Exclusive Interview With Malaysian CMO Award 2025 Winner, Jayson Ong:

In the highly competitive consumer electronics space, brands are often tempted to lead with specifications, innovation, and technical superiority.

But as consumer expectations evolve, marketing can no longer stop at features alone. Today’s customers are not just buying products, they are investing in experiences, convenience, and lifestyles that fit seamlessly into their everyday lives.

For Jayson Ong, this shift has been central to how Sharp Electronics Malaysia approaches brand building in Malaysia. As Head of Brand Marketing and a winner at the CMO Malaysia Awards 2025, Jayson has been instrumental in repositioning Sharp from a product-led electronics brand into a lifestyle-driven ecosystem built around modern living, practicality, and trust.

Under his leadership, Sharp continues to strengthen its connection with Malaysian households by blending Japanese innovation with local relevance, while ensuring the brand remains competitive in an increasingly crowded category.

We interviewed Jayson Ong to understand how Sharp is moving beyond features, building stronger household connections, and balancing digital with physical retail experiences.

1. Electronics marketing often focuses on features. How do you make campaigns more lifestyle-driven?

At Sharp, we consciously shift from focusing on what the product does to how it improves daily living.

Our 2026 theme, Japanese Living to My Home, goes beyond traditional product storytelling. It integrates Japanese craftsmanship, lifestyle, technology, and design into a complete solution tailored for Malaysian households, with a focus on practicality, comfort, and holistic living rather than just technical specifications.

More importantly, this is not only about Sharp as a standalone brand. We are building a broader Japanese lifestyle ecosystem by collaborating with multiple Japanese brands to deliver an authentic end-to-end experience. This enables us to activate across the full funnel, from awareness to ownership, under one consistent lifestyle narrative.

2. What’s a campaign that successfully connected with Malaysian households?

Our Sharp 40, Live Mighty campaign is a strong example of this approach.

The campaign went beyond promotions to create a purpose-driven platform centred on empowerment and better living.

We combined relatable national ambassadors such as Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan, who reflect unity, resilience, and aspiration among Malaysians.

Alongside this, we introduced meaningful community initiatives, including flood relief efforts and support for homes and schools.

This allowed us to create emotional relevance beyond products and connect with Malaysians at both a household and societal level, rather than purely through transactions.

3. How do you stand out in a crowded consumer electronics market?

We focus on three key differentiators.

First is localisation over global templating. While many brands adapt global campaigns, we begin with Malaysian insights, designing both products and messaging around the real needs of local households.

Second is building trust through service, not just branding. We strengthen brand trust through tangible commitments such as 7-day service completion and 5-year extended warranties for J-Tech products.

In our category, post-purchase experience is just as important as the product itself.

Third is evolving from a product brand into a lifestyle ecosystem. Rather than marketing individual SKUs, we deliver complete solutions across living, cooking, cleaning, education, and entertainment, positioning Sharp as a partner in everyday life rather than simply a device provider.

4. What role does in-store vs. digital experience play?

For us, it is not about choosing one over the other, but creating a deliberately integrated customer journey.

Digital plays a critical role in discovery and inspiration. It drives storytelling, lifestyle positioning, and social engagement while building aspiration, relevance, and long-term brand recall.

In-store, on the other hand, serves as the validation and conversion touchpoint. It allows consumers to physically interact with product quality, size, and usability while providing hands-on experiences that build trust, particularly for high-value purchases.

In Malaysia, especially within home appliances, purchase confidence is still heavily influenced by physical experience, making retail an essential touchpoint.

Our approach is simple: digital creates desire, while in-store closes the decision.

Under Jayson Ong’s leadership, Sharp Electronics Malaysia continues to demonstrate that successful electronics marketing is no longer about selling features alone. By combining lifestyle relevance, service excellence, and ecosystem thinking, Sharp is redefining what it means to be a trusted household brand in modern Malaysia.