Could Be You’, began on 7 November and will run for 10 weeks until early January 2027. It marks Allwyn's first overarching National Lottery Christmas brand campaign since becoming operator, with an integrated marketing programme spanning television, cinema, outdoor advertising, digital platforms, retail outlets and social media partnerships.

Developed around The National Lottery's ‘Amazing Things Happen When You Believe’ brand platform, the campaign builds on the return of the familiar ‘It Could Be You’ slogan in autumn 2025. Allwyn is targeting a substantial nationwide audience, with its media agency projecting that the campaign will reach 79% of UK adults aged 18 and over during its opening week and approximately 51 million people throughout its run.

Festive Advertising Features Flying Reindeer

The campaign's central television advertisement follows a reindeer inspired to fly after watching a robin take to the skies. Despite an initial setback, the animal eventually succeeds, prompting a nearby rambler who witnesses the moment to reach for his National Lottery ticket.

The commercial was developed by creative agency VCCP alongside Allwyn's in-house team, Studio 59, with media planning and buying managed by Hearts United. Tim McNaughton directed the advertisement through Arts & Sciences, working with VCCP's content production studio Girl&Bear, while Framestore handled visual effects and post-production.

National Lottery Ambassador-in-Chief Claudia Winkleman delivers the closing line: “Amazing Things Happen When You Believe. This Christmas It Could Be You.”

Winkleman will also front two new ‘Because Of You’ films produced by The Gate, visiting National Lottery-funded projects and meeting the people involved in their delivery. The films will highlight how lottery funding supports community initiatives, creative activities and opportunities across the UK, connecting ticket purchases with the organisation's Good Causes programme.

The wider Christmas promotion includes special Lotto and EuroMillions draws, seasonal Scratchcards and digital Instant Win Games. Each product will feature the campaign's shared branding, creating a consistent identity across The National Lottery's festive offering.

Nationwide Advertising And Social Media Partnerships

Allwyn has secured a partnership with LADbible to produce Christmas-themed social media content featuring Rizzle Kicks musician and author Jordan Stephens. The series will explore stories involving National Lottery winners and Good Causes projects, with additional content creators following the journey of a lottery ticket to demonstrate how funding reaches communities.

The social media activity will use the question ‘What do you believe in?’ to encourage conversations about personal ambitions and the impact of National Lottery funding. It forms part of a wider advertising strategy intended to connect the campaign with adult audiences across different media channels.

Outdoor advertising will include large-format roadside displays, digital billboards and specially designed Christmas installations. Prominent locations such as Piccadilly Lights in London and major city-centre screens will feature the campaign, while cinema advertising and digital promotions will extend its reach throughout the festive period.

Retail will also play a significant role, with more than 40,000 National Lottery outlets receiving seasonal point-of-sale materials, promotional displays and in-store advertising. The activity is designed to maintain visibility during the Christmas shopping period, when lottery products are frequently purchased as gifts.

Allwyn Targets 51 Million Adults

Steve Parkinson, Marketing and Brand Director at Allwyn UK, said:

“‘This Christmas It Could Be You’ is our biggest-ever campaign to date and the first to bring the entire National Lottery portfolio together under a single Christmas platform. Building on the successful return of the original ‘It Could Be You’ last year, the campaign taps into the magic, optimism and possibility that make Christmas such a special time of year.

“At its heart, The National Lottery is all about belief. It's that moment when you ask yourself, 'What if?' Whether that's imagining how a win could change your life, or seeing the extraordinary impact National Lottery funding has on communities across the UK.

“Every ticket played goes towards helping generate more than £33m for Good Causes each week, while also creating life-changing winners. This campaign celebrates those moments of possibility and reminds players that, this Christmas, it really could be you.”

Hearts United UK Chief Strategy Officer Simon Carr confirmed the scale of the advertising investment, with the campaign designed to reach audiences across television, outdoor locations, shopping destinations and social platforms.

“We’re creating a genuine national moment from day one, reaching 79% of UK adults aged 18+ in the first week alone and 51m across the campaign, making the magic of ‘This Christmas It Could Be You’ impossible to miss,” Carr said.

Responsible Gifting Message Accompanies Christmas Promotion

Alongside its seasonal marketing activity, Allwyn is introducing a ‘Gift Responsibly’ programme across retail and digital channels to reinforce the age restrictions applying to National Lottery products.

The initiative includes retailer communications, a dedicated Responsible Play information section and an ‘18+ Gift Responsibly’ mark on festive advertising relating to gifts. The messaging reminds consumers that National Lottery products can only be purchased, gifted, received and played by individuals aged 18 or over.

The programme will operate alongside the wider campaign as Allwyn promotes its festive Scratchcards and other lottery products during one of the busiest retail periods of the year.

The National Lottery has raised more than £53 billion for Good Causes since its launch in 1994 and has created more than 8,000 millionaires and multimillionaires. Its latest Christmas campaign brings those charitable contributions together with its games and prize promotions in Allwyn's largest coordinated seasonal marketing initiative to date.