The New York Lottery won two awards in the North American Effie’s 2016 contest, announced on June 2. Both awards were won for the Lottery’s hunt for a missing millionaire who purchased a Cash4Life ticket worth $7,000,000 from a Brooklyn deli.

The Effie Awards are known by advertisers and agencies globally as the pre?eminent award in the industry, and recognize any and all forms of marketing communication that contribute to a brand's success. Since 1968, winning an Effie has become a global symbol of achievement.

The New York Lottery awards were:

Bronze -- Category of Single Impact Engagement: #Unclaimed: The Hunt for a Missing Millionaire for New York Lottery

Silver - Category of Small Budgets – Products: #Unclaimed: The Hunt for a Missing Millionaire for New York Lottery

Receiving an Effie Award signifies the New York Lottery’s work was one of the most effective marketing efforts of last year, incorporating an insightful communications strategy, outstanding creative, and the market results to prove it worked.  North American winning and finalist case studies are rigorously examined, debated and evaluated by seasoned industry leaders over at least two rounds of judging and only a small percentage of entering cases emerge as winners.  As the competition continues to grow, winning an Effie is becoming increasingly difficult. 

“This is the first time the New York Lottery has won a North American Effie Award, and we are particularly proud of this accomplishment with our advertising partner McCann,” said Gardner Gurney, Director of the Division of the Lottery.

The hunt for the missing millionaire began in July of 2015 as the deadline to claim the $7,000,000 ticket was approaching. A lucky Lottery player purchased the jackpot-winning ticket for the July 24, 2014 Cash4Life drawing at Milky Way Deli at 1669 Ralph Avenue in Brooklyn. Prizes can be claimed up to a year after the drawing, which means the winner had until July 24, 2015 to claim the jackpot Lottery prize.

The Lottery canvassed the Brooklyn neighborhood around the Milky Way Deli with ‘Have You Seen Me?’ and ‘Is This You?’ fliers (attached below) to try to find the winner of this lucky ticket (see pictures attached below), as well as a social media video to attract attention to the missing ticket (see link below).

Unfortunately, the July 24, 2015 deadline passed and the prize went unclaimed. As is always the case, when a prize is not claimed by the deadline, the prize money was returned to the prize pool for future winners. It will be used to subsidize prizes for jackpots, promotions and/or special one-time games.

About the New York Lottery

The New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable Lottery, contributing $3.30 billion in fiscal year 2015-2016 to help support education in New York State.  The Lottery’s contribution represents 14 percent of total state education aid to local school districts. 

New York Lottery revenue is distributed to local school districts by the same statutory formula used to distribute other state aid to education.  It takes into account both a school district’s size and its income level; larger, lower-income school districts receive proportionately larger shares of Lottery school funding.

About Effie Worldwide

Effie Worldwide is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization championing the practice and practitioners of marketing effectiveness.  Today, Effie celebrates effectiveness worldwide with over 40 global, regional and national programs across Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East/North Africa and North America.   Effie initiatives include the Effie Effectiveness Index, ranking the most effective companies and brands globally and the Effie Case Database. For more details, visit www.effie.org.

Background on Judging Process:

The Effie Index identifies and ranks the marketing communications industry’s most effective agencies, marketers and brands by analyzing finalist and winner data from worldwide Effie Award competitions.  The North American Index rankings reflect finalist and winning work from the 2016 North American, Global and Positive Change Effie Award competitions. North American winning and finalist case studies are rigorously examined, debated and evaluated by seasoned industry leaders over at least two rounds of judging. A more in-depth explanation of the award judging process can be found here: https://www.effie.org/judging/overview

About McCann New York

McCann New York is a unit of both McCann Worldgroup, a leading global marketing service company and McCann, the world’s largest advertising agency network.  McCann Worldgroup also includes MRM//McCann (digital marketing/relationship management), Momentum Worldwide (total brand experience), McCann Health (professional/dtc communications), CRAFT (global adaptation and production), UM (media management), Weber Shandwick (public relations), FutureBrand (consulting/design), ChaseDesign (shopper marketing) and PMK-BNC (entertainment/brand/popular culture).

McCann is #3 on the 2016 Ad Age A-List and McCann New York is a Creativity Innovators Standout.

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Social Media Video:

• https://youtu.be/pc2hVvmQx88