contents editor's note - Brand Equity Magazine

CONTENTS EDITOR’S NOTE
BRAND FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Tetra Pak Protects What’s Good
COVER STORy
Pepsi Offers Endless Possibilities
INTERACTION MARKETING
Slipknot Helps Brands to Involve & Engage
CREATIVE MEDIA STRATEGy
Universal McCann Delivers Winning Solutions
yOUTH TRENDS
Insights into Youth Consumption Patterns
SHOPPER TRENDS
Nielsen’s Shopping Environment Dynamics
WEB MARKETING
On Podcasting for Brand Builders
HOTSPOTS 1
On Emerging Market Opportunities
MARKETING ACCOLADE
DiGi Makes Malaysia Proud
CONSUMER INSIGHTS
About the Evolution of Women
TRENDSPOTTING
Know How Malaysians Relate to Money
MARKETING ANALyTICS
Measuring Price & Promo Effectiveness
BRAND EQUITy
A Roadmap for Brand Development
MPA AWARDS
Awards for Best Magazine Covers
BRAND EQUITy AWARDS
Downy Wins the Year’s Top Award
02
06
12
16
20
22
28
30
33
34
36
38
40
41
Brand Equity | 1
The past two years has borne witness to notable
adjustments in the brand marketing space; and all of
them are significant enough to warrant considerable
attention.
Skirmishes in a longstanding feud within the Cola turf
continue to be exciting. So who can miss it when a 360degree
marketing campaign delivers a restyled Pepsi
with a fresh proposition – Endless Possibilities, Endless
Experiences.
And a B2B brand has moved to engage consumers with
altruistic intentions. The world-renowned Tetra Pak
delivered their environment-centric motto ‘Protect
What’s Good’ through a simple contest that encouraged
hordes of contestants to recycle.
This issue also describes how brand builders can use
Podcasting to promote their brands. And the Nielsen
Company furnishes snapshots of happenings within the
Malaysian shopping environment.
In addition, there are key trends that demand attention
as well. Malaysian career women are changing with the
imminent return of femininity, and with greater affinity
for the home and family.
And topping it all is the return of the Malaysia
Brand Equity Award 2007. This year’s winning list
accommodated new and interesting brands; the list
included returnees as well.
But it’s the message therein that matters; brand share
can ascend, defending it thereafter is an ongoing process
that exacts considerable energy.
Publisher : James Selva Executive Publisher : RT Selvii Publishing Director : RS Kumar
Group Editor : CGN Raghunath (email:brandman@tm.net.my) Staff Writer : Chris Krishna
Contributors : Jeff Zweig, R. Venkateswaran Marketing Manager : Anenda Sharma
Art Director: Vitiyaa S. Graphic Designer : G Kayathri, V A Kanmani
Dtp Artist : S Savithri Production Coodinator : R Sangeetha IT Executive : Vani Sri Administration : Kavitha
Printed By : BHS Book Printing Sdn Bhd Lot 17-22 & Lot 17-23, Jalan Satu, Bersatu Industrial Park,Cheras Jaya, 43200 Cheras, Selangor
PP11255/4/2008
Published by:
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Brand Equity Brand for the Environment
Protect What’s Good
A well conceived beverage carton recycling contest
elicits passionate support from Malaysian consumers
Brand Equity | 2
We have
taken active
measures to
protect the
environment...
[[
By Raghunath
It carries the brand name Tetra Pak; is Swedish by
origin and the B2B business format operates with a
passion for sustainability and renewability.
But its way back in 1961 that the company shook the
food & beverage industry with an innovation that simply
couldn’t be ignored.
Dubbed the aseptic carton package or Tetra Brik
Aseptic, it enabled sterile milk to be filled under
hygienic conditions without it being reinfected. The
sensational product totally transformed the distribution
and selling of the extremely perishable milk and other
liquid foods around the world.
Sustainability remains entrenched within the core
of every activity initiated by Tetra Pak. ‘We believe
in using natural resources without using them up, so
that future generations can use them as well,’ says
Terrynz Tan, the Malaysian unit’s head of corporate
communications.
The fact that every popular brand uses the
technology says all it can about its contribution to
safety and availability. And it’s a package that permits
liquid foods to be sold in ambient conditions as well.
In addition, it reduces expensive refrigeration space,
reduced the need for holding large stocks, and reached
out to consumers from various age groups, extended
shelf-life as well as the product range it can contain.
Soymilk, fruit juices, fusion beverages, soups,
sauces, olive oil and liquid yoghurt are some products it
can carry. And the customers that stake their reputation
on Tetra Pak’s unrivalled benefits deliver brands such as
Yeo’s, Milo, Marigold, Fruit Tree, Magnolia, Dutch Lady
and Drinho to Malaysian consumers.
There are other benefits as well. Products can be
made non-perishable for months without refrigeration
and delivered without preservatives.
But it’s the ‘Protect What’s Good’ maxim that
exemplifies Tetra Pak’s commitment to sustainability.
‘We have taken active measures to protect the
environment, and it starts with the choice of a
Terrynz Tan
renewable material, wood fibre which is the principal
component of our packages,’ says Tan.
She says that the beverage carton’s raw materials
are sourced from well managed audited forests in
Scandinavia, where more trees are planted than
harvested.
And on average by weight, Tetra Pak cartons are
made up of 74% paper, 22% polyethylene and 4%
aluminium. The company also supplies processing
equipment as well as complete processing, filling and
packaging lines.
Happenings in Malaysia
Tetra Pak has been operating in Malaysia for over 40
years. The likelihood that every consumer in Malaysia’s
multifaceted market will have an encounter with any of

