Brand’s Virtual Stadium will give consumers opportunity to send
cheers directly to Team USA athletes as they train and compete at the
London 2012 Olympic Games
BETHEL, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 22, 2012--
Inspired by the hard work and training of American athletes as they
prepare for the London 2012 Olympic Games, Duracell,
a Procter & Gamble (P&G) brand, announced today the launch of its “Rely
on Copper to Go for the Gold” program. Headlined by six-time NBA
All-Star and 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Dwight Howard, and featuring
Olympians Hunter Kemper (triathlon), siblings Mark and Diana Lopez
(taekwondo), and Olympic Gold Medalist Summer Sanders, “Rely on Copper
to Go for the Gold” gives consumers a portal to provide encouragement
for the athletes through videos, pictures and texts as they train and
compete for the Games in London.
Olympians (from left to right) Mark Lopez, Diana Lopez, Summer Sanders and Hunter Kemper pose at the Duracell "Rely on Copper to Go For the Gold" Olympic Games launch event, Wednesday, March 21, 2012, in New York. The "Rely on Copper to Go for the Gold" program allows consumers to support Team USA as they train and compete in the London 2012 Olympic Games by visiting Duracell's Facebook page (Facebook.com/Duracell) and leaving messages, photos or videos of support in the Virtual Stadium. (Photo: Business Wire)
Just as athletes rely on the power of their devices when training, they
also rely on the power of fan support. Duracell’s online Virtual Stadium
will offer consumers the unique opportunity to experience the road to
the Games through the eyes of these world class athletes, and in turn,
send them the power of encouragement and inspiration through video, text
and photo messages. Additionally, by submitting motivational messages to
the Duracell Virtual Stadium, consumers have the chance to win a trip to
the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games or a $500 Visa® gift card.1
“Whether in training or using battery power in their everyday lives,
athletes trust in Duracell to make sure they are always prepared for
what life has to offer,” said Volker Kuhn, General Manager for Duracell
North America. “Duracell is committed to powering Team USA, and it’s our
privilege to provide consumers with a tangible and meaningful way to
help athletes achieve their Olympic Games dreams.”
Duracell Virtual Stadium
Duracell
is encouraging fans to band together in its online Virtual Stadium to
support the athletes who are hoping to make Team USA. Here people can
leave video, text and photo messages of encouragement for specific
athletes, sports or Team USA in general. The site also features a
navigable mosaic that allows consumers and athletes to search for
messages left for a specific athlete or sport. Culminating at the Games,
Team USA athletes will be able to interact with the Virtual Stadium in
person through motion-sensing technology. Consumers and athletes can
access the Virtual Stadium via Facebook (Facebook.com/Duracell)
and a free mobile application. Consumers can also participate via
Twitter by using the hashtag #GivePower and letting @Duracell
know who they are supporting.
Duracell Power Athletes
The
Duracell roster of athletes will bolster the “Rely on Copper to Go for
the Gold” program through their support at events, social media
activations and ongoing fan engagement.
“Training for the Olympic Games is an incredibly grueling process, and
hearing, seeing and reading fans’ messages of support remind us that we
represent the red, white and blue. That makes us train harder, try
harder and compete with a winning edge,” said Summer Sanders. “Please
join me in supporting the athletes by heading to the Duracell Virtual
Stadium to cheer on Team USA.”
-
Dwight Howard: Arguably one of the most dominant and
charismatic forces in professional basketball, Howard is teaming with
Duracell on his path to the Olympic Games. Howard has an arsenal of
accolades for his powerful game including an Olympic Games Gold medal,
four All-NBA First Team selections, six NBA All-Star appearances and
three consecutive NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards.
-
Summer Sanders: An Olympic Games Gold medalist and mother,
Sanders will serve as the brand’s Copper Correspondent for the
duration of the program, rallying fans behind Team USA and providing
insight and regular updates as the Duracell athletes train for the
gold. Sanders understands firsthand the power of fan support to
motivate and inspire, as it helped lead her to the 1992 Olympic Games
in Barcelona where she emerged as the most decorated U.S. swimmer,
winning four medals – two gold, a silver and a bronze.
-
Hunter Kemper: A highly-decorated triathlete and father, Kemper
recently experienced the strength of fan support as he persevered
through injury to now be training for his fourth Olympic Games. Kemper
has twice been named the United States Olympic Committee’s (USOC)
Triathlete of the Year, and in 2005 was named the USOC Male Sportsman
of the Year.
-
Mark and Diana Lopez: The youngest members of the “first family
of Taekwondo,” the Lopez siblings know the importance of support from
those around them. Since a young age, they have trained at their
family’s facility in Houston and competed at the national and global
level. In 2008, their family made Olympic Games history by becoming
the first to have three siblings competing on the same U.S. Olympic
Team since 1904. Both Mark and Diana hold a world championship title,
and a silver and bronze Olympic Games medal, respectively.
To learn more about Duracell’s “Rely on Copper to Go for the Gold”
program and to support Team USA, visit Duracell’s Facebook page (Facebook.com/Duracell).
Proud Sponsor of Mom
Duracell’s
“Rely on Copper to Go for the Gold” program is a part of P&G’s larger
sponsorship of the Olympic Games. As part of its “Thank You, Mom”
campaign for the London 2012 Olympic Games, P&G is taking the time to
thank one of the most powerful people in an athlete’s life – Mom.
Whether getting them started in the sport, being in the stands, or
offering a shoulder for tears of victory or defeat, a mom powers her
children, and for that P&G is saying “Thank you, Mom.”
In support of Moms and the “Thank You, Mom” campaign, Summer Sanders and
other Olympians are taking the time to recognize these important women.
Defining her as her largest source of inspiration, Summer said, “I am
very confident in saying I could not have won my gold medal without her
unwavering love and support. Thank you, Mom!”
To learn more about the “Thank You, Mom” campaign, go to http://www.facebook.com/thankyoumom.
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 lighting, renewable power and wireless charging
technologies to help consumers live life without limits. Visit www.duracell.com
for more information, follow us on Twitter.com/Duracell,
and like us on Facebook.com/Duracell.
About Procter & Gamble
P&G touches and improves the
lives of about 4.4 billion people around the world with its portfolio of
trusted, quality brands. The Company's leadership brands include
Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®,
Dawn®, Fairy®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®,
Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®,
Braun®, Fusion®, Ace®, Febreze®, and Ambi Pur®. With operations in about
80 countries, P&G brands are available in more than 180 countries
worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com
for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.
1 Only video submissions are eligible for the Grand Prize
trip to the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. All submissions (video,
photo and message) are eligible to win one of the available $500 Visa®
gift cards.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50213554&lang=en
Source: Procter & Gamble
Duracell
Kurt Iverson, 203-796-4669
iverson.k@pg.com
or
Citizen
Paine
Kristen Mueller, 212-613-4952
kristen.mueller@citizenrelations.com
Touching lives, improving life. P&G™