2021 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

Objectives & Challenges

The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) is a not-for-profit that exists to provide safety in the risky world of gambling. Each year, RGC completes a harm prevention program for young adults. Outreach is critical: Youth 18–24 are two-to-three times more likely to develop issues with gambling, and 7.1% of that group already has a moderate-to-severe gambling problem. With access growing through online gambling, the issue will only worsen.
The challenge was to develop a campaign to educate young adults about the risks of gambling and encourage safer, more self-aware behaviour and prove the success of the effort (RGC’s funding hinges on meeting or exceeding previous years’ campaign benchmarks).

Insight & Strategy

Young adults are predisposed to high-risk behaviour, including gambling. They’re natural experimenters, and it’s part of their physiological development to test boundaries. At that age, ‘policing’ by parents and teachers falls away – and their self-regulation can as well. Unfortunately, it’s an age where real consequences can set in.
Qualitative research revealed that young adults felt a sense of control over their gambling, even though statistics showed they have a much greater likelihood of problem-gambling practices compared to the rest of the population.
RGC’s academic experts emphasize that ‘control’ when gambling is a myth. Gambling is naturally risky, designed for entertainment and emotional stimulation. When gambling, the body experiences a heightened state of excitement that may affect decision-making. Win or lose, your brain releases chemicals like adrenaline and endorphins that get you excited, and actually affect brain activity. Essentially, you’re not yourself when you gamble

Execution

To succeed, the organization’s young adult audience had to learn the truth by experiencing it. Instead of a traditional educational booth on campus, it leaned into the technology that young adults engage with and introduced “Check Your (re)Flex” – an enticing video game with a surprising lesson.
The team designed a simple, multi-level skill-based gaming kiosk, similar to basic mobile games young adults regularly play. Touring Ontario, the experience was set up in school common areas where students were challenged to “flex” their gaming skills. The game’s secret wasn’t the tough levels, but a joystick designed to read biometrics. The game score was actually a ranking of how stimulated the player was during gameplay.
When students learned their scores, they discovered how competitive gameplay impairs decision making. And they understood from experience rather than from academic theory. Knowing their personal risk and armed with tips and tools for safer gambling practices, these students were more prepared when gambling.

During the 2020 fall semester, COVID-19 necessitated the online migration of the game where students could still be drawn into the emotional gameplay and lesson.

Results

The Check Your (Re)Flex experience turned gaming skill into gambling education and proved highly persuasive with young adults. This technology innovation delivered the strongest measured performance for RGC Youth Community Outreach programs to date, proving education doesn’t need to be another boring lecture.

Seventy percent learned new information, 76% found the information relevant, 87% main message takeaway average (+5.4%) and there was a 91.5% intention for safe gambling practices (+ 8%).

Credits

Agency: Zulu Alpha Kilo
Chief Creative Officer: Zak Mroueh
Creative Director: Rodger Eyre, Gerald Kugler
Art Director: Elliot Riordan, Craig Huffman
Writer: Marco Buchar, Tekla Nagel
Account Team: Hilary Roberts, Kayla MacDonald, Erin McManus
Planning Team: Heather Segal
Client: Responsible Gambling Council (RGC)
Clients: Elaine McDougall, Lisa Couperus
Media Agency: PHD Media
PR Agency: xposure
PR Team: Jane Wilcox, Dave Bennett
Agency Producer: Marko Stevelic
Production House Producer : Ece Inan
Interactive Agency: Thinkingbox
Sr. Full-Stack Developer: Nicole Rego
Interactive Developer: Patrick Daggitt
Motion Graphics Artist: Kyle Castro
Director, Content: Prajay Mehta
Associate Director, Content: David Holicek
Print Producer: Houng Ngui, Greg Heptinstall, Jeanette Downes, Anna Harju