The Star wins silver at Putra Brand Awards

The Star team with the award

PETALING JAYA: The Star has bagged the silver award in the Media category at the Putra Brand Awards, the only print medium to win in that category.

Other winners under the category last night were Astro, which clinched gold, and bronze winners Hitz FM, Malaysiakini and ntv7.

AirAsia was crowned as the Putra Brand of the Year while Aeon and Dynamo were named Putra Brand Icons (awarded to brands that consistently win gold year after year).

Property developer SP Setia was named the Putra Most Enterprising Brand of the Year.

The Putra Malaysian Marketer of the Year, a special award introduced this year, went to Celcom Axiata Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Shazalli Ramly.

This accolade is given in recognition of an individual, or a team, responsible for successfully building a brand on a local, regional, and/or international platform during his or her marketing tenure.

The fifth edition of the Putra Brand Awards last night was organised by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia (4As) and endorsed by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (Matrade).

4As president Datuk Johnny Mun, in his welcome speech, highlighted the narrowing gap between the established and the challenger brands.

“This is a certifiable sign that the industry is vibrant, competitive, and spirited with more brands, especially home-grown brands, aiming high to be recognised for its efforts,” he said.

Matrade chief executive officer Dr Wong Lai Sum described Putra Brand as “a prestigious, credible award and it is a consumer-driven choice that determines the selection of the top brands in the market place.”

About 6,000 consumers were surveyed to determine Malaysia’s favourite brands in 24 categories, with the most preferred brands for each category being awarded gold, silver, and bronze.

The Putra Brand Awards is supported by the Branding Association of Malaysia, the Malaysian Advertisers Association and the Media Specialists Association.