North Carolina Education Lottery Selects Cactus as Media Agency of Record

​Cactus, the lead creative agency for the North Carolina Education Lottery since 2021, has now been selected as its media agency of record following a competitive pitch.

Under a three-year contract starting in July, Cactus will manage all strategic media for the North Carolina Education Lottery.

“This new chapter with Cactus as our new media agency of record brings a powerful media partnership to our mission of raising money for education,” said Terri Rose, chief brand officer of the N.C. Education Lottery. ”Their proven track record in the lottery space, combined with their data-driven approach to media, will give us a strong competitive edge. By integrating creative and media services, we can work more efficiently, reach more people, and have an even greater impact on educational programs throughout North Carolina.”

For the past 19 years, the North Carolina Education Lottery has been delivering joy and thrill through fun games and experiences. Along the way, as North Carolinians have enjoyed playing these games and winning billions in prizes, a total of $12 billion has been raised for education, helping to support the dreams of students in each of North Carolina’s 100 counties.

For more than 18 years, Cactus has partnered with state lotteries to navigate the strategic and creative challenges of a uniquely complex retail environment - one that's marked by increasing gaming competition. The agency also serves as the creative and media AOR for the Colorado Lottery and the Hoosier Lottery.

“We are thrilled to be expanding our partnership with the North Carolina Education Lottery,” says CEO and founder Joe Conrad. “North Carolina has created one of the best performing lotteries in the nation and we are looking forward to leveraging our integrated creative and media solutions to have an even bigger impact on the great state of North Carolina.”

"In today’s cluttered landscape, truly making an impression requires seamless partnership of creative vision and media strategy,” said Chris Shewmake, VP of media and digital. “Our media team views themselves as creative collaborators focused on driving real results. That's why we're excited to partner with the North Carolina Education Lottery, who believe in the business impact we can generate together through an integrated team, creative excellence and bold new media thinking.”