Panasonic’s most recent “Life is Electric” campaign, focusing on battery charge, won the Design Grand Prix at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. As an electronics manufacturer, Panasonic wanted to reach out and encourage consumers to think about the real value of electricity. 21 eneloop batteries were charged with energy created in daily life, before being released in custom-designed illustrated packages illustrating everything from the action of a hamster on an exercise wheel and the routines of cheerleaders to the sunlight required to help a cat sleep comfortably. The Panasonic Life is Electric television commercial (see below) pointed viewers to the dedicated site, dedicated website where they could watch short film clips for each of the 21 methods. Customers were invited to buy the packaged batteries online at Amazon.com Japan. Exhibitions provided an opportunity for a close-up look at the process of making batteries.
The Panasonic Life Is Electric project is changing the way people think by transforming electricity from something that is taken for granted into something cute, beautiful, and cool that individuals can relate to on a personal level. The project has been featured at the RiSuPia Panasonic Digital Network Museum and events at Panasonic showrooms throughout Japan to foster the growth of scientists of the future, and is being incorporated into programs on information design theory and design science at Kyoto Seika University and the Kyoto University of Art and Design.
21 Sources of Power
- Cuddly Hamster Power: Charge level 0.34%. Charged by 6 hamsters running on 3 exercise wheels for 60 minutes
- Cheerful Pom Pom Power: Charge level 0.25%. Charged by 3 cheerleaders doing 10 routines in 12 minutes
- Ripped Workout Power: Charge level 17.7%. Charged by a really fit guy working out over 109 minutes
- Delicious Sun-dried Power: Charge level 36%. Charged by the sunlight used to dry 121 horse mackerel for 62 minutes
- Purifying Waterfall Power: Charge level 3.86%. Charged by a waterfall shared with a Buddhist pilgrim for 6 minutes
- Bartender’s Cocktail Power: Charge level 0.43%. Charged by a bartender mixing cocktails with a shaker for 33 minutes.
- Cool Dude Skate Power: Charge level 2.13%. Charged by a cool dude doing rad stuff for 32 minutes.
- Tangy Fruit Power Charge level 2.28%. Charged by fruit reacting with metal electrodes for 181 minutes.
- Determined Young Power. Charge level 42%. Charged by Youthful Determination and Tyre-Drag Workouts for 143 Minutes
- Fresh Cooked Power. Charge level 4.44 %. Charged by the heat used to cook 4 servings of rice over a campfire for 28 minutes
- Summertime Noodle Flume Power: Charge level 0.45%. Charged by the flow of water from a traditional Japanese noodle flume for 66 minutes
- Joyful Rope Skipping Power: Charge level 0.67%. Charged by 3 children skipping rope for 29 minutes.
- Lovingly Handmade Power: Charge level 4.67%. Charged by a woman using a treadle sewing machine to make children’s clothes for 44 minutes
- Romantic Pedal Power: Charge level 11.8%. Charged by a young couple pedalling a paddle boat for 58 romantic minutes
- Hard Working Power: Charge level 25.2%. Charged by a hard working man hauling dirt in a wheelbarrow for 83 minutes
- Kids Playtime Power: Charge level 99.5%. Charged by 10 excited kids spinning on a carousel for 63 minutes
- Speedy Messenger Power: Charge level %. Charged by a bicycle messenger doing a day’s work in 256 minutes
- Shaved Ice Power: Charge level 98.1%. Charged by making 100 servings of shaved ice in 41 minutes
- Fujiyama Sunrise Power: Charge level 5.39%. Charged by the light of the sun dawning on Mt. Fuji for 75 minutes
- Fresh Ground Power: Charge level 14.8%. Charged by grinding beans for 100 cups of coffee in 200 minutes
- Lazy Power: Charge level 6.21%. Charged by the sunlight required for one cat to sleep for comfortably for 130 minutes.
Panasonic Life Is Electric Credits
The Panasonic Life is Electric campaign was developed at Dentsu Inc, Tokyo, by creative director/art director Yoshihiro Yagi, copywriters Haruko Tsutsui and Marina Danjo, copywriter Scott Lehman (Lehman Ad), art director Taiji Kimora (Pen Inc.), designer Chihiro Kato, strategic planner Hajime Yakushiji, agency producer Koji Wada, account executives Nahoko Yokohama and Kyosuke Fujita.
Technical designers were Eiji Kamomiya, Hagi Yoshihisa, Hiroyuki Seino at Shimaele, Tatsuya Utsushikawa at Aquirax and Yusuke Sakurai at Artisan Inc.
Design work was done at Creative Power Unit by art director Daisuke Hatakeyama and designer Masashi Fujita.
Filming was shot by Caviar director Takuya Demura with Tyo Drive executive producer Shunichi Takano, producer Yuta Harasawa, production manager Maiko Fujiwara and gaffer Hiroki Nishigaya.
Illustration was by Blexbolex, represented by Natsuko Kida at Bureau Kida Sarl. Photography was by Fumihito Katamura, at Fumihito Katamura Photograph Office. Sound was produced by Toru Sasaki at Handsome Tracks Inc.
Web design was produced at Maskman Inc by web director Keigo Nakanishi and programmer Kenjiro Otsuka, with web designer Daisuke Shimokawa at Highlights Inc.