Mun: The brands that continually invest in building and strengthening their brand identity are the ones that stay on top.
PETALING JAYA: Anticipation is building in the realm of branding and advertising as marketers and brand managers across the country await results for this year’s Putra Brand Awards (PBA) and Putra Aria Brand Awards (Paba).
The 2025 edition of the brand awards, which celebrate excellence in consumer engagement, trust and satisfaction across industries, will take place on Jan 22, 2026 for the Paba and Jan 23, 2026 for PBA.
The prestigious galas will once again be held at the historic Majestic Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
Datuk Johnny Mun, the awards’ organising chairman and senior adviser of Association of Accredited Advertising Agents (4As) Malaysia, advises marketing teams to book their tables at the ceremonies now to avoid missing out on the chance to celebrate their accolades.
Described as the people’s choice awards for branding, the PBA and Paba are among Malaysia’s most well-known brand recognition events, with results directly reflecting the preferences and opinions of the public. Winners are determined by consumers who, through a survey by Ipsos, vote for brands based on factors such as familiarity, personal experience, intent to purchase, and likelihood of recommending to others.
Following the end of the voting period in September, Mun revealed that survey responses have been collected and analysed, and the results have been validated by the 4As board of governors.
With the PBA reaching its 16th year, the organising chairman shared one key observation gleaned from the past decade and a half: brands that keep building, keep winning.
“It’s been fascinating to look back at the winners over the past 16 years. The brands that continue to invest in building and strengthening their brand identity are the ones that stay on top.
“Over the years, we’ve seen brands like Gardenia, PETRONAS, Panadol, Dettol, Astro
and Maybank winning repeatedly.
“In contrast, some once-dominant global names like Nike, Levi’s or Sony have lost their edge locally,” he said.
Successful brand building, he noted, requires clear, consistent positioning.
This quality characterises brands that are able to stay resilient and relevant even as the market and media landscape evolve.
“Brand building isn’t a one-time effort.
“You can’t rely on one campaign or social media buzz. You need to keep shaping how people see and experience your brand.”
Campaigns should therefore aim to foster emotional connections and reinforce trust with consumers, not merely chase likes and shares. To cultivate loyalty and long-term preference, Mun said brand strategies ought to go beyond creating awareness.
“It’s about knowing what your brand stands for and communicating that consistently, year after year, across all touch points including communication, experience, and service,” he said.
In today’s fast-changing media landscape where media fragmentation and digital noise are increasing, continual brand building has become a necessity to ensure a brand stays top-of-mind.
