Of all the rotten... A North Dakota advertising scandal!?

Believe it or not, the sleepy little North Dakota advertising world just got interesting, thanks in no small part to a pairing and comparing of tiara-doffed trollops and powerballs. (read more...)

Towards the end of January, the North Dakota Attorney General's office RFPed ND ad agencies for the new North Dakota Lottery, which starts March 25 - quite a nasty completion time considering they didn't pick an agency until Feb 15. Also, the complete multimedia creative/production/statewide media placement budget for the entire year? $300,000.

Anyway, the winning agency, H2M, a newish Fargo shop, is now in a bit of hot H2O after the Fargo Forum found out that their big idea -- Lady Luck, a lady dressed up in a red dress, tiara and magic wand -- looks juuuuust a little bit like the Virginia Lottery's Lady Luck, a lady dressed up in a white dress, tiara and magic wand. The Virginia Lottery has been using their version of Lady Luck since 1990, not only throughout their advertising, but also in special appearances at events such as fairs and pig races. See VA's gal here.

The story (including photos) as it has been developing, is as follows from the Fargo Forum (mini-registration required). Draw your own conclusions.

Feb 15th - Luck be a lady: Fargo PR firm, H2M, lands lotto contract.

Feb 19th - Two times lucky - Virginia shared similar mascot.

Feb 20 - The law and Lady Luck: Infringement unlikely, legal experts say

Feb 22 - Terry Devine column: Fess up, North Dakota Lottery

And just because, go here for the origin of Lady Luck. Curiously, there's no mention of tiaras or magic wands.

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(claymore found this, too funny to keep to ourselves.)

KXMA News March 18, 2004
Toll-free number on lottery ticket machines leads to sex talk line
It turns out a toll free number posted on lottery ticket terminals at nearly 400 sites statewide is incorrect.
The 800 number is meant for retailers who have questions about the lottery. But it refers callers to another number. The second number is a sex talk line.
State lottery spokeswoman Eileen Walsh says it was a misprint. The wrong prefix was used. Instead of an 800 prefix -- the number should have carried an 877 prefix.
Walsh says it's been corrected, and new stickers are going out today. A retailer told the attorney general's office about the problem.
Attorney general spokeswoman Liz Brocker says officials are sending out stickers with the correct number.
The lottery starts a week from today.