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Shell Make Money

Introduction

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John Donovan, a co-founder of promotional games company Don Marketing: Photo taken in 2015.

By John Donovan

In 1979, the company I co-founded, *Don Marketing, created and supplied promotional games that were used to promote petrol sales on the forecourts of all major petrol brands in the UK, including Shell.

In June 1981, we moved into a  direct contractual relationship with Shell as a result of a presentation I made at Shell-Mex House in The Strand, the then London HQ of Shell UK Limited.

I put forward a proposal for Shell to launch a legal version of a promotional game called Make Money that Shell had abandoned in the 1960‘s out of concern that it was in breach of UK lottery laws. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.

Don Marketing Promotional Posters Online Archive

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A small sampling of the thousands of retailers and major global brands that were all clients of the worlds No1 Promotional Games company, Don Marketing.

Whitbread Scoop the Pools promotion.

Approx size: 21 x 30 cm portrait 

Don Marketing co-founder John Donovan photographed in October 2020 with a Whitbread “SCOOP THE POOLS” poster.

Nabisco Shredded Wheat Space Invaders Promotion.

Approx size: 22 x 30 cm portrait.

Don Marketing co-founder John Donovan photographed in October 2020 with a Nabisco Shredded Wheat Space Invaders poster. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.

1984 Shell Make Money Game created and supplied by Don Marketing

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Shell has run three versions of the Shell Make Money game in the UK.

THE 1966 VERSION

The first, in 1966 (above), offering cash prizes of up to £100, was created and supplied by Ralph Glendinning of Glendinning Associates, an American marketing consultancy. The game was a huge success but there were grave doubts about the legality. Shell was concerned about the possibility of being prosecuted in the UK for conducting an illegal lottery. Shell was also rightly concerned about the security of the half-note currency.

More information further down this page.

THE 1984 VERSION (THE MAIN SUBJECT OF THIS ARTICLE)

The second version was launched in 1984 (envelope above) offering cash prizes of up to £10,000. It was created and supplied by Don Marketing, a UK promotional games company founded by John Donovan, his family, and Don Redhead, a Chartered Accountant/mathematician. Don Marketing supplied a QC’s opinion to Shell confirming legality. The promotion, known internally as Operation Leo, was a huge success. read more

shellplc.website and its sister non-profit websites royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellenergy.website, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net and shell2004.com are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia feature.