Product Life Cycle

Every product has a life span, which is divided into above five stages. The product lifecycle describes the sales pattern of a product over the time.The five stages are R&D, Introduction, Growth, Maturity, Decline.

Product life cycle of Duracell Batteries.

1) R&D stage- Duracell originated via the partnership of scientist Samuel Ruben and businessman Philip Rogers Mallory, who met during the 1920s. The P.R. Mallory Company of Burlington, Massachusetts, United States, produced mercury batteries for military equipment, trumping the carbon-zinc batteries used then in virtually all applications. During the 1950s, Kodak introduced cameras with a flash: the design required a new cell size, and size AAA was developed

2)Introduction stage- It was not until 1964 that “Duracell” was introduced as a brand, the name a portmanteau–a combination of multiple words–for “durable cell.” Then in 1978, Dark acquired the P.R. Mallory Company, which then merged with Kraft just two years later. In 1988 Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, the American multinational private equity firm, bought Duracell making the company public by the next year. It was then acquired in 1996 by Gilette, which was ultimately attained by Procter & Gamble.

3)Growth stage - Since the introduction Duracell has made innovative strides in developing new battery design with prismatic batteries, introducing NiOx technology, and advancing environmentally sound wireless power. Leading the way in the evolution of battery power, it’s no wonder Duracell has remained on top for so long.

4)Maturity stage- Duracell, the “Trusted Everywhere” battery brand, has been meeting global battery needs for decades, dating back to the first alkaline batteries. The Procter & Gamble-owned brand owns 25 percent of the global battery market share and is regarded as one of P&G’s “Leadership Brands.”

5)Decline stage-  The brand faces a big challenge maintaining the leadership position that it has acquired , however. Smartphones, tablets, MP3 players, and other consumer electronics tend to run on their own rechargeable batteries, causing the battery market to decline in recent years. To stem declines, the iconic Copper Top battery maker expanded its product mix with products like the Duracell Power mat, a convenient tool to recharge any gadget. The company recently launched Quantum, a premium sub-brand that it’s calling its most powerful battery to date. Innovation in complementary categories has enabled Duracell to maintain its marketplace presence and remain relevant, including OEM global sales and consulting services. Trust in the brand remains high thanks to key marketing partnerships, including serving as the official battery of the NFL. On social media, Duracell’s community growth exceeds that of its competitors with 4.1 million Facebook likes. Duracell strengthened its emotional connection with consumers through ad campaigns featuring fire-fighters and other first responders.