Powermat

Powermat

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) - If you're sick all the black cords out of their electronic equipment and have a phone charger, everywhere is a newcomer to the city, their hearts: Powermate, self - proclaimed pioneer of wireless charging. Tech geeks have been buzzing about the concept of wireless charging for some years, but being foreign to consumers in general. On the way to change next month when it unveils Powermat, a private marketer in the suburbs of Detroit, global campaign - just in time for the holiday season - to promote its namesake product, a glossy black that MAT works through technology known as magnetic induction. Powermat was created via a joint venture with Homedics (a company known for foot spas, pillows and massagers) and received a lot of attention when it showed off its mats at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Soon after, Beth Harrison Meyer, Powermat's director of product development and the lead on all marketing efforts, set about finding agencies to handle a broad launch for the device, choosing WPP's Maxus to handle media duties after a review and New York indie shop Woods Witt Dealy & Sons for creative. The push breaks in the U.S., U.K. and Italy on Oct. 5, with an integrated campaign that includes everything from airport signage and installations to a four-page insert in Wired magazine and full-page print ads in other publications, and a series of humorous 15- and 30-second commercials intended to show people's reactions to the new technology. Ms. Meyer declined to discuss spending for the launch, but industry executives estimate it at $10 million to $15 million for the first phase. The campaign will coincide with Powermat hitting shelves next month at two mega retailers, Best Buy and Target, which will also provide significant in-store marketing support. "You will not be able to walk into these retailers and miss Powermat," said Ms. Meyer, noting it bypassed specialty shops such as Brookstone, as the device aims to have broad appeal among consumers.

Powermat is a two-part system made up of an ultra-thin mat and a receiver. Both a portable and folding home version are launching at the same price point, $99.99. The Powermat's "powercube" receiver charges hundreds of devices, including iPhones, iPods, BlackBerrys, e-readers and a host of other electronics. Powermat also offers custom receivers for $29.99 to $39.99, such as a built-in iPod case and specially made battery doors that let consumers drop their devices directly on the mat to begin charging. It charges up to six devices at a time. "If you think about how much money we spend on accessories for phones and other devices, it is a small amount," Ms. Meyer said. "We expect to see it on a lot of wish lists." One feature that's sure to be a hit among greenies is that Powermat is energy-efficient, halting charging once a battery is full. "So many of the smartphones are battery hogs, so you can charge them at a useable level for you, " Ms. Meyer said. The concept behind the work, said Harry Woods of Woods Witt Dealy & Sons, is to show there's no need to fight that big bunch of cords sitting in your kitchen or crawling under your desk to plug something in.