albuquerque – A New Mexico Lottery ad campaign designed to raise awareness of the educational opportunities available through the state’s community colleges and Legislative Lottery Scholarships won a first-place prize in a national competition for lottery advertising.

            Titled “Do Something Different,” the campaign featured six TV ads starring students enrolled at Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari, Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque and Santa Fe Community College. 

In the 30-second spots, students studying coursework such as welding and culinary arts emphatically state their career ambitions.  A voiceover at the end of each ad says, “In just two years, you can get a degree in something really interesting - like animation, welding, woodworking, horseshoeing, drafting, baking - and a Legislative Lottery Scholarship can help make it happen.”

The North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries, a non-profit association representing 51 lottery organizations, sponsored the annual advertising and business communications competition.  Lotteries competed in 13 categories.  The New Mexico Lottery received first place in the coordinated campaign category.

New Mexico Lottery CEO Tom Romero said it was gratifying to be honored for advertising excellence with a campaign supporting the state’s efforts to create a larger population of college-educated citizens.

 “We are very proud of this campaign,” Romero said.  “It delivered an important message to students and their parents who may not have realized that Legislative Lottery Scholarships can be used at community colleges to earn two-year degrees and program certificates.”

The concept for the ads originated with New Mexico Lottery Marketing Director Adriana Binns.  The campaign was produced by Kilmer & Kilmer, Inc. and filmed by Southwest Productions.  Both companies are based in Albuquerque.

Scholarship Eligibility

All net revenues from the sale of lottery games benefit the Legislative Lottery Scholarship program, which provides tuition assistance to New Mexico residents attending the state’s 25 public colleges, universities and community colleges.

Lottery Ad Wins Award

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Since its inception in 1996, the lottery has raised more than $328 million for public education in New Mexico.  More than 43,000 students have received Legislative Lottery Scholarships in the last decade and more than 15,000 of those students have graduated from college. 

            To qualify for scholarships, students must:

·         be a New Mexico resident;

·         have graduated from a New Mexico public high school, an accredited private high school recognized by the Public Education Department, or have obtained a New Mexico GED;

·         be enrolled full-time at an eligible New Mexico public college or university in the first regular semester immediately following high school graduation;

·         obtain and maintain a least a 2.5 GPA.