Get their captive attention, as early as possible
How many Canadian youth realize that lotteries used to be illegal? Back in the Sixties (when the British Invasion ruled in rock), there was a secretive activity known as the Irish Sweepstakes. I saw a ticket, once; this was a mysterious affair where buying a ticket from somebody could make you very rich. I never actually heard of anyone winning, which made the activity seem sort of senseless, but people need a dream.
Somewhere along the line, our government discovered that the same people in need of a dream would buy a local version, and the fever of the lottery was implanted, in full legality. No matter that, technically, a lottery is a stupid tax for stupid people. Soon, the sale of tickets invaded retail across the land, and if you couldn’t buy a ticket, it was ONLY because you were too young. Advertising was part and parcel of the system; no need to wonder where you could get your piece of the action.
Now, we know that children need to be protected from advertisers. Think of the effort society takes to screen the easily influenced watchers of Saturday morning cartoons. Think of the reasoned refusal to efforts by the soft drink/fast food industry to leave their mark in our schools. Advertising works in mysterious ways.
Now, imagine that the lottery corporation has those same children in their view. A whole generation of potential customers. But, that would be wrong. Not so, says that same lottery corporation. The latest trick is a very visible sponsorship of live theatre for schoolkids. If you get your logo “in their face” early enough, then the battle is already won.
