The power of branding

FAM Deputy Dean Dr Chong Shyue Chuan presenting gifts of appreciation to Goh

Unlike products offered by brands such as Samsung, H&M, BMW, and Apple, paint is not an engagaging product, it’s only needed when necessary. Nippon Paint Group General Manager Gladys Goh shared how the company grew to be Malaysia’s number one coating solutions provider in her talk titled “The Power of Brand in a Volatile Environment” at Sungai Long Campus on 24 March 2016.

“How many people have you seen boasting of the brand of paint they use like how some show off their fancy clothes, cars, or gadgets?” Goh questioned. Customer engagement has been generated irresolutely through television, radio, media, outdoor advertising, and various others in the past.

The evolution of technology has tremendously changed how businesses today are conducted. It has unlocked endless creative opportunities for the company to engage customers. “With Nippon Paint’s Colour Creations app, the user is able to apply our wide selection of colour palettes to see how their space looks.”

The company also teamed up with artists to create a series of videos and interactive guides to show consumers a wide array of creative applications using their products. Goh said that an organisation’s various divisions such as research and development, customer support services, and logistics, play a big role in shaping a successful brand.

“No matter how brilliant the marketing strategies, if a product doesn’t live up to the standards that are advertised, the entire organisation’s reputation will be at stake," she emphasised.

Goh advised students to stay sharp and observe what is happening around them. “There will be many new innovations coming up in the years ahead, be ready to embrace change as they come, and that’s how Nippon Paint stays ahead of the game.”

Goh joined Nippon Paint Malaysia as Assistant General Manager of Marketing in 2006. Within a short span of two years, the company emerged as Malaysia’s leading provider of Total Coating Solutions. Currently, she is the Group General Manager of Nippon Paint Malaysia. She has worked with numerous brands such as Coca-Cola, Unilever, Pond’s, Vaseline, Sunsilk, and Fair & Lovely.

This event was jointly organised by the Centre for Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility in Business (CSDCSR), the Department of Consultancy and Commercialisation (DCC), and the Faculty of Accountancy and Management (FAM).