Going through a breakup is tough, but when the details of it become the plot for a reality TV show, it can be much tougher. Given the enormous amount of consumer attention the breakup between Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval of Vanderpump Rules received, we helped insert Duracell into a culturally relevant moment, by commenting on trending TikToks and mentioning that Duracell battery life (10+ years) was longer than Tom’s fidelity to Ariana. That immediately struck a chord, with one comment earning over 5000 likes and hundreds of replies. We used that comment to inform the video concept of “I Buy My Own Batteries Now,” featuring none other than Ariana Madix. By inserting Duracell into timely and relevant cultural conversation, we turned the brand into a supportive ally and helped it show up in new and unexpected ways.

Since the genesis of working with Duracell, we were tasked with rebuilding consumer awareness and consideration through culture for Duracell. Although there wasn’t a brief for this campaign,we recognized a unique scenario where attention around Vanderpump Rules reached a fever pitch. As a clip from the show of Ariana’s ex-boyfriend mentioning batteries gained virality, we knew this was the opportune moment to act quickly and let the world know that Duracell had Ariana’s back. In less than a week, the team wrote and produced the spot internally with their production company. By inspiring others to rally together for Ariana, we won over a whole new audience of reality TV fans.

After Ariana’s long-term boyfriend attempted to justify his cheating with an observation about who buys the batteries in their household, Duracell jumped headfirst into #Scandoval. Starring Ariana herself, Duracell joined #TeamAriana in a spot where she compared Duracell batteries to exactly what she is looking for in the future. Initially, we created social posts around the subject, which then became the signal to create the thirty-second satirical video, “I Buy My Own Batteries.” From concept ideation to launch, the campaign was pulled together in less than two weeks. The brand posted the video on Instagram and TikTok and strategically promoted the content during the “Vanderpump Rules” reunion; further deploying cultural relevance. To capitalize on the viral momentum and capture the attention of #TeamAriana viewers, the media company coordinated a paid media flight to amplify the campaign video on Bravo fan-favorite streaming services, Amazon and Peacock.

Duracell’s main goal for this campaign was to drive relevance, and we did just that by inserting the brand into this year’s most talked-about cultural conversation. As a result of our efforts, the activation earned 5.38 billion impressions with an estimated ad value of more than $49.8 million, over 23.9 million views on TikTok and Instagram, and 80+ press placements. In addition, the brand received content stitches and comments from major internet personalities including CommentsByBravo, RealityOps, and NotSkinnyButNotFat. Notable brands including Bounty Paper Towels, Paper Mate and Sharpie left comments, and well-known content creators such as Zachary Reality, CourtRevolution and more engaged with the content. As a result, Duracell’s following on TikTok grew nearly 25% percent.