10
media and marketing
Branding more
significant now
by Tan Yi Liang
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
THE importance of branding
does not diminish in the face of
a global economic crisis.
If anything, it increases, the
Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Nazrin
Shah said, stressing that the chal-
lenge of effective brand building
has to be embraced if businesses
are to be competitive in the cur-
rent economic climate. “With
even blue-ribbon names falling
victim to the crisis, there seems
to be a clear need for companies
to instil a sense of confidence and
value in the products and services
they offer,” he said in his keynote
address at the soft launch of the
National Mark and Brand Entre-
preneur Conference yesterday.
Raja Nazrin said that al-
though challenges of branding
are considerable as consumer
markets continuously shift and
change, brand building in the
current environment, while more
difficult, is not impossible.
“Branding requires a great
deal of commitment but its
payoffs can be substantial. It
is useful not only to attract
and retain customers, but also
managers and workers, bankers
and investors. What is required
is the ability to identify a par-
ticular market niche and
implement
strate-
g i e s
t h a t
p l a y
Raja Nazrin confers with International Trade and Industry Minister
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
to a company’s strengths while
downplaying its weaknesses.
“Good brands can significant-
ly differentiate products, reduce
transaction costs and attract
consumer loyalty in ways that
are both measurable and mean-
ingful. In special cases, brands
can even become synonymous
with a generic product.
“This is not the preserve of
multinationals, but something
small and medium enterprises
can also take a leaf out of. SMEs
must appreciate the role that
branding has to play. They can-
not afford to just be concerned
about short-term profitability
and must be prepared to invest,
even modestly, towards promot-
ing their brands. A great deal of
thought has to be given to mar-
ketable brand names since the
audience is primarily foreign.”
In urging local SMEs to invest
more in building an international
brand name, Raja Nazrin said
Malaysia has the advantage of
brand building still being in its
relatively early stages.
However, he warned that
SMEs should not depend solely
on government aid in brand
building. “While the government
can help, it must be remembered
that brand building is a private
entrepreneurial activity and
the responsibility of the
brand owner.”
Consistency and
credibility key in any
campaign
by Hemananthani Sivanandam
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
CONSISTENCY, credibility and use
of the new media were key factors in
Senator Barack Obama’s campaign for
United States president last year.
“Our messaging strategy from day
one was the same. We knew exactly
what we were going out to present to
the country,” his former national special
events director Roger Fisk said.
“The question was much about how
to reach out to the people. We never had
a doubt a single moment on what we
had to present to the voters of America,”
he said at a seminar entitled “Obama
Magic in KL” yesterday.
The session focused on ideas and
thoughts that went into the Obama
presidential campaign as well as the
utilisation of new media strategies such
as blogging, email alerts, text messaging,
the internet and developing online and
offline strategies.
The one-day event organised by
Marketing magazine and The London
Speaker Bureau saw about 350 people
from the marketing and advertising
industry and the media attend.
Fisk, 41, began the session by talking
about “The Road to The White House”,
sharing his experience and providing
tips on how he orchestrated media
exposure for the Obama campaign road-
show in 32 states.
A panel discussion on “The Power
of New Media” followed, with R3 Asia
Pacific principal Greg Paull as modera-
tor and invited guests Astro chief operat-
ing officer Henry Tan, Carat Malaysia
managing director Roy Tan and theSun’s
theSun | TUESDAY MARCH 3 2009
and serve overseas or why did you take
part in this march, and as soon as you
start looking at those dynamics, you are
automatically looking at the term yester-
day,” he said.
Fisk said the usage of new media
attracted many young people who by
definition are “much more interested in
tomorrow, and here comes a candidate
(Obama), the first viable candidate who
is liberated from the social baggage of
the 60s”.
“He added a whole fresh sense, a
special reporting and investigation editor willingness to look more into the 21st
R. Nadeswaran. century rather than the 20th. The market
Tan noted that new media had greatly power that transcends the whole world,
helped the Obama campaign. it’s about being ‘cool’ and Obama is a
“However, if you don’t have credibil- cool guy. He’s fun and interesting.”
ity and consistency, new media cannot Fisk said Obama’s willingness to
help you,” he said. embrace new technologies started a
“The real issue is credibility and whole new chapter in American history
consistency. Obama’s campaign was because of the online tool and fund rais-
consistent through out, so people knew ing, and the confluence of circumstances
exactly what he stood for.” and presidency of candidate.
Nadeswaran, who pointed out that However, he was quick to stress that
many politicians had set up their own while a good campaign can be stronger
blogs in the aftermath of the March 8 with new media, new media alone can-
general election last year, agreed. not make a strong campaign.
“If your core message is not there and “It’s just another tool to reach out to
there is no continuity, it’s of no use,” he people, to create relationships with them.
said, noting that “some politicians not New media is important, but if anyone
only cannot talk and write, but cannot thinks that is the core of the campaign, it
even think!” would be a mistake.
“Embracing new media is one thing, “No matter what technology comes
keeping it going is the core message.” around, in American politics, it will
Fisk concurred, saying that from day never replace human interaction.”
one of the Obama campaign, the sena-
tor, now president, knew exactly what
he wanted to do and what he believed
in.
“No matter who worked for
Obama, he is a phenomenal
candidate. If the candidate
and the movement
(campaign) is in sync,
then the message gets
across,” he said.
Fisk explained
that during the cam-
paign for the 2004
presidential elec-
tion between Sena-
tor John Kerry and
former president
George Bush, the
candidates were
driven by where
they were in the late
60s and 70s.
“It was much about Fisk speaks at the “Obama Magic in KL”
why didn’t you sign up seminar yesterday.