On Strategy Showcase: Procell's B2B Reframe – From Price to Buy to Cost to Replace

Hosted by Fergus O’Carroll, the "On Strategy Showcase" podcast delves into the strategic narratives behind successful marketing campaigns. In the February 2, 2025 episode titled "Procell's B2B Reframe: From Price to Buy to Cost to Replace," Fergus explores Duracell’s B2B division, Procell, and its innovative approach to marketing professional batteries.

Introduction to the Campaign

In this episode, Fergus O’Carroll introduces Keith Browning, Director of Brand Marketing at LinkedIn, who discusses LinkedIn’s own B2B advertising efforts. While brief, Keith highlights the importance of accurate targeting in B2B marketing, noting, “ad waste is a universally known but actually rarely talked about phenomenon” (03:05).

Procell's Background and Strategic Shift

Fergus then welcomes Steve Pilcher, Duracell’s Global Brand Director based in Geneva, and Neil Godber, Executive Strategy Director at VML UK in London.

Steve Pilcher provides context on Procell’s evolution:

“In 2016, we got divested from Procter and Gamble and became part of the Berkshire Hathaway Company... since then, we've had a lot of focus on it.” (06:04)

Procell was established to cater specifically to the B2B market, differentiating professional-grade batteries from consumer offerings. This strategic rebranding aimed to address the unique demands of professional devices, such as those used in hospitals and hotels.

Challenges in the B2B Battery Market

Neil Godber elaborates on the competitive landscape Procell faces:

“Procell is a smaller brand with much lower levels of awareness and consideration compared to giants like Energizer and Rayovac.” (09:53)

The primary challenges identified include:

1. Uninteresting Category: Batteries are often viewed as low-priority purchases, especially in procurement departments where decisions are typically driven by price and trust in established brands.

2. Insignificance in Purchasing Decisions: Batteries constitute less than 1% of procurement baskets, making it difficult to capture attention.

3. Perceived Irrelevance: The only time batteries are considered is when they fail, posing a challenge in maintaining consistent engagement.

Strategic Shift: From Price to Cost to Replace

To overcome these challenges, Procell adopted a strategic reframing:

“Change your mindset from price per cell to cost to replace.” (22:10)

This approach shifts the focus from the initial cost of batteries to the ongoing costs associated with labor required to replace them frequently. By emphasizing that Procell’s batteries last longer, organizations can reduce labor costs and increase overall efficiency.

Creative Strategy and Action Figures

A pivotal element of the campaign was the creation of battery changer action figures, designed to personify the wasted labor caused by frequently replacing batteries.

Neil Godber explains:

“We created a guy or a couple of guys, hapless battery changers, to symbolize the disruptive effects of frequent battery replacements.” (25:42)

These action figures served as distinctive brand assets, making the concept tangible and memorable across various marketing channels, including trade shows and digital media.

Campaign Execution and Tactics

The campaign featured several humorous spots illustrating the challenges of constant battery changes:

1. Office Scenario (27:32): Two battery changers humorously disrupt an office environment, leading to the tagline, “Replace less, save more.”

2. Hospital Hallway (28:00): The characters are seen changing batteries in doctors’ beepers amidst the bustling hospital setting, reinforcing the cost-saving message.

3. Urinal Booth (28:30): Demonstrates the absurdity of continual battery changes in maintenance scenarios.

Additionally, Procell distributed miniature action figure packs with battery purchases, blending product utility with engaging collectibles.

Impact and Results

The campaign yielded significant positive outcomes:

• Increased Engagement: Average engagement rates surpassed industry standards, highlighting the campaign’s resonance with the target audience.

• Brand Awareness and Equity: Top-of-mind awareness increased by 7%, and brand equity metrics showed substantial improvement.

• Behavioral Change: There was a 400% increase in submissions from the cost calculator tool, indicating a shift in how procurement professionals evaluated battery purchases.

• Sales and Market Share: Procell experienced a 14% increase in declared purchases and a 10% annual growth in market share.

Steve Pilcher underscores the strategic importance of the campaign:

“The procell brand is now integral to conversations at Duracell about supporting the brand with marketing and growing it year on year.” (37:20)

Conclusion

Procell’s innovative B2B campaign effectively transformed a low-consideration product category by repositioning the value proposition from mere cost to operational efficiency. By leveraging humor and distinctive brand assets, Procell successfully engaged procurement professionals, leading to increased brand loyalty and market penetration.

Listeners can explore more about this campaign and view the unique action figures on the episode’s dedicated webpage at onstrategyshowcase.com.

For more insights into the strategies behind successful B2B campaigns, stay tuned to "On Strategy Showcase" with Fergus O’Carroll.