Duracell Game: Power Solutions
Client: Procter & Gamble of Brazil Brand: Duracell Project: Gamified Web Experience Role: Lead UXUI Designer Year: 2014
Client: Procter & Gamble of Brazil
Brand: Duracell
Project: Gamified Web Experience
Role: Lead UXUI Designer
Year: 2014
Duracell presented a challenge to create an online activation campaign for the launch of its new Power Solutions products. Rather than a traditional campaign, this project leveraged gamification to introduce these innovations in a fun and immersive environment. An advergame was the perfect choice, allowing users to experience the products' superior performance through interactive gameplay. By integrating product benefits into the game, the goal was to boost user engagement, enhance brand awareness, and create a memorable digital experience while reinforcing Duracell’s core message of reliability and performance.
Duracell presented a challenge to create an online activation campaign for the launch of its new Power Solutions products. Rather than a traditional campaign, this project leveraged gamification to introduce these innovations in a fun and immersive environment. An advergame was the perfect choice, allowing users to experience the products' superior performance through interactive gameplay. By integrating product benefits into the game, the goal was to boost user engagement, enhance brand awareness, and create a memorable digital experience while reinforcing Duracell’s core message of reliability and performance.
Challenges
Challenges
Defining the user experience
and interaction logic
Defining the user experience
and interaction logic
Defining the user experience
and interaction logic
Designing engaging user interfaces and visuals
Designing engaging user interfaces and visuals
Designing engaging user interfaces and visuals
Functionality planning, and overall game mechanics
Functionality planning, and overall game mechanics
Functionality planning, and overall game mechanics
Collab with developers on animations and transitions
Collab with developers on animations and transitions
Collab with developers on animations and transitions
Wireframing and prototyping the game flow
Wireframing and prototyping the game flow
Wireframing and prototyping the game flow
Aligning gaming content with business goals
Aligning gaming content with business goals
Aligning gaming content with business goals
Creation of all looping music and sound effects
Creation of all looping music and sound effects
Creation of all looping music and sound effects
Strategy
Strategy
The game was designed to spark curiosity and drive participation by challenging players to finish as quickly as possible, making time a crucial factor. Each level introduced a new Duracell product, highlighting its unique advantages in an interactive and playful way.
To add a social element, after completing all missions, players could invite friends via email for help, earning a 1-second bonus per referral (up to 3 seconds max). To join the leaderboard and compete for the grand prize (Duracell backpack with the featured Power Solutions products) players had to fill out a sign-up form.
The game was designed to spark curiosity and drive participation by challenging players to finish as quickly as possible, making time a crucial factor. Each level introduced a new Duracell product, highlighting its unique advantages in an interactive and playful way.
To add a social element, after completing all missions, players could invite friends via email for help, earning a
1-second bonus per referral (up to 3 seconds max). To join the leaderboard and compete for the grand prize (Duracell backpack with the featured Power Solutions products) players had to fill out a sign-up form.
Cooper & Black: Demonstrating brands’s quality and benefit by comparing battery lifespan.
Cooper & Black: Demonstrating brands’s quality and benefit by comparing battery lifespan.
Power Pix: Highlighting its specialized use for digital cameras, capable of capturing 200+ photos.
Power Pix: Highlighting its specialized use for digital cameras, capable of capturing 200+ photos.
Ultra M3: Showcasing its superior performance in high-tech equipment with Power Check integration.
Ultra M3: Showcasing its superior performance in high-tech equipment with Power Check integration.
Rechargeables: Offering long-lasting, reusable power storage with pre-charged capability.
Rechargeables: Offering long-lasting, reusable power storage with pre-charged capability.
The new Duracell Explorer flashlight: Providing safety and high-intensity lighting with xenon bulbs.
The new Duracell Explorer flashlight: Providing safety and high-intensity lighting with xenon bulbs.
Game Narrative & Mechanics
Game Narrative & Mechanics
Storyline
Storyline
The game takes place in a remote location called Darkness Mountain, named after the overwhelming presence of conventional batteries that have lost their charge. Our hero, the Duracell Bunny, embarks on a mission to restore energy using Duracell’s Power Solutions.
The game takes place in a remote location called Darkness Mountain, named after the overwhelming presence of conventional batteries that have lost their charge. Our hero, the Duracell Bunny, embarks on a mission to restore energy using Duracell’s Power Solutions.
