Putra Brand Awards 2021 honours Malaysia’s favourite brands, with a 20% increase in total awards presented.

A further four special awards were presented to:

• Farm Fresh for “Putra Most Enterprising Brand of the Year”
• Tan Sri Datuk Yong Poh Kon of Royal Selangor for “Putra Brand Personality Award”
• Milo Marketing Team, for “Putra Malaysian Marketer of the Year”
• Samsung, for “Putra Brand of the Year”

Toyota, Milo, and Samsung were inducted to the Putra Hall of Fame, an accolade that was introduced in 2019 for brands that have won their respective categories over ten successive years.

“Putra Most Enterprising Brand of the Year” reflects outstanding achievements in developing a brand that has made strong inroads into the international market via product or service innovation, is committed to comprehensive marketing and communications programmes, and demonstrates a strong Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitment.

“Putra Brand Personality Award” celebrates an outstanding individual with creativity, perseverance and persuasion.

“Putra Malaysian Marketer of the Year” recognizes a company, team or individual exhibiting overall excellence in marketing, innovation and creativity in brand building, whilst challenging conventional strategies in the product sector.

Lastly, “Putra Brand of the Year” is presented to the brand that best exemplifies continuous product innovation, commitment to brand building via communication, and exhibits a strong sense of CSR.

Following the calibrated reopening of the economy, the annual gala event which adhered to strict event SOPs, saw over 500 attendees in a celebratory mood at the Majestic Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

“The growth in retailers embracing online sales platforms in the past few years has been bolstered by the shift in business owners wishing to tap into online revenue streams amidst offline chaos, with e-Commerce becoming a critical part of our daily lives,” said Dato’ Johnny Mun, Senior Adviser to the 4As and Organising Chairman of the Putra Brand Awards 2021.

“The vote to reveal the hero brands among us is a call to consumers to select brands they feel have stood with them through this difficult period, through thick and thin in overcoming the adversity,” added Dato’ Mun.

“This installation of the Putra Brand Awards is special as this year marks the 50th year of the 4As in Malaysia – 50 years of generating impact through organising and promoting several annual awards for the industry to continually raise the bar and as a tangible measure of the power of the industry to reach the hearts and minds of the consumer,” said Andrew Lee, 4As President.

“Awards such as the Putra Brand Awards reflect our belief that in a world of product parity, the last unfair advantage a brand can have is the power of a high value idea. This keeps being proven true, time and time again, when you examine every brand that became a market leader by winning over their consumers’ loyalty through creativity and persistence, shaping consumer perceptions and behaviour towards the advertised brand,” Lee added.

“For brands to continue to remain relevant, they need to celebrate human connections with purpose and cater to consumers in the new normal, finding a balance between the rational and the emotional. The 4As will continue to nurture the conditions that allow such creativity to thrive and flourish,” Lee concluded.

Launched in 2010 by the 4As in association with Malaysia’s Most Valuable Brands, the Putra Brand Awards are supported by the Malaysian Advertisers Association, the Malaysian Digital Association, the Media Specialists Association, and endorsed by “Brand Champion Partner” the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).