Partners backs People’s Lottery

Design group The Partners has joined the consortium which is backing Richard Branson’s non-profit People’s Lottery bid.

The consortium aims to win the rights to run the National Lottery for seven years when the current rights, held by Camelot, run out in 2001.

The design group “will add the essential and engaging design components to create a positive experience for people participating in the National Lottery”, says a consultancy spokeswoman.

Other consortium members are: KPMG Consulting, JP Morgan, US lottery operator AWI and ad agency J Walter Thompson.

The Partners marketing director Chris Hill says, “The Partners are delighted to be supporting the good cause associated with the bid, which we fully commend, and to work with leading companies who excel in their field.

“Another attraction in the bid was the opportunity to work in collaboration with J Walter Thompson, as we believe the combination of our skills will be formidable,” says Hill.

The bid is being jointly led by Simon Burridge, managing partner of JWT, and John Jackson, who steered Branson’s previous Lottery bid in 1994.

“We have a wealth of ideas to upgrade the Lottery, to make it fun to play and arrest the decline in sales,” says Branson.

The deadline for the submission of Lottery bids is 29 February.