Energizer hands $10m regional brief to DDB

HONG KONG: Energizer has consolidated its Asia-Pacific advertising account with DDB following a review which included two Sydney-based agencies - Campaign Palace and incumbent George Patterson Bates. The move of the estimated US$10 million account follows DDB's win of Energizer's longer-lasting e2 brand two years ago when the the business was split into three parts - the base brand, Energizer alkaline batteries and e2. At that time, Bates held onto the base brand business. However, the base brand and Energizer alkaline assignments became largely inactive in Asia as Energizer focused on building the e2 platform, according to its Asia-Pacific area marketing director M.C. Lai. "We felt the way forward lay with e2 because it represents our future. But e2 is a premium product targeting more mature markets like Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia," said Lai. "For countries such as Sri Lanka and Vietnam, the alkaline battery brand is our mainstay so advertising associated with those products were used." The pitch, which took place in Energizer's regional base in Hong Kong, focused on both creative and strategic recommendations. It centred on creating a brand personality that encapsulated the three elements which made up Energizer. DDB Greater China president and chief executive officer, Aaron Lau, said: "This means we have to think about what the overall brand represents, not just say that Energizer outlasts its nearest competitor. "One of the problems of this category is that people take batteries for granted. What we have to do is to emotionally connect with consumers to move the brand into the future and at the same time highlight its superior performance," Lau said. Energizer's main competitor in Asia is Duracell. It claims leadership across the region in the hi-tech and alkaline battery markets. However, Energizer concedes it is in a neck-and-neck struggle with Duracell for supremacy in the alkaline market. There was no review of the media account, which is handled by Zenith.

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