Championing brand excellence

IT is my pleasure to be here tonight as we witness the gathering of leading brand owners in Malaysia at the ninth Putra Brand Awards.

Matrade is proud to be a supporter of the 4As, the Malaysian Advertisers Association, the Media Specialists Association and the Malaysian Digital Association in organising the Putra Brand Awards, which has become an event that top brand marketers look forward to every year since its launch nine years ago.

The strong collaboration between the 4As and Matrade over the years is driven by the shared vision, determination and perseverance to champion the growth of local brands.

Over the last nine years, we have seen winners of the Putra Brand Awards become role models for others. In this ever-challenging business landscape, they continued to push the boundaries to remain competitive and increase their market share. Homegrown as well as foreign brand owners propelled our economy through their continuous improvement with the high spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation.

As Matrade celebrates its 25th year anniversary this year, we have witnessed the evolution of Malaysian brands from local products and services to international household names.

Economically, Malaysia has transformed itself from a country that relied on mining and agriculture in the past into an industrialised nation today.

Malaysian entrepreneurs have gained much knowledge from the operations of multinational companies, thanks to government policies that encourage foreign investment in the country. This has enabled Malaysian firms to produce their own products not only for local consumption, but also for export.

Malaysia has become among the leading trading nations globally, having ranked 25th out of over 200 countries. Along with the transformation of the country’s economy, we have witnessed the emergence of local Malaysian brands in many different product segments.

Today, the brands have become very sophisticated, combining both innovation in product design and creative communications through digital marketing.

We are proud to see some of our local brands recognised internationally. Some of Malaysia’s world-renowned brands that need no introduction include Petronas, AirAsia and Top Glove. Others like Brahim’s, Marrybrown, Munchy’s and Julie’s have made inroads into the international processed food market.

As Malaysian companies continue to embrace new technologies, we have seen how in recent years, Malaysian brand owners managed to expand their international business in highvalue industries such as telecommunications, oil and gas, property development and creative contents. This transformation signifies Malaysia’s active involvement in the international arena, tapping the markets beyond domestic boundaries.

Matrade, as Malaysia’s trade promotion agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, is committed to championing Malaysian brands internationally.

We believe that branding plays an important role in helping local companies remain relevant in today’s increasingly competitive and challenging business environment.

We are pleased to work with the 4As to raise the standards and professionalism, promoting commercial creativity and serving as the reference point for brand development in the country.

Matrade welcomes all local brands to reach out to us to understand how they can successfully venture abroad and push their brands to greater heights.