ED 47: January-February 2013

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14 sp E C i a l the Journey Begins What exactly is branding? By and large a continuous and ongoing process, branding – in a nutshell – is what differentiates one product from another, what drives consumers to choose this particular product over other similar ones in the market. This is especially pertinent in today’s cluttered marketplace and uncertain economic outlook, where consumers are spending less while still having plenty to choose from. The challenge for the branding practitioner is to implement an effective strategy, and constantly maintain it in order for the brand to stay relevant. To serve as a credible benchmark and a platform for future expansion, the SPBA 2012 was officially launched on 4 July 2012 at the SPH Auditorium. More than just a standard launch, potential Award participants got the opportunity to field questions to a panel comprised of members from the Award Organising Committee, who clarified all doubts and shed more light on the Award submission procedures and the entire judging process. Ja n | FE b <strong>2013</strong> En t r E p r E n E u r s’ Di g E s t Despite the economic uncertainty that pervaded the business climate, over 100 submissions for all five Award Categories were received for SPBA 2012. On the overwhelming response to the Award, Ms Audrey Yap, Chairman of the SPBA 2012 Organising Committee, enthused, “I am heartened to note the quality of the submissions has improved. Reading the submissions, it was obvious a lot of work had gone into their preparation. These businesses demonstrate understanding the various processes that make up a good branding concept and are able to better produce appealing initiatives that embody the advantages of using a particular product or service, and integrating this with the company’s beliefs and vision.” With all submissions ready, the judging process began in earnest. Held in two rounds, the submissions were thoroughly assessed from their submitted proposals, scrutinized right down to the smallest details. The final judging round had the brand owners come down for a brief interview session with a panel of distinguished judges, where they talked in earnest about their brand philosophy, motivation as well as the stories behind their brands. As the judges sat riveted to their seats listening to their tales, the list of truly deserving brands was being forged.
On 6 November 2012, all 49 brands were revealed to the public during the SPBA 2012 Official Press Conference. The brand representatives beamed with pride as they received their certificates of achievement, and networked with one another after the Conference. However, their SPBA journey was not over, voting for the Most Popular Brands had just begun. For almost three weeks, the public got to vote for their favourite brands via SMS. The Winners could hardly contain their anticipation for the voting results, which will only be made known on the night of the Award Presentation Ceremony, where the Overall Winners for each Award Category (except for SPBA – Special Merit) will be announced as well. To make an already-exciting evening even more thrilling, the new inductees to the SPBA – Hall of Fame – a prestigious circle for brands that have consistently excelled over a period of time – will also be unveiled at the Award Presentation Ceremony. glitz and glamour The SPBA 2012 Award Presentation Ceremony finally came on the evening of 14 December 2012. Held in the Grand Ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton Millennia Singapore, brand owners and associates decked in fine evening wear thronged the classily-decorated ballroom before event proceedings began proper. With the arrival of the evening’s guest-of- honour, Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs, the Award Presentation Ceremony kicked off with a sizzling performance from the Desert Roses Belly Dance troupe. In his opening address, DPM Teo highlighted the importance of branding for business success: “Over the years, many Singapore companies have successfully ventured overseas. For example, past SPBA Winners like BreadTalk, Crystal Jade and Frasers Hospitality have succeeded in their forays to regional and international markets. They have shown how achieving brand recognition is a key success factor for businesses in capturing market share, especially in new markets.” Mentioning that Singapore itself is a strong brand which has become analogous with high quality and reliability over time, he also stressed that companies must do what they can to “preserve and promote the Singapore brand” to maintain our competitive edge on the international stage. As dinner began, the brand owners for the winning Brands gathered outside the ballroom, awaiting their turn to enter as part of the Winners’ showcase. As they walked proudly into the ballroom and received their trophies from DPM Teo, their faces were flushed with joy, gently cradling the beautiful symbol of their branding excellence in their arms. It was sp E C i a l at this time that the Overall Winners and Most Popular Brands were announced, causing much jubilation within the gathered guests in the ballroom which numbered over 700. The four new inductees to the SPBA – Hall of Fame also received their polished plaques from the hands of the GOH, adding another feather of prestige to a consecutive chain of SPBA accolades. For the Promising Brands, clinching the accolade serves as tangible encouragement and motivation to perfect their branding techniques to achieve greater excellence. For the Established Brands, the SPBA is a testament to their consistent and effective branding efforts. For the Heritage Brands, the Award pays tribute to these time-honoured examples of branding consistence. For the SPBA-CIMB Regional Brands, the honour recognises the breakthrough these Brands have made in regional markets. For the Special Merit Brands, the SPBA accolade is testament to the universal onus on Branding, from small and medium enterprises to non-profit organisations and government agencies. For all Winners, the SPBA journey might have come to a close, but their branding voyage continues, renewed, refreshed and unabated. Congratulations to all Winners of SPBA 2012! Ja n | FE b <strong>2013</strong> En t r E p r E n E u r s’ Di g E s t 15
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ED 47: January-February 2013

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