Watch a Hunky Scientist Recharge Duracell's Creative Batteries

Holiday hijinks from VaynerMedia

Meet the Duracell Scientist. He’s a hunky brainiac, ready to pump up your holidays with a special blend of nickel and lithium.

The bespectacled boyo in a lab coat makes quite a first impression. He’s all about batteries (d’uh), lifting heavy stuff (why not?) and putting clueless shoppers in their place (dad had it coming).

Play

Nice flex, Duracell.

This marks VaynerMedia’s debut for the brand, and represents a change of pace. Duracell’s traded in yuletide tropes of late, with Rudolph Reindeer and related cuteness.

Those ads were fine, but nothing special.

Mr. Scientist seems more Gen Z-focused and memorable. The tagline, “Built Different,” echoes Apple’s famous slogan of yore. Odd choice. Maybe it’s supposed to be cheeky?

“We worked with director Vincent Peone, who is a master of in-the-moment improv,” Vayner N.Y. ECD Seth Jacobs tells Muse. “From breaking the fourth wall many times to yelling about Power Boost ingredients and lifting full shopping cars with one hand, we spent our shoot days laughing. Which is always a good sign.”

Indeed, the spot’s silly self-awareness seems merry and bright. Such stuff makes for shareable social stocking-stuffers, too.