Recognising brands built on trust

IT was a dazzling night to remember for many of the brands that vied for the coveted Putra Brand of the Year top awards for 2025 at Majestic Hotel end of last month.

While Star Media Group (SMG)won a gold for the Media category, other standout brands were also recognised, including PETRONAS, Unifi, Watsons, Marrybrown and McDonald’s.

About 160 brands were honoured during that night where more than 1,200 participants attended. The gala event was a tribute to brands that have earned the trust and loyalty of Malaysian consumers.

CIMB group chief brand and marketing officer Toni Darusman (middle) holds up silver award for the Banking, Investment and Insurance as SMG group CEO Chan Seng Fatt (right) and Mun look on.

Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia (4As) president Tan Kien Eng said: “The Putra Brand Awards honour brands that have done exactly that. Brands that remain relevant without losing their values. Brands that embrace innovation while staying deeply human.”

Caring Pharmacy managing director YS Chong (fifth from left) and his team, with the bronze award in Retail.

Tan said that as a non-profit organisation, the 4As encourages its members to move beyond creativity and effectiveness to shape narratives, influence culture and reflect society’s aspirations.

Meanwhile, 4As Malaysia senior adviser and Putra Brand Awards organising chairman Datuk Johnny Mun said the awards served to empower consumers by recognising brands that resonated most closely with them.

Shopee brand and communications manager Pang Li Yin (left) with a gold in the e-Commerce category.

“Brand-building is a long, painstaking process of nurturing, brand love and care. Thus, winning consumers’ hearts is a journey and as with any journey, the ups and downs are part of the trek that makes eventual success meaningful and sweet.”

Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) chief executive officer Abu Bakar Yusof highlighted the importance of strong brands as key drivers of business growth and national competitiveness.

AirAsia communications lead Rizal Redzuan with the bronze award in Transportation, Travel and Tourism category.

“Genuine brand value is built through consistency, credibility and trust. This is exactly what the Putra Brand Awards represent,” he said.

He added that Matrade was rolling out a strategic roadmap comprising 203 targeted and high-impact development and trade promotion programmes aimed at enabling more than 12,000 Malaysian companies to compete internationally.

IJM Land senior general manager (Johor and East Malaysia) Soh Wai Fong (middle) and his team. The developer won a silver in the Property category.

Now in its 16th edition, the Putra Brand Awards 2025 reflected on the diversity of Malaysian consumer life by presenting a total of 168 gold, silver and bronze awards across 24 categories, alongside four special awards, spanning sectors such as automotive, entertainment and leisure, e-commerce and property.

Open university Malaysi apresident andvice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Izanee Awang(middle) with the gold award in education category.

Winners were determined through a comprehensive consumer study conducted by global research firm Ipsos, which analysed more than 51,000 responses nationwide, before being endorsed by the 4As board of governors.

Proton branding head Too Woon Shim with the silver award for Automotive.

The Putra Brand Awards was organised by the 4As in collaboration with SMG as the official media partner and endorsed by Matrade as the Brand Champion Partner. It was also supported by the Malaysian Advertisers Association, Media Specialists Association, Malaysian Digital Association and the Outdoor Advertising Association of Malaysia.