Procter & Gamble Press Release

BETHEL, Conn.-- September 17, 2012 -- No matter where he came from or the circumstances he was dealt, he powered through to defy the odds and become one of the best players in the National Football League (NFL). This NFL season, Duracell, the Trusted Battery Power of the NFL, has teamed up with All-Pro Linebacker Patrick Willis to share his inspiring journey in this video and encourage fans to trust the power within to achieve their dreams. In return for sharing their stories, Duracell will guarantee access to power both on and off the field for future generations through a youth football scholarship fund and school equipment, battery and device donations. All donations will be powered by Duralock with Power Preserve technology, guaranteeing power in storage for up to 10 years*.

Consumers can use the #TrustYourPower hashtag on Twitter or share a story of trusting their power on Duracell's Facebook page to trigger a $1 commitment (up to $200,000) from Duracell, providing disadvantaged youth with scholarships to ProCamps, an organization that runs professional athletes' personal sports camps for children ages 7-14. If the goal is reached, consumers will help send 1,000 underprivileged kids across the country to one of the approximate 40 different ProCamps of professional athletes.

"Duracell is committed to empowering life without limits and we strive to accomplish that both in the products we create and the programs we develop," said Volker Kuhn, general manager for Duracell North America. "We were touched by Patrick's story of trusting his power to overcome adversity, and with the Trust Your Power program we will give kids in similar situations the opportunity to realize their power both on and off the field."

"ProCamps is incredibly excited by the steps Duracell is taking to provide underserved children the opportunity to attend a camp where we focus on building character, skills and confidence," said Eric Liebler, Senior Vice President, ProCamps. "The smiles, knowledge and self-worth these camps produce in children is not something that should be limited by money, so we applaud Duracell and encourage consumers to participate and help power these dreams."

Willis attributes football for helping him power though the adversity that he faced as a child in rural Bruceton, TN. From a young age, he committed himself to placing the same importance on his studies as he did on the football field, even carrying a flashlight to away games so he could complete his homework on the bus on the way home. For more on Patrick's inspiring story, consumers can click here to watch his journey to the NFL.

"Trust Your Power is about finding the power within to power through everything life throws at you, in football and in life." said Willis. "I am passionate about this program with Duracell and helping to make an impact in the lives of kids who may not have this opportunity otherwise."

In addition to the ProCamps scholarship fund, Duracell and Patrick will be enlisting additional NFL talent to make surprise visits to underfunded schools across the country, providing them with the equipment and battery-powered devices they need to succeed both on and off the field. The battery-powered devices will include power for on and off the field, including stopwatches for training, calculators for the classroom and flashlights as inspired by Patrick's story.

All of the devices donated will be powered by Duracell with Duralock Power Preserve Technology. Duracell with Duralock is packaged with a "good until" date and is recognizable by the new Duralock ring providing consumers with instant recognition and the comfort of knowing that Duracell batteries left sitting in a drawer or locker will still work when they are needed most. Whether it's a CopperTop, an Ultra Power, or a Rechargable battery, Duracell's Duralock technology means that there's a battery best suited for every lifestyle. The entire portfolio of Duracell batteries including Ultra (AA/AAA), CopperTop (AA/AAA/C/D/9V), Rechargeable (AA/AAA), Hearing Aid and Coin Button cells will carry a Duralock Power Preserve guarantee.

Consumers can share their stories of trusting their power on Duracell's Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/Duracell) or by tweeting with the #TrustYourPower hashtag. To learn more about the Trust Your Power program, visit Facebook.com/Duracell.

The ‘Trust Your Power' film was created by Saatchi & Saatchi New York.


Originally posted on Busnesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120917005882/en/Duracell-San-Francisco-49er-Patrick-Willis-Challenge