Energizer hands $10m regional brief to DDB

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