The images are lush and inviting, colourful pictures and videos of the American West – of the Grand Canyon, of Yosemite National Park, of the Badlands, of Joshua Tree National Park. On a computer at full screen, they can lull viewers into a feeling of calm and refreshed optimism, of deep respect for nature and the environment.
In fact, the images are brought to you by a company that manufactures what the Canadian government has declared might be a threat to the environment and public health: disposable batteries.
After 21 years, the Energizer battery brand is disposing of its own valuable energy source, the famous bunny-powered tagline “Keep Going.” In its place, this month it is rolling out a new banner, or marketing platform, that it hopes will appeal to consumers who are increasingly looking to brands to help them change the world: “Now That’s Positive Energy.” The company believes the new positioning, which in the U.S. includes a charitable program supporting the national parks system, will help it appeal to consumers through cause marketing efforts that include tree-planting and science education programs.
But it’s not the only battery-maker reaching for an unlikely emotional connection: Energizer’s chief competition, Duracell, is in the midst of a program celebrating what it calls “the unsung heroes in our communities,” donating up to 200,000 batteries to volunteer firefighting services across Canada.
And as both confront the hard reality of being branded commodities in a tough economy, where consumers are looking warily at premium-priced brands, the companies are hoping that a better bottom line can be found by helping to create a better world.
“It’s bringing a real spirit of positive energy to the world at a time when we need it, coming out of a global recession, and there’s a real need for optimism,” suggested Kent Hatton, the brand group director of Energizer Canada, based in Mississauga, Ont. “We believe that everyone has the power to make a positive impact on the world around them.” The battery company is trying to position itself as being in the sweet spot between performance and responsibility: A new TV commercial touts its new lithium battery, which it claims lasts up to eight times longer in digital cameras than its regular alkaline cell, thus creating significantly less landfill waste.
On Thursday morning, Mr. Hatton appeared at Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works to announce a $100,000 fundraising initiative for the ecological non-profit organization, with a backdrop of local public school students in attendance for the Kids World of Energy Festival. The Energizer program, housed at NowThatsPositivEnergy.ca, is calling on Canadians to “do something little, help something big,” such as taking shorter showers, planting a tree, recycling and turning off lights.
“All of that is what we mean by spreading the positive energy, and it’s all part of this infectious campaign that ties very nicely to where consumers are going in terms of social media,” Mr. Hatton said.
Many pledges currently on the website have a loose interpretation of the better-world goal: While some people say they’ll start collecting rainwater in barrels, or picking up garbage, others are pledging to sing songs with their family or share their umbrella with a stranger.
All of which is fine with Energizer. “Consumers use portable power for both rational reasons – they’re looking for quality, features and benefits – and the emotional side of the category,” Mr. Hatton noted. “We want to appeal to that. There’s definitely a trend toward more social responsibility and brand reputation and environmental stewardship of products.”
Roughly 700 million disposable batteries are sold in Canada each year. In 2009, Environment Canada estimated that only five per cent of batteries sold in Ontario were recycled, with much lower reclamation rates in other provinces, where similar programs do not exist. And while most batteries no longer contain mercury, their metal composition is still best kept out of landfills.
