Duracell Donates 1 Million Coppertop Batteries to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Powering Countless Hours of Imaginative Play this Holiday Season
The Official Battery Power of Star Wars Teams Up with
Lucasfilm to Bring the Healing Power of Play to Life in Duracell’s New
Commercial
BETHEL, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Duracell, the official battery power for the Star Wars franchise
and its highly-anticipated new release, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,”
is supporting the healing power of imaginative play with a donation of
one million batteries to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
nationwide. To launch its new holiday campaign, Duracell released an
all-new 60-second commercial, “How the Rebels Saved Christmas,”
featuring young patients forging an epic Star Wars duel while
delivering a battery-powered toy to another patient’s hospital room.
“Tapping into our imaginations during the healing and recovery process
reduces stress, pain and anxiety,” said Dr. Charlotte Reznick, Ph.D., an
internationally recognized child educational psychologist, former UCLA
associate clinical professor of psychology, and author of the Los
Angeles Times best-selling book, “The Power of Your Child’s
Imagination.” “I’m delighted that Duracell has embraced the fact that
letting kids be kids through imaginative play is healthy – mentally,
emotionally and physically.”
Duracell’s donation of 1 million batteries will power toys at more than
140 Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospitals nationwide. The batteries
will ship in early November and will arrive at the hospitals by
Christmas.
“After visiting the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, we saw
first-hand the impact that the power of imaginative play has on children
and we were instantly inspired to support their mission,” said Ramon
Velutini, Marketing Director of Duracell. “Imaginative play truly is the
best medicine – that’s why this holiday season Duracell is on a mission
to power long-lasting play for those who need it most.”
“There is no better way to do this than by partnering with Star Wars,”
said Velutini. “The sheer power of this story has ignited imaginations
for decades, and Duracell is excited to continue working with Star
Wars to power the imaginations of the next generation.”
Imagination is central to the career of “How the Rebels Saved Christmas”
director Simon McQuoid, whose work for the likes of Nissan, Netflix, Dr.
Pepper and others has been recognized with a host of awards including a
Cannes Lion. “This commercial follows the imaginative minds of these
kids as they enter an adventure within the Star Wars universe.
Duracell is the perfect power for their R2-D2 toy as well as their
endless imaginations,” said McQuoid.
Duracell’s partnership with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals extends
its long history of support for impactful causes. To learn more about
Duracell, view the all-new commercial and learn how you can help support
Children’s Miracle Network, please visit Youtube.com/Duracell.
About Duracell
Started in the 1920’s, the Duracell brand and company was recently
acquired by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE-BRK.A, BRK.B) and has grown to
be the leader in the single-use battery market in North America. The
iconic Duracell brand is known the world over. Our products serve as the
heart of devices that keep people connected, protect their families,
entertain them, and simplify their increasingly mobile lifestyles. Our
recharging technology allows consumers to live life without limits.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is a $210B holding company owning subsidiaries
that engage in diverse business activities. Visit www.duracell.com
for more information; follow us on Twitter.com/Duracell and
like us on Facebook.com/Duracell.
About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds and awareness for 170
member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids
across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to
fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical
equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network
Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time
through the charity’s Miracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising
partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and
improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out
why children’s hospitals need community support, identify your member
hospital and learn how you can Put Your Money Where the Miracles Are, at CMNHospitals.org and facebook.com/CMNHospitals.
About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is
a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment
production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production,
the company’s activities include visual effects and audio
post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive
entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising
activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR
WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd.
is headquartered in northern California.
About “Star Wars: Rogue One”
From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone
films, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” an all-new epic
adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band
together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s
ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline
brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things,
and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is directed by Gareth Edwards
and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads
Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker.
Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel are producing, with
John Knoll and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. “Rogue
One: A Star Wars Story” opens in U.S. theaters on December
16, 2016.
Contacts
Media:
For Duracell
Amy Burkhardt, 212-613-4930
amy.burkhardt@citizenrelations.com
