Pulse Blog

There’s a brand new award show for local and international brands, it imposes no entry fee and it’s homegrown. The Putra Brand Awards inaugural launch was held at the Mandarin Oriental yesterday and saw the collaboration of some of the biggest names in the advertising and marketing industry.

The Putra Brand Awards is a recognition and brand valuation exercise initiated by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia (4As), to not only recognise public-listed companies but also local brands and SMEs.

“For many years, award shows have given awards to brands that are not well recognised, and many companies have been threatened to pay big money for their awards. The fact that entrants of this award show do not have to pay for the award speaks volumes of the quality of the award being given,” says Datuk Vincent Lee, President of 4A’s and Group  Executive Chairman of Foetus International.

Organised in association with Malaysia’s Most Valuable Brands (MMVB), though MMVB measures best brands by financial valuation, the Putra Brand Awards measures best brands by consumer preferences. The strategic partnership with MATRADE, PULSE, Malaysian Advertisers Association (MAA), the Media Specialists Association (MSA) and the Branding Association of Malaysia has made this award a reality.

Stewarded by the MMVB board of governors who also manages the Putra Brand Awards, it consists of the 4A’s, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and well-known brand leaders of their respective industries.

“This award will assist the government in finding the best local brands and also help build competitive local brands for the international market place,” expresses Dato’ Noharuddin Nordin, CEO of MATRADE and Chairperson of the Putra Brand Awards’ Board of Governors.

As the awards are measured based on consumer preference, a robust and unbiased consumer research polling system developed by Pulse Group PLC called BRAND PULSE is used to determine and provide a scoring to each brand. It provides transparency through research and provides valuable information on what consumers think about the nominated brands and how the brands are influencing Malaysians.

A total of 6,000 consumers are involved in the research process, in selecting the award winners, making it the largest consumer research sampling of its kind nationwide, covering East and West Malaysia.

Prior to the consumer research, the brand council identifies and short lists brands based on 18 Nielsen ADEX categories. An average of 10 brand owners consisting of local and international brands, once shortlisted from each category by the consumers and brand council, will then have to submit a written entry based on predetermined criteria on their brand’s health. The MMVB board of governors will review, approve and endorse the gold, silver and bronze award winners from each category. The prize giving ceremony will be held on the 12th of March this year.