Daniel Lubetzky

Vitamin Water is running a creative ad campaign that is bursting with energy.  Situated at bus stops across the country, Vitamin Water ads contain USB ports in which people can charge their phones while waiting for the bus.  The ad sends a clear message: Vitamin Water is your source for all of your energy needs.

By Adeena Schlussel, spotted by Daniel Lubetzky.

Bus Stop Ads Recharge Your Battery

By Nic Halverson | Fri Jul 15, 2011 03:13 PM ET

How many times have you been waiting for a bus or a train when you hear that alarming beep? You take out your phone only to find the battery is drained and only a sliver of red remains. Foolishly, you dig for your charger and look around for an outlet that doesn’t exist. Well, search no more. Next time you’re in this pickle, you just might find what you’re looking for.

BLOG: When Will My Bus Come In?

In an effort to plug (pun intended) the "energy-boosting" properties of their drink, Vitaminwater is outfitting bus shelter ads in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston with 5-volt battery USB ports so users can charge their phones, iPods and gaming devices while on the go. Sure, it’s a brazen marketing campaign preying on the vulnerable, battery-depleted masses, but what isn’t these days?

The ad campaign is brainchild of Miami-based advertising agency, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, famous for their Truth anti-tobacco campaign. The agency has been named agency of the year for the second year in a row by Communication Arts.

Although bus shelters are literally a new outlet (Samsung offers this service in airports) creative marketing is no stranger to them. In 2009,the Got Milk? campaign rigged bus stations in San Francisco to smell like cookies.

Now if only an ad agency could come up with a way to recharge our spiritual batteries after enduring long, cross-town bus rides with loud talkers, sloppy eaters and crying babies. Wouldn’t that be something?