Duracell Bunny

Duracell Bunny
First appearance 1973
Company Duracell
Information
Species Rabbit

The Duracell Bunny is an anthropomorphic pink rabbit powered by batteries, used to promote Duracell brand batteries. Advertisements are based on the concept that the bunny powered by a Duracell alkaline battery can continue functioning longer than an identical device running on inherently lower-duration zinc-carbon batteries. The advertisements usually feature the bunnies competing in some way, for example, in a game of football, a drumming competition or a race. In advertisements, the Duracell Bunny is either a standard battery-powered toy, a stop-motion puppet, or a CGI animated character.

The Duracell Bunny campaign was launched in 1973[1] and predates the Energizer Bunny, which was created in 1989.[2] There are differences in appearance—the Energizer Bunny wears sunglasses, has larger ears, is a different shade of pink, and has a different body shape. Also, while the Energizer Bunny is a single rabbit, the Duracell Bunnies are a species. The Energizer Bunny is depicted with a drum, because the Duracell Bunny toys had drums. The Duracell Bunny advertising campaign has changed, and Duracell Bunnies are usually depicted as doing something other than beating a drum.

When the Duracell Bunny debuted in North America, it was intended to be just a one-shot character, but when Energizer's parody became a great success, Duracell decided to revive the Duracell Bunny. The Duracell Bunny no longer appears in North America. This is due to Energizer filing a trademark claim for the marketing use of a "battery bunny" in the United States and Canada. However, it occasionally appears on grey market Duracells or counterfeit Duracells, usually of Chinese origin.

The Duracell Bunny was originally trademarked as Rampant Rabbit for use in the U.S. and other countries. Duracell failed to renew its U.S. trademark of the bunny and as a result, lost it. Energizer, seizing an opportunity, trademarked a new bunny for its use.

In Europe, Australia and South America the term "Duracell Bunny" (Conejo de Duracell in Spanish, Coelhinho da Duracell in Portuguese) has entered the vernacular as a term for anything that continues indefatigably, while in North America the term "Energizer Bunny" has a similar connotation.

In the U.K. in 1995, limited editions of the Bunny could be found wearing the kit of Blackburn Rovers – of whom the Bunny was an avid fan following their Premier League Title success.

In February 2016, Energizer filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Duracell. Energizer alleged that Duracell was using a pink bunny in its advertising in the United States, did not have any trademark rights in the United States in a pink bunny, and had violated an agreement between Energizer and Duracell governing the use of a pink bunny trademark in the U.S.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Bunny History". Archived from the original on May 5, 2010. It began in 1973, when breakthrough advertising was developed...A small pink, fluffy bunny was created, who, powered by Duracell batteries, was able to outlast all others in an array of colourful challenges....From 1973 through to 1980, the Duracell Bunny starred in a toy campaign, which was later rolled out around the world.
  2. ↑ "About the Energizer Bunny". Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, 1989.
  3. ↑ http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2016/02/19/p-g-faces-energizer-lawsuit.html
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