I was changing batteries in my Roku remote yesterday and came across something I had to point out.  As I was grabbing the last two AAA batteries out of my Rayovac package, it caught my eye.

Yes, you read that right:

“Lasts as long as Duracell”

Not only that… but there is a picture of a Duracell battery on the package!  Talk about a win for Duracell.

Anytime your competition mentions you is a win.  When they list you as the standard to which they should be measured is a win.  When they put your product on their packaging is a win.

So why did I buy the Rayovacs? Simple – I bought on price.  I looked into batteries long ago and determined that they all last about the same length of time… no appreciable difference between any of them.  Once I did my homework, I simply decide based on price.

That doesn’t change the fact that many (most) people believe “you get what you pay for” and for that reason, purchase the higher priced one always.  I do believe this is true in a great many purchases, but to just believe that as a blanket statement is foolish.

The point here isn’t which is the better battery.  It is the fact that Duracell has earned a spot (largely through advertising spends) in the collective mindspace of batter buyers.  As such, the competition has been moved to use a comparison to Duracell in their advertising.

As a marketing guy, I would recommend against this strategy.  Instead of saying, “hey, we’re just as good as that brand you like,” instead point out something that is good about your brand. The approach that Energizer has is better… “keeps going and going and going” (the whole bunny thing.)

by Chris Doelle

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