STATE OF MICHIGAN
Request For Proposal No. 007116B0006587
(Digital Media Marketing and Advertising Services – Michigan Lottery)
Exhibit D
Case Study
In August 2015, the Lottery launched a new style of instant game online, VIP Black. The game features
progressive mechanics that include two bonus games resulting in a wide variety of memorable prizes. VIP
Black averaged $1,000,000 in total sales in the first three weeks, accounting for 27% of total sales.
The successful launch of VIP Black was not supported with paid media efforts, but Lottery feels there is
an opportunity to reach a broader market of Lottery players with the game. For this case study:
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Develop a digital media campaign plan to acquire new iLottery players using the VIP Black digital
game product brief
Identify who the campaign will target
Develop a media strategy including the recommended markets, media/channel mix, reach and
value-add
Provide media rationale
Provide creative concepts (including digital assets, email design and landing page design)
Provide message concepts (including a clear message and call-to-action)
Develop a project management plan for this case study including the following elements:
o List of positions that would be assigned to this case study.
o The number of hours, per position, required to complete the project defined in
this case study.
o Project timeline showing sub-projects, activities and tasks, and resources
required and allocated to each.
o Project cost estimate/breakdown.
Case Study budget: $ 250,000
VIP Black Product Brief
Game Name
VIP Black
Platform(s)
Desktop & Mobile
Price Points
$0.05, $0.10, $0.25, $0.50, $1, $2
Default Total
Cost
$1.00 (twenty $0.05 tickets)
Max Top Prize
$60,000
Overall Odds
20 tickets activated: 1 in 2.15
10 tickets activated: 1 in 3.73
Payout %
87.63%
Category
Multi-ticket
Play Style
Key Number Match + Bonus Rounds
Key Features
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Featuring two bonus round games
Bonus rounds offer guaranteed, rich prizes
Play 10 or 20 tickets at once
“VIP” game
Win up to $60,000
Marketing
Support
VIP Black is intended for serious players who are striving to reach a bonus round and
win a great prize. It is highly recommended to support this game with paid media
targeted at casino and slot players. The game should marketed within owned CRM
assets that are aimed at players who are willing to spend higher amounts. It is
advised to adjust casino oriented advertisements to include images of VIP Black.
Game
Narrative
The red carpet is rolled out and VIP Black is here! Match your numbers to win great
prizes. Get three rubies or three diamonds, and enter the exciting bonus rounds for
guaranteed, big prizes!
Game Visuals
Desktop Covered Artwork
Desktop Uncovered Artwork
Ruby Desktop Bonus Round
Diamond Desktop Bonus Round
Mobile Covered Artwork
Mobile Uncovered Artwork
Mobile Covered Artwork
Mobile Uncovered Artwork
Game Overview
The strategy with VIP Black is to offer a game that features bonus rounds resulting in meaningful wins.
As shown in the table below, the odds to reveal a bonus round occur frequently enough to entertain
players, and the average prize per bonus round is significant enough to provide a memorable winning
moment:
Bonus Round
Ruby Game
Diamond Game
Odds/click
1 in 134.88
1 in 168.98
$.25
$61.75
$148.75
Average Prize/Price Point
$.50
$1
$123.50
$247
$297.50
$595
$2
$494
$1190
*Data within the table is based on 20 tickets activated per click
VIP Black’s top prize amount is not as lofty as other games, mainly because the bonus game contains a
lot of weight in the prize structure. The payout percentage for VIP Black is 87%, however the bonus
games carries a significant portion of the total payout allocation:
Game
Base Game
Ruby Bonus Game
Diamond Bonus Game
Total
Payout Percent
60.80%
9.19%
17.62%
87.61%
The reveal mechanic for the bonus rounds are unique and exciting. Each Bonus Round offers a
guaranteed prize and allows players to collect multiple prizes in the round. In the Ruby game, a player
will collect all of the prizes where the wheel stops. When the player lands on a “Collect” prize, the game
will sum all of the prize money that was won in the bonus round and award it to the player. The Diamond
Game allows the player to select 7 out of 14 diamonds. The player will win a prize underneath each
diamond and the player will win the sum of all prizes collected in the bonus round. This “prize collecting”
mechanic is new to the Lottery portfolio, and it is expected to create excitement as the player rolls prizes
into a large amount. There are 61 different prize amounts tied to a bonus round outcome. The majority
of these prize amounts are uneven numbers ($230, $360, $720, $880, $1,080, etc.) which plays into the
psychology of having a personalized experience that is not canned for every player. It also provides many
different win-scenarios and the likelihood of a player repeating, or remembering, the same win type is
low.
While this game is built for the high roller, it is important to note that the base game provides a very
familiar key number match. Due to the familiar base game, VIP Black could appeal to casual players and
move their activity to higher levels.
Target Audiences
Current Players
It is likely that VIP Black will appeal to wide range of current iLottery players. The game offers unique,
never-before-seen mechanics that will help with engagement and retention efforts. Despite that the
game is projected to have broad appeal, its target audience is undoubtedly high value players. The
entertainment that the game offers requires players to spend money until a bonus round is hit.
