Michael Jones Email and Phone Number

Ocilla Partners is a marketing/consulting company that concentrates on advising governments and senior private sector managers on gaming and lottery issues. It's main areas of expertise are found in its ability to evaluate new products and technologies from a marketing and regulatory perspective, advising on how to make them compelling games that fit within lottery product portfolios, recommending strategies on how to expand into the North American and international lottery markets, and, if needed, overseeing successful implementations of new games and technologies within lottery jurisdictions.

As Director of one of the largest lotteries in the world, Mr. Jones led Illinois to a $435,000,000 sales increase in his first year, made the Internet Lottery Test a reality, put together a staff at both the lottery and its Private Manager, Northstar, that radically transformed the Illinois Lottery's brand in just months, making it one of the most liked consumer brands in Illinois. His encouragement of an open interaction among the lottery's creative partners led to wonderful, effective advertising that won numerous advertising industry awards and generated positive brand awareness and support. One of the team's first efforts was ranked as being in the top ten television ads ever done in Chicago's long and storied advertising history. He has become a well known international expert on gaming policy, lottery marketing and games, and the future of iGaming.

A group that was dedicated to maximizing lottery sales and profits in an ethical and socially responsible manner. The company combined the leading lottery research company in the world, one of the largest advertising firms in Chicago, a widely respected public relations agency, and key advisors to seek and win lottery privatization opportunities.

With Leo J. Shapiro and Associates, formed the most successful research company in the international lottery marketplace. ILR created the concepts of Joe and Jack, that is: current and potential lottery players. The research, designed and conducted by ILR staff, indicated the potential for significantly higher lottery profits than are currently realized, which led to a rethinking, by lottery vendors and jurisdictions, of marketing strategies, games, and prizes worldwide.

A marketing promotion company that offered a full range of marketing related capabilities. Entrepreneurial in nature, it did break through creative, developed new lottery products, developed and managed trade shows, led a group in acquiring, building and selling a national sports magazine, and consulted on a wide variety of issues with a large number of companies. Created the 'family of games' lottery concept, developed movie properties as instant tickets, introduced off track betting in Illinois, invented the use of NFL games as international economic developments tools, and advised legislatures and administrations on gaming policy. MJC and Warner Bros. did the first multi jurisdictional major Hollywood release instant game: Wild WIld West. Raised $8B, and put together a multi national consortium as part of its effort to bid on both the Illinois and Indiana lottery concession. Invested in several successful London based restaurants.

Led the lottery to a billion dollar per year sales increase in less than four years. Created the 'Batchy' awards recognizing the best creative done each year by lotteries in the United States and Canada. While Superintendent the lottery became one of the most recognized consumer brands in Illinois and its creative messaging, including the iconic 'pingpong' ball spots and beautiful instant ticket designs, were copied by many other lotteries.

I was recruited to rejoin WMET-FM to assist in rebranding a Top 40 FM station into a AOR format with a commitment to create a new style of station with lifestyle programming along with new music. Among other innovations I created Mighty MET Radio Pictures, a first in rock and roll programing history: a weekly movie review show starring Pulitzer Prize winning critic, Roger Ebert. At my suggestion, we hired young professional athletes to add color and attitude to our sports reporting including Gary Fencik, an All Pro Safety covering the Bears, and Doug Wilson (the hardest slap shot in the NHL) from The Chicago Blackhawks to do hockey. I founded a radio marketing company that created breakthrough creative for various companies...mainly to convince those companies to advertise with our low rated station. A typical sales pitch: if they bought a schedule, they could use my creative for free on other stations as well.

Ran the business and marketing sides of a professional soccer team in the North American Soccer League. In the late seventies the NASL was going to be the next NFL...the famous New York Cosmos were part of the league...Pele, Geogio Chinaglia, and other top soccer veterans were recruited to give the league publicity and great players. It was the first time I was ever in charge of a company, first time I ever managed employees, the first time I had a significant advertising budget and was in charge of creative. Lived in San Francisco on top of Russian Hill. It was a very exciting time.