Game Structure
Game Structure
The game’s streamlined structure consisted of multiple levels, each designed to introduce a new product while presenting a unique challenge. To succeed, players had to make use of the new product and demonstrate skill in completing the missions.
The game’s streamlined structure consisted of multiple levels, each designed to introduce a new product while presenting a unique challenge. To succeed, players had to make use of the new product and demonstrate skill in completing the missions.
LEVEL #1
The Great Choice:
Players choose between Duracell and common zinc batteries.
After making their choice, players guide Bunny and his vehicle through an obstacle-filled road to the base of the Darkness Mountain.
Only those choosing Duracell successfully complete the mission.
The Great Choice:
Players choose between Duracell and common zinc batteries.
After making their choice, players guide Bunny and his vehicle through an obstacle-filled road to the base of the Darkness Mountain.
Only those choosing Duracell successfully complete the mission.
The Great Choice:
Players choose between Duracell and common zinc batteries.
After making their choice, players guide Bunny and his vehicle through an obstacle-filled road to the base of the Darkness Mountain.
Only those choosing Duracell successfully complete the mission.
LEVEL #2
Ultra Bunny:
Players insert the Ultra M3 battery into a jet pack to launch Bunny higher than the clouds, reaching the peak of a mountain with a clear view of Darkness Mountain.
The challenge is to complete the route in the shortest time possible while avoiding falling ‘Drained Bunnies’ parachuting down.
Ultra Bunny:
Players insert the Ultra M3 battery into a jet pack to launch Bunny higher than the clouds, reaching the peak of a mountain with a clear view of Darkness Mountain.
The challenge is to complete the route in the shortest time possible while avoiding falling ‘Drained Bunnies’ parachuting down.
Ultra Bunny:
Players insert the Ultra M3 battery into a jet pack to launch Bunny higher than the clouds, reaching the peak of a mountain with a clear view of Darkness Mountain.
The challenge is to complete the route in the shortest time possible while avoiding falling ‘Drained Bunnies’ parachuting down.
LEVEL #3
Flash Pix:
From the mountain peak, players must use Power Pix batteries and a digital camera to locate and photograph ‘Drained Bunnies’ hidden in the Darkness Mountain.
These geotagged photos will be used in a later mission.
Flash Pix:
From the mountain peak, players must use Power Pix batteries and a digital camera to locate and photograph ‘Drained Bunnies’ hidden in the Darkness Mountain.
These geotagged photos will be used in a later mission.
Flash Pix:
From the mountain peak, players must use Power Pix batteries and a digital camera to locate and photograph ‘Drained Bunnies’ hidden in the Darkness Mountain.
These geotagged photos will be used in a later mission.
LEVEL #4
Time to Recharge:
Players must pilot a helicopter powered by Rechargeable Batteries to fly over the Darkness Mountain and to drop locators on the previously photographed locations.
Halfway through, the battery runs out, and Bunny must land and use his charger to recharge the Duracell batteries.
Time to Recharge:
Players must pilot a helicopter powered by Rechargeable Batteries to fly over the Darkness Mountain and to drop locators on the previously photographed locations.
Halfway through, the battery runs out, and Bunny must land and use his charger to recharge the Duracell batteries.
Time to Recharge:
Players must pilot a helicopter powered by Rechargeable Batteries to fly over the Darkness Mountain and to drop locators on the previously photographed locations.
Halfway through, the battery runs out, and Bunny must land and use his charger to recharge the Duracell batteries.
LEVEL #5
Energy in Sight:
Once in the Darkness Mountain, Bunny must find the locators in a pitch-black labyrinth using his new Duracell Explorer flashlight.
After activating all locators, players tag friends via email to send a Duracell battery shipment, which is dropped on the locators to energize the mountain and free the ‘Drained Bunnies.’
Energy in Sight:
Once in the Darkness Mountain, Bunny must find the locators in a pitch-black labyrinth using his new Duracell Explorer flashlight.
After activating all locators, players tag friends via email to send a Duracell battery shipment, which is dropped on the locators to energize the mountain and free the ‘Drained Bunnies.’
Energy in Sight:
Once in the Darkness Mountain, Bunny must find the locators in a pitch-black labyrinth using his new Duracell Explorer flashlight.
After activating all locators, players tag friends via email to send a Duracell battery shipment, which is dropped on the locators to energize the mountain and free the ‘Drained Bunnies.’