It is advised to focus marketing efforts towards players who average at least $62.50 per deposit. As
shown in the table below, the more a player deposits and plays VIP Black, the more likely a player will hit
a bonus round:
Deposit Value
B2D Ratio
Total Money
Cost/Bet
Total Plays
Bonus Round Hits
$200
$6.00
$1,200
$5
240
3.20
$150
$6.00
$900
$5
180
2.40
$100
$6.00
$600
$5
120
1.60
$62.50
$6.00
$375
$5
75
1.00
*Based on total odds of 1 in 75 to hit either of the bonus rounds.
If it is possible to offer bonus money towards VIP Black, it is advised to offer a dollar amount to players
who may need extra funds to push them into the $62.50 threshold. If the Lottery can help provide casual
players the bonus round experience, it may be enough to increase the player’s activity and long term
value.
Additionally, multi-ticket players, players who spend a lot per bet (Diamond Payout players, for example)
and high frequency keno players should be targeted with VIP Black.
New Players
It is recommended to use paid media to target online casino and slot players. Bonus rounds have become
a popular mechanic in slot machines and are often the main reason why people play a particular
machine. The following excerpt from TheVerge.com helps illustrate how bonus games have revolutionized
the slot game experience:
The advent of bonus games has also helped bolster slot machines’ popularity: instead of
just winning money, certain combinations can trigger mini games. In the IGT showroom,
Lanning showed me the company’s forthcoming Entourage game, in which a bonus game
has the player match portraits of characters. In the industry, it’s called a pick-em bonus.
"Those are the most popular features," Melissa Price, the senior vice president of gaming
for Caesar’s Entertainment, told me. "Customers enjoy ‘perceived skill’ experience."
With the popularity of the bonus rounds with slot machines, it is advised to advertise VIP Black towards
casino and slot players. Utilizing words like “Slots Bonus Rounds” or “Slots Bonus Game” may help
acquire valuable players.
A few examples of Bonus Rounds in slot machines are shown below:
Deal or No Deal Bonus Round
Jackpot Party Bonus Round
Expected Lifespan
VIP Black does not have a predetermined end date. The lifespan for the game will be driven by
performance.
Goals
 Average $500,000 in total bets per week for the first 8 weeks
 In the first month the game is on sale, re-engage 500 lapsed players
Analysis
A few items that we will need to track are listed below:
1. Who plays VIP Black most often?
2. Did VIP cannibalize scratch game sales or keno sales?
3. Did VIP Black change casual player behavior? Are they more valuable with VIP Black in the
portfolio?
4. Did VIP Black re-engage lapsed players?
5. What is VIP Black’s impact on player retention?
6. Are players who hit a bonus round more likely to be retained?
7. Did we see a change in the casino promotion when assets were changed to include VIP Black?
8. Did newly acquired players from casino promotion choose VIP Black as their first game?
9. Did VIP Black move the needle and increase overall sales?
10. Did this game attract new players through advertising?
11. How did the paid media campaigns performs in acquiring new players using VIP Black?
Prize Factor Odds
Prize
Odds
Prize
Odds
Prize
Odds
3
215.05
450
71,428.60
1000
66,666.67
4
238.95
460
212,765.96
1080
1,000,000.00
5
268.82
470
71,428.60
1100
1,000,000.00
8
307.22
480
71,428.60
5000
1,000,000.00
10
358.42
490
71,428.60
10000
2,000,000.00
15
358.42
500
28,571.43
30000
3,333,333.30
20
299.10
520
71,428.60
30
537.63
530
71,428.60
40
935.02
540
71,428.60
50
1,194.74
550
71,428.60
80
1,654.26
560
416,666.67
100
2,150.54
580
71,428.60
140
35,842.29
590
71,428.60
150
35,842.29
600
416,666.67
160
35,842.29
620
71,428.60
170
35,842.29
630
71,428.60
180
42,918.45
640
416,666.67
190
42,918.45
650
71,428.60
200
2,975.30
660
71,428.60
220
42,918.45
670
85,470.10
230
42,918.45
680
714,285.71
240
71,428.57
690
107,526.90
250
71,428.57
700
107,526.90
260
71,428.57
720
714,285.71
270
71,428.57
740
107,526.90
280
71,428.57
760
1,000,000.00
290
71,428.57
780
178,571.40
300
71,428.57
800
1,000,000.00
320
107,526.88
820
212,766.00
340
107,526.88
840
212,766.00
360
107,526.88
860
212,766.00
380
107,526.88
880
416,666.70
400
11,111.11
900
416,666.70
410
71,428.60
920
526,315.80
420
107,526.88
940
526,315.80
430
71,428.60
960
1,000,000.00
440
212,765.96
980
1,000,000.00
Source:
http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/6/8544303/casino-slot-machine-gambling-addiction-psychology-mobile-games