Illinois Lottery Hosts a Groovy 50th Anniversary with 35-Foot Disco Ball

The Illinois Lottery (Allwyn North America) isn’t just a playful pastime: it’s a timeless invitation to fun that can take you anywhere. That’s why they chose not to throw a traditional anniversary party but rather, to transport downtown Chicago back to the '70s, complete with a giant disco ball in the heart of Chicago’s downtown. Event space is at Pioneer Court on Michigan Avenue, situated between the infamous Tribune Tower and Apple store across from Chicago’s Wrigley building.  

With partners from Dentsu Creative and dentsu X, the Illinois Lottery surprised residents in downtown Chicago on Thursday, July 18th, with mystery intrigue and nostalgia, as they woke up to a 35-foot gold disco ball, surrounded by life-sized lottery draw balls.  

Surrounding the disco ball, Chicago residents were immersed in a hard-to-miss 'Lottery World,' set to the tune of a '70s themed tunes DJ’d by esteemed producer and international DJ, Julius Spates, also known as 'The Mad Thinker'. Also onsite was the opportunity to play Illinois Lottery games, embrace 1974 with a themed photo booth and the chance to take home lots of swag.  

The activation celebrated the Illinois Lottery’s 50th anniversary by providing the low-risk, high-reward happy escapism that often comes along with lottery games. Whether residents stopped by for a quick photo opp or an afternoon of prize winning and good vibes, Chicagoans had the chance to enjoy what the Lottery has been all about since 1974.  

"We paired this unforgettable experience in downtown Chicago with a media campaign that reaches Illinoisians in all corners of the state and transports them through the last 50 years. Our custom media partnerships showcase the enduring allure of the Illinois Lottery and its role as a cultural mainstay amidst an evolving gaming landscape." said Megan Bah, group director, client solutions and planning.

“To give the Illinois Lottery’s 50th anniversary it’s due, we thought, why not look to the year we started for inspiration? So we’re taking downtown Chicago back to the '70s with a huge disco party – with, of course, a giant 35-foot disco ball.” said Dave Reger executive creative director, Dentsu Creative.

In addition to this activation, the campaign is running on across a variety of media channels including, Broadcast, Digital OOH, Meta, Snapchat and YouTube through July 31st. Standout media placements that champion the energy of Illinois Lottery’s 50th anniversary, include a bespoke Snapchat Selfie Lens, a custom interactive gaming ad with Wunderkind and WGN vignettes bringing back some old draw footage, when the game drawing was aired on the evening news.