The inaugural MMVB is part of a national study to better understand the value of brands by measuring the contribution they make to the bottom line. A big factor in this year’s survey was how each brand has become more consumer-focused.
“These brands tend to have a broad customer base. Increasingly, their success is driven by more segmented go-to-market strategies to meet consumers’ needs,” said Stuart Green, director of Interbrand Asia-Pacific.
Maybank became more consumer-centric when it launched Maybank2u.com in 2000, Malaysia’s first internet banking service, Green noted.
Of fourth-placed Genting, he said: “The company grew its portfolio by acquiring Stanley Lesiure and winning the Sentosa Singapore IR Project. It also developed WorldCard, a loyalty programme to be used as a marketing and data-sharing tool.”
Also in the top five were mobile phone brands Maxis and Celcom. “The mobile phone industry is dominated by pre-pay contracts leading to lower levels of consumer loyalty. Maxis leads the sector with more than 39 per cent market share and aspires to be a regional operator.”
Green added that the company met customer needs by focusing on entertainment and partnering with Astro and Sony Ericsson to provide content to customers. “Maxis is the fifth-largest public company in Malaysia, and one of the country’s most admired brands,” he said.
“Celcom tends to focus on the strength and stability of its network. Its lifestyle packages target high average revenue users and reduces acquisition costs. Its pricing plans also shows shrewd customer segmentation,” said Green.
The MMVB study aims to be an annual resource for Malaysian companies to build brand values and compete within their respective business sectors.
