Allwyn appoints Hearts & Science as National Lottery media planner

Allwyn UK has appointed London media agency Hearts & Science to act as the lead advertising account for the National Lottery. 

Beginning in February 2024, Hearts & Science will take control of the media planning of the National Lottery under the new management of Allwyn UK – winner of the UK government’s Fourth National Lottery contract. 

Back in February, Allwyn had issued a ‘agency pitch’ to recruit its new media and creative agencies to handle the National Lottery’s advertising account – recognised amongst the highest spend budgets in UK advertising. 

This summer, Allwyn announced the appointment of Leo Burnett and VCCP as joint-creative agencies charged with “repositioning and reimagining” the National Lottery’s brand with British audiences. 

Allwyn Global Head of Media, Ross Sergeant, commented: “Hearts & Science has been able to provide a unique perspective paired with innovative approaches to strategy, planning and buying. 

“I believe this is a new kind of media agency – an agency rooted in the science, which is truly pursuing the creative and innovative opportunities that media brings us today.”

A subsidiary agency of Omnicom Media Group (OMG), Hearts & Science is a full-service UK and international advertising agency, specialised in the delivery of high spend accounts. 

Hearts & Science clients include AT&T, Chase Bank, Yahoo, McDonalds and IBM. 

Agency CEO, Garrett O’Reilly, said: “We’re hugely excited to have been appointed by Allwyn to assist in ushering The National Lottery into a new era – helping to reach and connect consumers with this amazing force for good. 

“Allwyn’s digital innovation and creativity ambitions speak to our own values; as does its stance on social value, with Allwyn committed to, among other things, taking on a leadership role in developing responsible practices within media, as well as creating a new standard for protecting players.”