Marilyn Monroe™ Ticket an Instant Star in Maryland

Marilyn Monroe™ Ticket an Instant Star in Maryland

WINNIPEG, June 28, 2018 /CNW/ - Pollard Banknote Limited (TSX: PBL) ("Pollard Banknote") congratulates the Maryland Lottery on the spectacular success of its Marilyn Monroe™ instant ticket, launched on March 26, 2018.  After ten-weeks, average sales of Marilyn Monroe™ tickets were 28% higher than average sales for other $2 games over the same period since 2015, making it the third-best selling $2 ticket since 2016!  

The Marilyn Monroe™ ticket is available in three different scenes, each showcasing an iconic image of the glamorous star, and is enhanced with Pollard Banknote's patented Spectrum Scratch FX® innovation, adding a vibrant diamond dazzle befitting the legendary performer. Serving as Lady Luck, each Marilyn Monroe™ ticket offers players the chance to win up to $10,000 instantly, and entry in a second chance draw for one of eight $5,000 cash prizes or an ultimate Marilyn experience in New York City. The experience includes a $5,000 cash prize, as well as a trip for two to the Marilyn Monroe™ Spa, complete with transportation, a three-night hotel stay in Times Square, $1,000 worth of spa treatments, and $1,000 spending cash!

The Maryland Lottery leveraged Marilyn's strong brand appeal to generate excitement and promote the game to players and non-players alike through social media. Facebook and Twitter posts featured fun and inspiring facts about the timeless star, as well as trivia and quiz contests such as the "Which Marilyn Are You?" game, for Marilyn-themed prizes. Together with geographically- based posts for the Maryland market on the official Marilyn Monroe™ Facebook page, the social media campaign contributed to the game's outstanding retail success and high-volume response to the second chance offering.

"We are thrilled with the performance of the Marilyn Monroe™ instant ticket," said John Gorman, Chief Marketing Officer, Maryland Lottery. "This launch lent itself to an innovative digital and social ad campaign that our whole team had fun working on and the response from our players has exceeded our expectations."

"We were very pleased to work with the Maryland Lottery to produce this eye-catching ticket for their players. Our brilliant Spectrum Scratch FX® innovation is a natural fit with the glamorous and elegant appeal of the Marilyn Monroe™ brand, and together they form the perfect pairing for retail success," said Sina Aiello, Vice President, Marketing, Pollard Banknote. "Marilyn Monroe™ is one of our newest additions to our range of licensed games offerings, and we are thrilled to see that it is already generating a lot of excitement among our lottery partners and their players and delivering strong sales performances in the two jurisdictions in which it has been launched."

Pollard Banknote provides turnkey solutions and customized promotional support for a robust portfolio of licensed games. In addition to designing, programming, and printing the themed tickets, Pollard Banknote's integrated marketing strategies also include second-chance drawings, interactive games, retailer promotions, consumer launch events, advertising development, social media campaigns, point of sale materials, and 'how to-play' videos.

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency generates revenue to help support good causes within the state. Since its inception in 1973, the Lottery has contributed $15.5 billion in revenue to the state and awarded more than $24 billion in prizes to players. In FY2017 the Maryland Lottery contributed a record breaking $1.117 billion in revenue to the state, including $524.9 million in lottery profits for the General Fund, which supports education, public health and safety, and environmental preservation.

About Pollard Banknote

Pollard Banknote is a leading lottery partner to more than 60 lotteries worldwide, providing high quality instant ticket products, licensed games, and a full suite of digital offerings ranging from game apps to comprehensive player engagement and iLottery solutions, including strategic marketing and management services. The company is a proven innovator and has decades of experience helping lotteries to maximize player engagement, sales, and proceeds for good causes. Pollard Banknote also plays a major role in providing pull-tab tickets, bingo paper and its Diamond Game and Oasis-branded electronic ticket machines to charitable and other gaming markets in North America. Established in 1907, Pollard Banknote is owned approximately 67.6% by the Pollard family and 32.4% by public shareholders, and is publicly traded on the TSX (PBL). For more information, please visit our website at www.pollardbanknote.com.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking" statements and information, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this document, such statements include such words as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "plan," and other similar terminology. These statements reflect management's current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this document. There should not be an expectation that such information will in all circumstances be updated, supplemented, or revised whether as a result of new information, changing circumstances, future events, or otherwise.

SOURCE Pollard Banknote Limited