Duracell’s Bitter Truths Campaign: Combining Playful Art with Child Safety

Duracell has launched an innovative and impactful out-of-home (OOH) campaign titled "Bitter Truths", developed by integrated creative agency VML UK. This creative initiative highlights Duracell's commitment to child safety by showcasing its unique bitter coating technology on lithium coin batteries — designed to prevent accidental ingestion by children.

The Growing Concern of Battery Ingestion

The rise in the use of lithium coin batteries in household products like remote controls, key fobs, scales, and flameless candles has led to a significant increase in child ingestion accidents. Research shows that since 2002, the number of these incidents has more than quadrupled globally.

To address this growing issue, Duracell has introduced a safety feature that sets them apart from competitors. Their lithium coin batteries are coated with BITREX technology, a non-toxic substance known as the most bitter on earth. This coating creates a repulsive taste that encourages children to spit out the battery, reducing the risk of accidental ingestion.

A Bold and Creative Approach to Safety

Duracell’s Bitter Truths campaign stands out for its clever and playful execution. The campaign features whimsical, childhood-style illustrations with a dark twist — juxtaposing childhood innocence with the harsh reality of potential safety hazards.

Marco Montanaro, associate marketing director at Duracell, explained the creative direction behind the campaign:

"Child Safety is a key issue for Duracell. We wanted to take a bold approach to communicate this serious message. We knew that to cut through all the safety messages out in the world, we needed creative that is not only visually impactful but humorously resonates with parents everywhere with its tongue-in-cheek approach.”

Collaborating with Renowned Children's Illustrators

To execute this creative vision, Duracell partnered with celebrated children’s illustrators, including:

• David Litchfield – Creator of the best-selling The Bear & The Piano
• Maxine Vee – A Canadian artist known for her work with Disney
• Arcade Studio – A 3D animation team that brought the illustrations to life

The result is a series of engaging visuals that capture the attention of parents by blending playful, nostalgic illustrations with a serious safety message. The tagline "Some things are too bitter for kids to swallow" reinforces the campaign’s core message and the importance of battery safety.

Strategic Placement and Maximum Impact

The campaign is strategically deployed across digital out-of-home (DOOH) platforms and supported by a robust social media strategy to maximize reach and engagement. The creative use of high-traffic locations and digital screens ensures that the message reaches a broad audience of parents and caregivers.

Ryan McManus, chief creative officer at VML UK, summarized the campaign’s strategy:

"People generally ignore safety messages, so we decided to speak in a way that parents of young children wouldn’t ignore. We created a set of innocent kids' illustrations from cartoons and bedtime stories, but within them sits a bitter truth — designed to capture parents' attention and tell them about this incredible safety feature."

A Creative and Effective Safety Message

Duracell’s Bitter Truths campaign masterfully balances creativity with a critical safety message. By blending playful art with an important public safety issue, Duracell reinforces its commitment to protecting families while setting a new standard in product safety and advertising creativity.