Senior Sports Marketing Representative
North Carolina Education Lottery
Thousands of Carolina Hurricanes fans got to try their own luck this winter at slapping the puck in the net as part of a marketing promotion by the N.C. Education Lottery to raise awareness of its new digital instant games.
In the promotion, the Lottery partnered with the ‘Canes so that fans watching the match scanned a QR code with their phone to compete against each other in a digital hockey-themed game. Fans could move their phone in the Tic-Tac Slapshot game to aim pucks at targets in a hockey net. High scores were posted in real-time on the large video board hanging in the center of the arena. Fans with the top three scores won PNC Arena gift cards worth $250, $150, and $100. And everyone who played Tic-Tac Slapshot received special offers to then try new digital instant games on the mobile app.
Such a fun and innovative lottery promotion would have made Ed Powers, who’s known as the “Father of U.S. Lotteries,” proud. And that’s why Dustin Hickman, the creative staff member who came up with this promotion, is being nominated for this year’s Powers Award.
Dustin manages the Lottery’s premier partnerships, which in addition to the Carolina Hurricanes includes the NFL Carolina Panthers, the Charlotte Hornets, the Charlotte Knights, and the Charlotte Motor Speedway, where the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Race runs annually each May.
As digital instants were launched in November, the Lottery worked to integrate this exciting new product line into marketing and advertising plans. Dustin leveraged his relationships to challenge the Lottery’s partners with this integration, actively pursuing new opportunities, and created this unique opportunity with the Carolina Hurricanes to reach people during sporting events.
Dustin worked tirelessly – and quickly – with a new partner to deliver a custom branded game to audiences at three events. Over the three events, thousands of people engaged with the online game. The Lottery shared the digital instants offer with participants and engaged new and existing players with some in-game fun. More important than these modest numbers, the promotion demonstrated at a live event that the Lottery was a fun and innovative gaming organization.
Dustin has been a part of the Lottery team for nearly 15 years. None of this would have been possible without the strong trusted partnerships he has forged over the years with professional sports teams. That solid foundation made a brand-new experience available to players and integrated the new product line seamlessly.
Just as Ed Power’s name is synonymous with success, Dustin’s commitment and drive are key factors in the achievements of the N.C. Education Lottery. He pursues excellence in his work, and it is that pursuit of excellence that makes for the great marketing every lottery needs for success. Dustin’s exceptional work makes him truly worthy of this year’s Powers Award.