Putra Brand Awards 2015

[Marketing]

 

The Putra Brand Awards 2015 – a glitzy affair and a much-awaited annual event for marketers in Malaysia, was held on 21 August 2015 at the Majestic Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. Having attended back in 2012 (https://timchew.net/2012/04/28/putra-brand-awards-2012/), I was indeed very honoured to be able to attend this year’s gala night and award ceremony which recognizes the favourite brands across 24 categories voted by more than 6,000 respondents in a nationwide survey.

The event saw a total of 41 Gold awards, 45 Silver awards, 40 Bronze awards, and five special awards were presented at the sixth edition of the Putra Brand Awards.

 

 

Maybank was voted the Putra Brand of the Year – an award is given to the brand that best exemplifies continuous product innovation with a commitment to brand building via marketing communications and exhibits a strong sense of corporate social responsibility. For Maybank, their efforts to humanize financial services and maintain scrutiny over its five core brand values led to them winning the coveted award.

Maybank also won the Gold award in the Banking, Investment and Insurance category, giving the bank its sixth consecutive Gold win, while CIMB also won a Gold award in this category.

 

 

“Strong brands consistently demonstrate their true value, as attested by consumers confidence, in any economic environment,” noted Dato Johnny Mun, President of the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia (4As). “Brands that deliver on their brand promise and earn the trust of consumers not only survive, but also grow in strength and profitability.”

Other leading Gold award winners included Poh Kong, Shell, Carlsberg, Milo, Celcom, Maxis, Gardenia, Taylor’s University, Vitagen, Dettol, Spritzer, Samsung, KFC, Panasonic, Heineken, and IKEA. Six new brands that consistently won Gold awards in the past four years – Toyota, Shell, Heineken, Milo, Panasonic, and Samsung – joined other leading brands as Putra Brand Icons.

 

 

Other Special awards were presented to Sen Heng for Putra Most Enterprising Brand of the Year, Gardenia’s marketing team for Putra Malaysian Marketer of the Year, while Pensonic’s founder Dato’ Seri Chew Weng Khak for Putra Personality of the Year – a new award which recognises the imagination, industriousness, innovation and achievements of business owners and operators who have built successful brands or companies.

In congratulating this year’s Putra Brand Award winners, Organising Chairman Andrew Lee observed that more brands today were making a concerted effort to make meaningful connections with consumers. “Brand trust cannot work in isolation,” he said. “Brands that work harder to bond with consumers through multiple touch points stood a stronger chance in leading the pack.”

 

 

Carlsberg won the coveted gold at the prestigious Putra Brand Awards 2015 for the sixth year in a row, apt recognition for the only beer brand that was first listed in the Putra Icon Brand Hall of Fame since 2013. Somersby which was nominated for the first time, emerged as the preferred cider in the alcohol category with a Bronze award.

“It was double the joy for Carlsberg Malaysia, clinching these two awards! Our flagship brand Carlsberg continues to sit on top of the winning list whilst our established premium brand Somersby cider outperformed other alcoholic beverages earning its spot for the first time. We humbly accept these accolades and promise to raise the bar by offering superior drinking experiences and providing innovative, progressive and engaging campaigns to our customers and consumers,” said Henrik Juel Andersen, Managing Director of Carlsberg Malaysia.

“Winning two Putra Brand Awards is a testament of Malaysian beer consumers’ love for Carlsberg, probably the best world in the world, and the growing popularity of Somersby cider, Malaysia’s leading brand in the cider category,” Henrik added.

 

 

Carlsberg is currently running its “If Carlsberg did…” campaign, a theme that demonstrates what the ‘world’ would be like if it was as superior as Carlsberg beer. The campaign essentially brings out the essence of Carlsberg’s promise, where it always strives to enhance consumers’ experience in everything it does.

The first video of “If Carlsberg did fitting rooms…” took the campaign beyond the screen and engaged consumers – shoppers who were carrying shopping bags got to redeem a complimentary pint of Carlsberg at participating outlets. The follow-up to that video was the ‘If Carlsberg did meeting rooms’ ad, and the brand continues the campaign by offering its consumers “probably the Best Job in the world”.

Carlsberg is hiring two beer tasters who will play as Carlsberg ambassadors, enjoy ice-cold Carlsberg during work, and entertain their friends with probably the best beer in the world…and for their effort, the beer taster will earn RM10,000 in just 8 hours! More info at www.probablythebest.com.my

Somersby Cider continues its #ThatWeekendFeeling campaign that revolves around the combination of Food+Friends+Me+Somersby, which is the best recipe to achieve the weekend state of mind on any day of the week. Consumers will get the chance to enjoy attractive promotions and interesting activations in participating outlets.

 

List of Winners

Category
Apparel and Accessories	Levi’s, Poh Kong	Rolex, Uniqlo, Omega	Habib Jewels Bonia
Automotive	Toyota	BMW, Honda, Perodua	Nissan, Volkswagen
Automotive Fuel & Lubricants	Shell, Petronas	Caltex, Petron	BH Petrol
Beverage – Alcoholic	Heineken, Carlsberg	Tiger Beer	Somersby
Beverage – Non alcoholic	Milo, Nescafe, Spritzer	Coca-Cola, Tropicana Twister	100 Plus Marigold
Beverage – Dairy	Vitagen	Anlene, Dutch Lady	Marigold
Camera	Sony	Panasonic, Samsung	Canon
Communication Devices	Apple, Samsung	Sony	No winners
Communication Networks	Celcom, Maxis	TM	Digi, Umobile
Education & Learning	Taylor’s University	Segi University, Universiti Terbuka Malaysia	Unitar Int University, KDU University College
Banking, Investment & Insurance	Maybank, CIMB	Public Bank	Amanah Saham Nasional
Foodstuff	Gardenia	Nestle Breakfast Cereals, Wall’s, Massimo	Maggi, Munchy’s
Health	Dettol, Panadol	Scott’s, Eu Yan Sang, Hurix’s	Brand’s, D’Herbs
IT and Office & Business Equipment	Samsung	Microsoft	Canon
Household Product	Dynamo	Soflan, Downy	Febreze
Home Improvement	IKEA	Nippon Paint, Senheng	Harvey Norman
Media Network	Astro, TV3, Era	MalaysiaKini, Hitz FM	The Star, ntv7, Malaysian Insider
Entertainment	GSC, TGV	Sunway Lagoon	Legoland Resort Malaysia. Petronas Galeri
Personal, Household & Outdoor Appliances	Samsung, Panasonic	Toshiba	Sharp, LG, Electrolux
Personal Care	Colgate, Lifebouy	No winners	Darlie
Property Development	Sime Darby, Sunway	EcoWorld, SP Setia	Tropicana Corporation, IJM Land
Retail	AEON, Ikea	Tesco, 7-Eleven, Guardian	Parkson, Watsons, Giant
Restaurants & Fast Food Outlets	KFC	McDonalds, Subway, Domino’s	Pizza Hut, Kenny Rogers Roaster
Transportation, Travel & Tourism	AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines	Singapore Airlines, Resort World Genting	Tourism Penang, Tourism Malaysia
Special Awards
Putra Malaysian Marketer of the Year	Marketing Team of Gardenia
Putra Most Enterprising Brands of the Year	Sen Heng
Putra Brand Icon	Toyota, Shell, Heineken, Samsung, Panasonic Milo
Putra Brand of the Year	Maybank
Putra Personality of the year	Founder Of Pensonic Dato’ Seri Chew Weng Khak

 

The Putra Brand Awards is organised by the 4As and endorsed by the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).

More info at http://www.aaaa.org.my/putrabrandawards/index.php