Visual Animation Direction for Developers
Visual Animation Direction for Developers
Close collaboration with developers optimized animations without compromising visual quality. Here are visual animated references created to help developers achieve the expected mechanics and movements, maintaining immersion and guiding players naturally through the gameplay.
Close collaboration with developers optimized animations without compromising visual quality. Here are visual animated references created to help developers achieve the expected mechanics and movements, maintaining immersion and guiding players naturally through the gameplay.
User Experience In-Game Preview
User Experience In-Game Preview
Project Roadmap Overview
Project Roadmap Overview
This 10-week roadmap outlines the development of the game, from start to launch.
Key phases include design, development, user data capture, animation, testing, and approval, ensuring a seamless and polished launch. 🚀
This 10-week roadmap outlines the development of the game, from start to launch.
Key phases include design, development, user data capture, animation, testing, and approval, ensuring a seamless and polished launch. 🚀
Before vs. During Game Impact
Before vs. During Game Impact
The Duracell Game significantly increased user engagement, leading to higher time on site, more pages per visit, and a rise in returning visitors. The sharp drop in bounce rate confirmed its effectiveness in keeping users engaged. Running for one month, the project maintained strong participation throughout, with a surge in visits during its launch, demonstrating the game's powerful appeal in gamification-driven digital marketing.
The Duracell Game significantly increased user engagement, leading to higher time on site, more pages per visit, and a rise in returning visitors. The sharp drop in bounce rate confirmed its effectiveness in keeping users engaged. Running for one month, the project maintained strong participation throughout, with a surge in visits during its launch, demonstrating the game's powerful appeal in gamification-driven digital marketing.
-78.8%
Bounce Rate Improvement
The bounce rate improved by 78.8%, meaning users stayed and explored more pages instead of leaving immediately.
+134%
Pages per Visit
Users visited more pages per session, showing the game encouraged deeper engagement.
+497%
Avg. Time on Site
Visitors spent 5x more time per session, compared to just 41 sec before, proving the game significantly improved retention and kept users engaged longer.
+10%
Retention Growth
After the game launch, returning visitors increased by 10%, proving its impact on engagement and brand loyalty.
Duracell Site Overall Performance
Duracell Game Performance
Key Learnings & Takeaways
Key Learnings & Takeaways
This project successfully combined storytelling, interactivity, and brand positioning into an engaging digital experience. The competitive element fueled participation, while the interactive product demonstrations reinforced Duracell’s key value propositions.
Launched in 2014, the Duracell Game emerged at a pivotal moment, just before mobile apps overtook browser-based experiences as the dominant digital platform. By increasing time on site and reducing bounce rates, it proved that well-designed interactive experiences not only capture attention but also improve retention and brand awareness.
This case highlights the importance of crafting immersive, user-centered experiences that go beyond traditional marketing, reinforcing how UX/UI can drive meaningful digital engagement.
This project successfully combined storytelling, interactivity, and brand positioning into an engaging digital experience. The competitive element fueled participation, while the interactive product demonstrations reinforced Duracell’s key value propositions.
Launched in 2014, the Duracell Game emerged at a pivotal moment, just before mobile apps overtook browser-based experiences as the dominant digital platform. By increasing time on site and reducing bounce rates, it proved that well-designed interactive experiences not only capture attention but also improve retention and brand awareness.
This case highlights the importance of crafting immersive, user-centered experiences that go beyond traditional marketing, reinforcing how UX/UI can drive meaningful digital engagement.
Engagement: Thousands of daily players spread the game virally.
Social Interaction: Players invited friends to help complete missions, enhancing organic reach.
Conversion Impact: Increased interest and sales of Duracell’s new Power Solutions.
Project featured in Behance Advertising
Visual Showcase: UI & In-Game Elements
Visual Showcase: UI & In-Game Elements
DARK LABYRINTH
Here is the Level 5 labyrinth fully revealed, displaying the positions of the sensors that players needed to find and activate to complete the mission.
In contrast, the detail image highlights the challenge of limited visibility, showing how the labyrinth was only partially illuminated by the Duracell Bunny’s flashlight.
LOADING
Duracell PowerCheck technology visor served as inspiration for the loading graphic used in the game.
GAME INTRO
The map was initially hand-drawn by me for the early briefings but was later incorporated into the game, fitting seamlessly within the overall visuals.
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