Burrell wins Lottery’s minority business

Burrell Communications bested three other minority agencies to win an initial two-year, $6.4 million Illinois Lottery contract to provide advertising and PR targeted to African Americans. The contract provides for two one-year renewals.

Carol H. Williams Advertising, E. Morris Communications and Flowers Communications were the three other finalists in the review for an urban agency that began in February.

Said Sarah Cummins, the Illinois Lottery’s marketing director, about Burrell: “They have a long and distinguished record of results and worked with a host of top-named companies. We look forward to Burrell adding their expertise to our current and future communications efforts.”

A member of the Publicis agency network, multi-cultural Burrell is also the largest of the four competitors, with reported 2008 billings of $190 million. Flowers Communications is predominantly a public relations agency.

Burrell had competed for the Lottery’s general market advertising in 2004, against R. J. Dale, which won the account, JWT and Campbell-Mithun.

Energy BBDO won the Lottery’s $21 million general market business last January.

The Illinois Dept. of Revenue sent out a request for proposals last February 2009 for the Lottery contract. A committee of six Lottery representatives evaluated the four written proposals.