The Spanish Christmas lottery is special. It boasts one of the biggest prize pools in the world, and paid out more than $2 billion in prizes last year.
Lotto tickets are typically sold in series—employers can give the same number to employees, or whole communities can buy into a shared hope of fortune. If their number is drawn, the prize is split among everyone. Most Spanish people hold a portion of the Christmas lottery stakes every year, even if they don't play at any other time.
Building on that sense of collective hope, the drawing happens Dec. 22; whole lives can be changed over the holidays. As a result, community and sharing have become key to how the Spanish lottery promotes itself.
"Antonio's Bar," from 2014, is among our favorite examples. Last year's ad, "Justino," about a night watchman and his mannequins, won the Cyber Grand Prix at Cannes.
The 2016 commercial, titled "December 21st," launched this week. Like the past two spots, it was created by Leo Burnett Madrid. In this one, retired schoolteacher Carmina mistakenly believes that she and her community have won the draw—the day before it actually happens.