Objectives

• To create excitement around the build-up to the Grand National and encourage consumers to perceive Ladbrokes.com as owners of the event. 
• To ensure that regular betters place their Grand National bets at Ladbrokes.com.
• To attract a new audience of occasional betters.
• To re-position Ladbrokes.com as an approachable brand with an engaging and creative identity and the number one in its field.
   

Strategy

• To target existing customers of Ladbrokes.com, their affiliate partners and the general public.
• To create a campaign that brought life to the fun of 'having a flutter' through an engaging, cost efficient and tongue in cheek game.
• To maximise free media channels by generating word of mouth and encouraging viral distribution.

Summary

Ladbrokes wanted to capitalise on the excitement and interest surrounding the build-up to the Grand National and to be seen as the 'owners' of the event.

They developed a viral game - The Gran National - in which players could check the form guide and then place a fantasy bet on one of five Grans (animated elderly ladies) racing to reach a portaloo.

The animated races were randomly generated and included a variety of mishaps along the way. Different animations encouraged repeat plays.

At the end of the race participants were invited to place a real bet and if they forwarded the game on to a friend they were entitled to one entry into a draw to win a £100 free bet with Ladbrokes.com.

Players who sent the game to more than one person received additional entries for each 'forwarding'

The game injected personality and humour into the brand and succeeded in extending the message beyond existing customers. 

Elements

• Development of game.
• Website programming.
• Free bets.

Techniques

• Prize Promotion

Mechanics

1.FREE DRAW

• Viral game players were invited to have some fun and play the Gran National game.
• To play they had to place a fictitious bet on one of five Grans racing to reach a portaloo.
• Prior to selecting their Gran they could study a form guide.
• At the end of the race participants were invited to place a real bet and, if they forwarded the game to a friend, they were entered into a free prize draw to win one of ten £100 free bets.
• Players who sent the game to more than one friend received additional entry to the draw for each 'forwarding'.

Materials 

• There were no additional materials.

Results

• The game engaged both new and existing customers and was rated No.1 in the Lycos Viral Chart.
• In the week preceding the Grand National 27,855 game plays were recorded.
• 20% of all game plays were the result of the viral being forwarded to a friend.
• 23% of all game players registered.
• 7% of all game players visited Ladbrokes.com
• 100% sell in was achieved to affiliate partners and their media channels.

Awards

• ISP Gold Award winner 2004: Digital Communications