The communication goals were:Generate awareness for Ultra M3 launch – Duracell awareness is about 95% however awareness of the Ultra sub brand (1998 launch) was only about 12% Demonstrate Ultra M3 as the most powerful battery in the world Generate differentiation in the minds of consumers; Position Duracell Ultra M3 as a brand rather than a commodity with a unique offering to provide more power than any other battery in the market.Cut through – in a low interest category cut through has to be that much more effective.Generate differentiation among the trade to gain favor and justify the premium pricing. A ground-breaking launch event.The media idea was to convert the chimneys of Battersea Power Station into Duracell Ultra M3 batteries as part of an overall launch campaign. It maximised impact and added brand awareness in a smile-inducing alternative to a regular outdoor campaign.

This was a powerful media stunt to launch the world’s most powerful battery in July 2001. For 5 days Battersea Power Station chimneys were transformed into four Duracell Ultra M3 batteries. The chimneys lent themselves to be dressed as Duracell batteries, and the power station reinforced the platform of linking Duracell Ultra M3 with power.From the concept to the immensely satisfying sight of the dressed chimneys it took one year to bring to life `Battery Power Station`.Wandsworth Council gave permission to execute the project, subject to our plans being approved by the planning committee. A major constraint with Battersea Power Station was its Building Regulations, as a Grade II listed building.Months of deliberation were spent over the loading technique for actually lifting the `sheaths` onto the chimneys.

Cranes were decided upon, but with 50m chimneys on a 70m building, a special outsize type was needed. We found that only six such cranes existed in the world, and we acquired two of them! They had to be brought from Scotland where they were being used for oilrig construction.Only two manufacturers could fulfil the requirements for producing and printing the unique bespoke material needed to withstand heavy rain and wind and of the required dimensions.The sheaths had to be flexible but strong, and capable of being assembled quickly and easily on site.

On Friday 13 July, all four chimneys were dressed.

The Battersea Power Station was covered in the national press (Daily Telegraph) and in the industry press, including Campaign, Media Week and Marketing. Battersea was called the £1 million stunt, but it cost only a fraction of this.The cost, in fact, was only 3% of Duracell's overall budget and equivalent to the cost of roughly 3 prime time spots. The idea was conceived and executed in its entirety by OMD UK, including concept development, creative design, logistics and production. Battery Power Station was an outdoor media event of launch proportions. Duracell Ultra M3 needed to justify a premium position in a low-interest but highly competitive product arena. We needed to find an opportunity to build incremental coverage, create genuine standout and convey brand stature.The stunt, apart from generating awareness for the Duracell Ultra M3 launch, also helped to reinforce differentiation in the minds of consumers by providing an opportunity for them to link Ultra M3 with power. This built on the message from the traditional media and subsequently reinforced the brand’s position in the consumers’ minds.The stunt was designed to gain favour with Duracell’s retail customers and enable Duracell to re-establish itself through superior positioning as leader of innovation in its category. In a category that the retail trade is increasingly commoditising, the stunt helped to reinvigorate Duracell’s proposition as brand leader and as such command incremental in-store theatre and shelf space around the launch, especially in the London region.The stunt contributed to the launch plan on many levels. It was integral in creating brand stature by association with a national icon.

The dressing of the Battersea Power Station generated additional favour among the trade and consequently greater in-store presence. It delivered increased consumer impact and impressions at a low cost. This is a media first in portraying 150ft chimneys in a unique way that created additional leverage to Duracell’s strategic platform and the unique propositions of a new product launch in the battery market.

The idea was conceived and executed in its entirety by OMD UK, including concept development, creative design, logistics and production.