Procter & Gamble Co. is reviewing its Duracell creative account in North America following the resignation of longtime incumbent Acme Ideas Co, reports AdAge. The resignation comes despite what AdAge describes as “one of the best runs in decades for what long had been a beleaguered brand.” P&G spent approximately $50 million on measured media last year.
Acme will end its thirteen year relationship with the brand (which it began when Duracell was still under Gillette Co. ownership), effective as of the start of P&G’s fiscal year on July 1st. “Acme has chosen to return to its founding principles of being a strategic and creative consultancy for building, repairing and creating brands — as opposed to following the traditional agency model of day-to-day account management,” the company said in a statement.
The review comes amid a run of strong sales for Duracell, which also recently replaced Energizer as the exclusive Alkaline battery at Sam’s Club, despite the long-term decline of the alkaline battery category. While P&G hasn’t commented on which agencies are involved in the pitch or the time frame in selecting a new agency, Saatchi & Saatchi are something of a frontrunner, given their existing relationship as Duracell’s digital agency. Their recent work includes the “Trust Your Power” campaign that featured a viral Derrick Coleman spot. Acme Idea Co. partner Eva Page said that while Acme was involved in briefing multiple agencies involved in the pitch, Acme was “specifically asked and will honor P&G’s request not to discuss agency relationships with any of the media.”