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Bingo is once again trying to overhaul its staid image. The National Bingo Game Association last week put its pounds 5m creative account to pitch less than two years after hiring FCA! The brief is to reposition the game as a 'modern day leisure pursuit' and widen its appeal to a younger market.

But the major chains have their work cut out in trying to overcome long-held preconceptions of bingo as an old-fashioned game played by old ladies in smoke-filled halls.

Bingo's image problems have been exacerbated by the National Lottery, which has the draw of far larger jackpots, national coverage and a hefty marketing budget.

But it has fought back and recent Mintel figures suggest that following a slump attributed to the launch of the lottery, admissions to clubs have risen over the past two years.

The National Bingo Game Association has also launched a national game, which links bingo halls across the country and offers players potentially larger winnings.

Lily Savage was the unlikely star of a recent TV push to attract younger players to the game, proclaiming that everyone's 'Bingoing mad for it'.

The drive followed a relaxation of laws in 1997, governing how bingo halls could market themselves.

Major players such as Gala, the UK's largest bingo operator, and Mecca Bingo have embarked on refurbishment schemes as they seek to compete more effectively with other leisure venues. Gala also recently launched a virtual online bingo club to promote its new facilities.

So will bingo hit the jackpot or is its number finally up?

We asked Warren Murphy, marketing controller of new business development at lottery operator Camelot, and Daniel Taylor, board account director at D'Arcy, which turned down the chance to pitch for the bingo ad work.

VITAL SIGNS

Year        Admissions (m)      Expenditure        pounds m at

                                 (pounds m)        1994 prices

1994                   109            1,376              1,376

1997                    97            1,284              1,144

1998                    98            1,327              1,140

1999 (est)             100            1,385              1,151

DIAGNOSIS - Daniel Taylor

Coughing and hacking its way into the 21st century, bingo's image is in terminal decline. It's Dot Cotton in all her ashen glory, fag and marker pen in hand. I defy you to think of anything more dispiriting than a neon bingo sign illuminating a rain swept chip-sodden pavement.

But suspend all disbelief and imagine for a moment that Lily Savage has persuaded you the above is no longer true. So you pop into your local bingo club, and are pleasantly surprised by the existence of a bar (a pint is pounds 1.50), the fact that you can swallow the food, and by the number of people who clearly aren't just gambling their pensions.

Great, to an extent. But the crucial thing is that it isn't really enough of a difference to make you want to go back. The experience is soulless.

As a newcomer, you're not made to feel welcome, not shown how to play, and above all else, you pray you won't win. The huddled rows of hard-bitten gamblers would never let you leave the room.

DIAGNOSIS - Warren Murphy

After a number of disappointing years with revenues and participation rates declining, the bingo sector has seen a recent upturn in performance.

The key strength it has is that it is steeped in UK tradition and it is fun to play. You really do get a rush of anticipation - the desire to be 'first past the post' provides a highly compelling tension.

But bingo does have a deeply entrenched image. Most people would say it is played by older, low-income females, predominantly in the North There is also a belief that the venues are fairly limited in facilities and decor. Some of this is true, but the operators have made significant improvements.

Innovation has been fairly minor, but linked games and higher prize games have been developed. The sector has some hard choices for the future. Can it widen participation without alienating its core players?

Advertising alone will not overcome the image bingo has - people need a reason to believe in the bingo offer.

TREATMENT

TAYLOR'S TIPS

- Drop the name 'bingo'.

- Focus on improving the experience and recruit younger advocates.

- Change the clubs from bingo halls to places where you are also offered a range of evening entertainment, from stand-up comedy to casino-style elegance.

- Realise that the image job is huge, and will require big pockets and long-term commitment.

MURPHY'S MOTIONS

- Look harder at a rigorous innovations programme. The core product could be enhanced to provide new ways to play and win.

- Extend the offer of the venue with variety of entertainment and leisure opportunities.

- Review interactive distribution channels to enhance the offer and widen participation - with an improved offer, the role of advertising is far more credible.