Beware of Your Battery Changer

IPA Effectiveness Awards Case Study 2024

Procell, Duracell's brand for trade buyers, needed to drive sales and its share of the US market for supplying batteries to companies with more than 1,000 employees. To achieve these aims, Procell had to engage procurement functions within business customers, redefining value from the cost to buy batteries to the cost of replacing them. The Procell Battery Changer campaign humorously exposed the hidden cost of batteries, namely the labour cost of replacement, to make a lesser known, more expensive brand the brand of choice. As a result of advertising, Procell grew revenues by 12% and increased its market share at a rate of 10%.

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Client Statement

Stephen Pilcher, Marketing Director, Duracell Company

Procell, the professional arm of Duracell, faced a significant challenge: to break through the category clutter and deliver something unexpected in the typically mundane fields of batteries and procurement. Our goal was to stand out, grow the brand, and increase market share. By tapping into a deep and often overlooked consumer truth—that the true cost of batteries to a business extends beyond their purchase price—we reframed Procell’s value through a disruptive and humorous campaign. This approach not only cut through the noise but also sparked conversations about professional batteries among our customers. Despite our competitors having stronger brand equity and lower prices, we successfully grew our market share and improved all key brand metrics during a time when businesses were cutting back on spending. The combination of a powerful consumer insight, clear brand positioning, and a fun, simple idea was crucial to our success. Building on the great brand and business results, we refreshed the campaign in 2024 to focus on our new SaaS product launch. This product helps businesses save even more money, improve guest satisfaction, and reduce waste.