A car battery is principally used to start the engine. It is also used to filter or stabilize power and to provide extra power for the ignition, lighting and other accessories when their combined load exceeds the capability of the charging system, i.e., when the engine is idling. It also provides power to the electrical system when the charging system is not operating. The battery lies hidden under the bonnet and is an essential component of the vehicle. Regular care is a must, for if it in bad shape, the car will refuse to move. "Push-start" is a solution but cannot be carried on for long. A well-maintained battery lasts for two years.
 

The Product

The product is a maintenance-free battery, similar in design to a conventional automotive battery, but just a heavier-duty version of the same arrangement. Many of the components have thicker construction, and different, more durable materials are typically used. This design is called a lead-calcium battery. The heavier-duty parts ensure that fluid loss is kept to a minimum and that components have a much longer life, making it a closed system.
 

Purchase Occasions

The automotive battery business consists of OE (original equipment) and after-market or replacement market segments.  The OE market is around 1.2 million units and the larger replacement market is around 5 million units per annum. Purchase therefore occurs when the current battery ‘dies’, which is usually after a period of approximately two years.

The advertising has to create the perception in the car owner’s mind that Eveready is a world-class auto battery. The fact that it is a zero-maintenance product backed by a 3-year warranty, and that it is specifically designed to suit Indian conditions also needs to be communicated. In other words, the ‘long lasting battery’ message had to be put across so that the next time the consumer needs a battery, Eveready figures in the consideration set and has top of the mind recall.

For the average consumer, the car battery is a low-involvement product. Consumers prefer leaving the decision making to the car mechanic or service center. Also, although the market does have quite a few big brands, the unorganized sector holds sway.

Being a low involvement product, it will be some time before car owners start making battery purchase decisions by themselves. However, with more ‘new-age cars’ taking to the roads – and car care consciousness on the rise – it’s only a matter of time before more car owners take their own purchase decisions. That’s when brand salience will really matter. Still, taking this into consideration, it’ll have to be long lasting communication.
 

Demographics

Region: India, urban population
Occupation: Service, working professional, self-employed
Gender: Male
Religion: Insignificant
Income: 1,80,000 p.a. upwards
Social class: Upper Middle and upwards
Family life cycle: Middle aged, married with children
 

Psychographics

Lifestyle: 9-5 man, not very auto-savvy, looking for the most cost-effective long term solution

Behavioural

Occasions: When previous battery ‘dies’/breaks down
User status: First time user
Loyalty status: Not defined
Readiness Stage: Uninformed
Attitude toward product: Inquisitive
Attitude toward brand: Trusting.

Brand Eveready

Eveready® is a brand name that has been associated with long-lasting power and dependability for years. Now the same superior quality battery is available to start your car.

Eveready Industries India Ltd. is the undisputed leader in the dry cell battery segment in the Indian sub-continent. A name trusted by millions of Indians over the years, the brand Eveready has been a part of India since 1905. This year, close to 800 million customers will consume Eveready batteries across the country.

Eveready is best known for the memorable campaign that revolutionised Indian advertising and won 11 awards. The Company is well known for its marketing skills and has been consistently voted in the top 20-25 in the list of most admired marketing companies of India by A&M India, an image we must strive to live up to with our advertising campaign for this product.

Brand Equity - Ask any Indian consumer to name a brand of batteries, and 9 out of 10 will spontaneously mention "Eveready". Apart from the intrinsic value of the company, the "Eveready" Brand in India is valued at Rs 2 Billion.
 

Car Batteries

For the average consumer, the car battery is a low-involvement product. Consumers prefer leaving the decision making to the car mechanic or service centre. One reason why the car battery is a low-involvement category is because, traditionally, auto batteries have been sold at auto accessory shops, which, almost invariably, are cluttered, greasy and unapproachable.

Proposition

· The Everyday Car Battery is a zero-maintenance product backed by a 3-year warranty.

· It is specifically designed to suit Indian conditions.

· Fluid loss is kept to a minimum and components have a much longer life, making it a closed system.

· The Eveready battery line includes a wide range of sizes to fit most automotive application and power requirements.

· This dependable brand is competitively priced and backed by attractive warranties.
 

Support

Support to the above claims will come from the brand heritage of Eveready itself and reinforcement of the brand image from the key influencers – the service station personnel or mechanics because of the inherently superior product quality and attributes mentioned above.

As for reaching out to companies for OE, we are not focusing on them here, as they shall be approached directly by the company for the purpose of long-term exclusive supply arrangements.

For the rest 15 per cent of the pie, there’s a clamour between players like Prestolite, Volta, AC Delco, Delkor & Amaron and the mid-range Panasonic batteries and high-end Varta batteries. Other players in the organized market are Tudor and Amco.

The other zero-maintenance batteries, apart from Amaron such as the German Varta (OE supplier to Mercedes and BMW in Europe), are at much higher price points.

Other competitors are Amara Raja ABL’s Power Breed; Middle East Battery Company’s JV with Delphi; Dynex; EL; Furukawa; Standard Furukawa; Index; Power Safe; InStart; and Sparco Batteries.

Amaron (O&M)

Taglines –

“The life of your battery can change your life”
“Comes with a useless 36-month warranty”
“Doesn’t drink and drive”

Amaron outlets across the country have been christened as Pit-Stops. Last month, Amaron launched a host of branded lifestyle products that include caps, wallets, jackets, T-shirts shades etc.

Attached are two TVC storyboards each of Amaron and of Bosch. Also find enclosed one TVC storyboard of Eveready batteries (home use) to give an idea of the current brand image.

If you want to focus on a practical advantage, don't be shy. Say it in the tagline. Create visuals that bring it to life and show it. Use testimonials or other evidence to prove it. And guarantee it. You can be clever or direct. But communicate the advantage clearly, for instance - The last Battery your car will ever need.

The tone can be authoritative and educational like the image of an elder brother taking care of you as Eveready takes care of your car

OR

It could be humorous while getting the message across; as such advertising in the category has shown to have positive results with good brand recall.

Personification of the Product

He is in his early 30s, a chemical engineer from IIT, dependable and trustworthy. He is serious at work, a performer who delivers. He communicates an image that is Indian but contemporary urban and confident.  A man who is an experienced pioneer in his field and knows what he is talking about. He is an authoritative figure, one who can be easily relied about to help and advise you when you need it the most.
 

1) Medium of Communication - Television

2) If showing an automobile in the advertisement, take care not to show the following cars as in the OE segment Amara Raja (Amaron and Power Breed) have added on an exclusive supply relationship with Mahindra & Mahindra (Bolero) and for a portion of Ashok Leyland cargo vehicles in addition to their exclusive supply arrangements with Ford, General Motors (Opel diesel) and DaimlerChrysler (Mercedes Benz).

3) The Eveready management (Khaitans have bought the Eveready brand and production facilities from Union Carbide) recently began to feel that the 95-year-old brand needed a revamp, and even a fresh logo, especially because most of its rural customers did not understand the Western concept of a “cat having nine lives”. However, now the company has realised that dropping the cat will jeopardise the brand equity of its batteries in Eveready’s biggest market, rural India. For the rural folk, Eveready is “billi chhaap”, never mind the long-life implications. Hence, some form of communicating the brand extension to this audience (even though they are not our essential TA) could be made, such as a final shot of the battery with the “billi chap” clearly visible.

4) The Everyday brand has a perception of ‘value for money’ with a tangible differentiation in quality. Consumer proximity and companionship figure high on their agenda.

5) The Eveready logo has been broadened a little and the colour green added wherever they have made an effort to make the products more environment-friendly, and so shall also be so in this case.