Procter & Gamble

BETHEL, Conn., Nov. 25, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pedalers at the Duracell Smart Power Lab are well on their way to generating approximately 32,000 watt hours that will power the iconic 2010 numbers for 30 minutes during the New Year's Eve Ball drop ceremony. The new Duracell Smart Power Lab, which opened on Monday, November 23, 2009, is free to the public and located just above the Charmin Restrooms in the heart of New York City's Times Square.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091125/CL17128-a)

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091125/CL17128-b)

"The countdown to New Year's has begun! Our partnership with the public to light up 2010 is a larger than life symbol of our commitment to do what we do best - delivering power when people need it most," said Craig Bida, Duracell Brand Manager. "We had a great start and want to welcome anyone in the New York City area to visit the Duracell Smart Power Lab to join us in powering in the new decade."

In the coming month, Duracell will host a variety of special guests at the Smart Power Lab, where VIPs will participate in power generation - pedaling one of six Duracell Power Rovers to contribute to the almost 1,000 pedaling hours needed to power the 2010 numerals. This week's special VIP pedalers included "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" stars Chaske Spencer and Peter Facinelli, actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and the Volunteers of America's Sidewalk Santas.

"I had the chance to test drive one of the Duracell Power Rovers while appearing on the Rachael Ray Show on Monday, November 23, and it was a blast," said actor Peter Facinelli. "It's exciting to be part of something as iconic as the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square. When I watch the ball drop this year, it will be that much more meaningful."

Ensuring that consumers outside of New York City can share in the experience, Duracell also announced that the Virtual Smart Power Lab is up and running at powerlab.duracell.com. Site visitors can find updates of the power collection, see photos of the Power Rovers, take a tour of the Lab and more. And, to guarantee that all moments are captured for the Virtual Smart Power Lab, Duracell has enlisted the help of three correspondents. Nationally recognized comedians Erik Rivera, Jane Condon and Wali Collins will post interviews with celebrities who have pedaled for power, photos of consumers getting in on the action and real-time blog updates that give the inside scoop as to what's happening at the Lab.

Powering 2010

New Yorkers and tourists alike will have the chance to literally help power the 2010 numerals by visiting the Duracell Smart Power Lab, hopping aboard a Power Rover and pedaling. The rovers operate through rotary technology, so with each push of the pedal, human energy is captured, converted into usable power, and then routed and stored at Duracell Battery Centers. The journey ends at One Times Square, where the stored power will light up the 2010 numerals as the New Year's Eve Ball drops and the clock strikes midnight.

Learn, Recharge and Play

In addition to the opportunity to help light up the New Year, Lab guests can stop by to try out Duracell's latest Smart Power offerings that address the ever-growing and ever-changing power needs of the modern consumer. Visitors can also recharge their mobile electronic devices - such as cell phones, BlackBerrys, digital cameras, iPods, MP3 players, portable gaming devices and more - at Duracell Charging Stations set up throughout the venue. Additional activities at the Lab include playing the latest titles from Microsoft Xbox 360© and capturing a photo with a life-size replica of the 2010 numerals.

The Duracell Smart Power Lab is being held in conjunction with the annual Charmin Restrooms in Times Square, which has returned for the fourth consecutive year. Guests will enjoy two floors of fun: the first offers a free, clean and family-friendly place to "enjoy the go" with 20 clean, deluxe, ADA compliant, family-friendly and fully-staffed restrooms and the second provides a place where they can interact with the latest charging gadgets, re-charge their own devices or help generate the energy needed to illuminate the 2010 numerals.

Hours of Operation

The Duracell Smart Power Lab and Charmin Restrooms are open now through December 31 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday. They are located at 1540 Broadway in Times Square between West 45(th) and West 46(th) Streets. The Smart Power Lab and Restrooms will close at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and 3 p.m. on New Year's Eve, and will be closed on Christmas Day.

About Duracell

Part of the Procter & Gamble Company [NYSE:PG], Duracell has been powering people around the world for more than 40 years. Our products serve as the heart of devices that keep people connected, protect their families, entertain them and simplify their increasingly mobile lifestyles. As the world's leading manufacturer of high-performance alkaline batteries, Duracell also innovates in single-use, renewable and peripheral technologies and markets general purpose flashlights along with the advanced Daylite® LED flashlights. Visit www.duracell.com for more information.

About Procter & Gamble [NYSE:PG]

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Actonel®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 135,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

SOURCE Procter & Gamble

Kurt Iverson of Duracell, +1-203-796-4669, iverson.k@pg.com; or Joe Edelson of PainePR for Procter & Gamble, +1-212-613-4938, jedelson@painepr.com