SHAIRAN HUZANI HUSAIN

MANAGING DIRECTOR SHELL MALAYSIA TRADING SDN BHD

HOW is the company coping in the current economic climate without compromising its brand presence?

Shell’s mission is to make life’s journey better for our customers. We believe that this mission itself will ensure that our brand presence is not compromised. We are constantly working on enhancing our offerings in line with evolving with our customers’ expectations and needs through our innovation, ingenuity, and technology. This can be seen in our new fuels with dYnaFLEX Technology, our SELECT store upgrades and our integrated loyalty programme, Shell advantage and rewards (SHarE) for motor oil customers and trade partners, to name a few.

Should brands be packaged differently, not only demographically but emotionally?

For us, branding is a journey to build brand love, through lasting relationships formed by winning hearts and our stakeholders’ trust. getting our stakeholders

excited and involved with the brand is necessary to remain relevant. People seek to connect with brands emotionally, and they look for brands to champion causes that matter to them. in this regard, we are proud to champion the Shell LiveWirE Programme which encourages and supports young entrepreneurs of Sabah and Sarawak to unleash their entrepreneurial potential. We are also proud to drive road safety awareness and behavioural change among motorcyclists and youth through our #ShellSelamatSampai programme.

What is the most significant aspect of creating powerful, effective branding?

Having a clear purpose is key to building a strong brand. Clarity on why the company or brand exists and why it matters, is the foundation which will drive an organisation to provide the best, desired outcomes for its customers. Purpose is more than just a statement, it defines the company’s value and how it operates in growing its business towards creating a positive impact to the world. For Shell, our purpose is to power progress together by providing more and cleaner energy solutions to meet the world’s growing energy needs.

In an increasingly transparent world, how can brands strengthen their brand equity?

authenticity and trust are essential and connected components of a strong brand. Trust is the foundation of any relationship, yet it is easier for consumers to trust the opinions of “people like you and me” over brand-sponsored content that could be perceived as biased.

Hence, it is important for brands to be authentic, to have open lines of communications and to share information in a timely manner with consumers.

Shell’s continuous and active engagement online, and on-site through our 10,000 Site Heroes, reinforces our relationship with our customers by building mutual trust and converting them into brand advocates.