Duracell uses a Star Wars-themed ad to launch a million-battery donation drive to power toys children can play with during their hospital stay.
Duracell announced last week that it will donate 1 million batteries to 147 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals across the United States with the release of a Star Wars Rogue One-themed commercial.
The 60-second spot, which features rebel kids trying to fight stormtroopers in order to deliver a toy R2-D2 to a sick patient at a children's hospital, generated a good deal of media buzz for the battery company and the health system.
"The sheer power of Star Wars has been igniting imaginations for decades so we felt like it was a great fit for a holiday campaign," Ramon Velutini, marketing director for Duracell, told Mashable.
"Duracell and Children's Miracle Network Hospitals are powering imaginations of brave rebels everywhere," a voiceover states at the end of the action.
After the ad ends, a call to action plays. "Join Duracell in donating to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals to power imaginations of kids throughout the holidays," the voiceover says, while a link to the donation microsite is displayed.
The donated batteries will be used to power toys for children to play with during their hospital stay, according to Children's Miracle Network. Because play is outside of typical medical treatments, toys are almost always funded by individual and corporate donations.
"Tapping into our imaginations during the healing and recovery process reduces stress, pain, and anxiety," Charlotte Reznick, PhD, an internationally recognized child educational psychologist, said on the Duracell donation microsite.
"I'm delighted that Duracell has embraced the fact that letting kids be kids through imaginative play is healthy—mentally, emotionally and physically."
Since the video was posted on YouTube on October 17, it has been viewed more than 950,000 times. Children's Miracle Network shared the post on Facebook, writing "Powering the healing power of play, Duracell is."