| The Energizer Bunny is an advertising icon and mascot of Energizer batteries. The pink hare in dark glasses and blue sandals, which incessantly beats a drum, has been popular amongst consumers around the world for over 17 years (after its debut in 1989) and entered into the history of advertisements as one of the most successful marketing icons.
Experts in the marketing field unanimously declared that Energizer Bunny is a unique example of how the marketing icon can emphasize and express the essence of marketing a product, in this case, "long-lasting" batteries, so interestingly, fresh, unobtrusive and unforgettable. In the due course of time, from an exclusively marketing and commercial object, the Energizer Bunny has turned into a certain symbol of durability and infinite work. The term “Energizer Bunny” was incorporated in the spoken language and was used to characterize people, distinguished with inexhaustible energy and activeness. Even president Jr. Bush referred to the Energizer Bunny in his electoral speech!
The history of the Energizer Bunny started with a preview trailer, in which, employees of the Energizer laboratory tested the new batteries in a pink hare toy. When the toy was switched on, nobody and nothing could stop it. The Energizer Bunny went towards the door and disappeared behind it. Since then, the Energizer Bunny, which disappeared from the laboratory, continues to walk from one advertisement into another, ensuring popularity and commercial success to the Energizer batteries.
The Advertising Age included the Energizer Bunny in the hundreds of the most successful marketing campaigns and in five of the most outstanding icons of the 20th century. Besides this, the Energizer Bunny was conferred with several awards in the marketing field awarded at different times.
Despite all the awards of the Energizer Bunny, the hare Duracell is more popular in Europe, which "works" in the promotional advertisements of other batteries. Though, the Duracell Bunny did not win such flattering rewards and awards, it would be unfair not to mention it, since, it was the first to appear and served as prototype for the American fellow.
In the Duracell advertisements, several bunnies, operated by various types of batteries, compete with each other. The aim of the advertisement is to show that the Duracell Bunny always works longer than others and always comes out as the winner.
It is no wonder that people frequently get confused with these two icons: the Energizer Bunny and Duracell Bunny. However, considerable differences exist between them. For example, the pink bunny always beats a drum in the advertisements of the Energizer batteries, whereas, the Bunnies in advertisements by Duracell batteries play football or take part in marathon races and naturally, the Duracell Bunny always wins over the contenders.
Nevertheless, the activity areas of bunnies are clearly demarcated: the Duracell Bunny does not appear in advertisements in the USA and the Energizer Bunny is a rare visitor in Europe. |
Energizer Bunny has been a marketing icon of Energizer batteries since 1990s. It originally appeared as a parody for TV advertisements with Duracell Bunny who always outlasts any other toys powered by other batteries. In the parody Energizer bunny appears then swinging a huge mallet over Duracell Bunny's head. Eventually cool features of Energizer Bunny - sunglasses, blue sandals and a huge bass drum - made him more popular than Duracell Bunny, and established Energizer as the world's top battery brand.