‘For many it became a family affair.
Their effort made every one of them a winner,’
Brand Equity | 3
Tetra Pak’s aseptic package at least once every week for
the rest of their lives cannot be dismissed. Talk about
lifetime value!
But there were issues that demanded attention. ‘Our
research concluded that Malaysian consumers have been
using our products without specific knowledge about its
functional benefits,’ says Tan.
‘We believed that the ‘Protect What’s Good’ motto
delivered through a recycling contest would be a good
platform to connect with consumers, and to share about
the benefits of Tetra Pak to food quality and safety,’ she
explains. That was the objective of the first phase of
the campaign which took off in 2005.
Whilst education was the goal of the first phase, the
second phase implemented in 2006 opted to heighten
excitement and elicit consumer involvement. To build
awareness about recycling of beverage cartons which
officially started in Malaysia in 2006, the company
executed a ‘recycle & win’ contest that offered great
prizes.
The simple to understand and simple to participate
contest was conceived in partnership with one of
Malaysia’s leading below-the-line agencies, Fabulous
Business Ideas.
Support for the campaign was secured from the
Ministry of Housing & Local government. There were
other partners as well. ‘We are very happy that our
partners Pascorp Paper Mill, Alam Flora and KPT
Packaging shared our concern for the environment. Alam
Flora’s collection centres played a key role in routing
the recyclable packages to Pascorp Paper Mill, where
the beverage cartons are being recycled into paper
rolls that can be used to produce various paper-based
products such as notebooks and paper bags,’ says Tan.

Contest Mechanics & Impact
A three round contest phased out over three
quarters; May to July, August to October and November
to January 2007 gave away a repertoire of prizes
including mobile phones, PSPs, and iPod Shuffles.
All contestants had to do was to collect the
recyclable Tetra Pak cartons and hand them over to
designated collection centers. At least three beverage
cartons had to accompany a completed form.
...Repertoire of prizes
included mobile
phones, PSPs, and iPod
Shuffles.
And the criterion for winning was the highest entries.
The contestant that sent in the most number of cartons
over the entire period was rewarded with a trip to
Disneyland Tokyo.
But it was an instructive process as well. Contestants
were advised how to recycle effectively as part of
sending in the entries.
Supported by an intensive media blitz over the air
and on-ground in schools and retail outlets, the contest
introduced a simple method to prepare beverage
cartons for recycling. Nicknamed Flip, Flap & Flat,
participants were taught to first remove the drinking
Brand Equity | 4
[ Children were among
the significant number
of participants.
[
straw, flip open the top side and bottom side flaps and
flatten the carton before it was sent in for recycling.
Tan says the contest elicited the interest of people
from all walks of life. School children were among the
significant number of participants.
‘For many it became a family affair. One participant
in particular, Encik Sarbanun bin Haji Samsuri and his
family from Klang shared the responsibility of collecting
beverage cartons and sending in their entries. Their
collective effort made every one of them a winner,’ says
Tan.
‘We do hope that the nine month campaign will
eventually sustain the contestant’s interest in recycling
to eventually become a habit,’ she adds.
More can be expected from Tetra Pak in their
continuing effort to contribute to a better environment.
And public response to the contest exceeded
their expectations – over quarter of a million cartons
accompanied tens of thousands of entries, and within
three quarters.

Brand Equity Cover Story
Pepsi’s World
of Endless
Possibilities
Brand Equity | 6
By Raghunath

[
Brand Equity | 7
Pepsi ups the ante in a long
running battle to endear to more
consumers in a world of ceaseless
social changes
[
It’s got everything to do with happenings in the mind,
and not age. And its inspirational attribute is intricately
linked with the consumer’s desire to experience and
express.
So Pepsi Cola is at it again, launching a refreshingly
bold challenge that seeks to reinvigorate its connections
with consumers from varied age groups – the young that
harbour the desire to be themselves and the not-so that
want to turn the clock back.
And since 1898, Pepsi has always urged people to get
out there, have a great time or move through the times
with clever propositions that reflected the mood that
prevailed (See Pepsi’s Propositions).
Yet again, the folks at Pepsi are demonstrating that
they are spot-on with social adjustments that impact
the way people define themselves, their aspirations and
their lifestyles; albeit at a global level.
And it has spawned a 360-degree marketing campaign
that’s delivering Pepsi’s new and revolutionary global
brand approach through the refreshed proposition –
Endless Possibilities, Endless Experiences.
But what gives in Malaysia? ‘We expect the campaign
to completely change the way Pepsi connects with
Malaysian consumers. This campaign intends to further
enliven a two-way dialogue between the Pepsi brand
with its consumers,’ says PepsiCo International’s
Marketing Director (SEA) Edwin Africa.
Adds Erwin Selvarajah, the CEO of Permanis Sdn.
Bhd., the bottler for PepsiCo Beverages International,
‘The new campaign is a reflection of the world we
live in and the people we deal with. We realized that
consumers are interested in different things all the time
and constantly seek to embrace interactivity and new
personalized experiences.’
Elements of the new campaign reflect the nuances
of today’s consumers; in particular the young, as well
as the young at heart. Relevant insights have unveiled
opportunities made possible by the unrestrained
availability of information.
‘Technology has enabled consumers to take charge,
and has delivered the experiential kind of consumer. We
viewed this as an opportunity to be a step ahead of that
trend,’ adds Erwin.
But the intended audience presents its own
challenges. The dynamic young consumer segment is
certainly fragmented from a behavioral perspective.
While a significant group is interested in travel, others
are hooked to music and many more, both. And most
love to customize interactive technologies.
So there lies the opportunity – the tools and channels
of expression may be the same, but the opportunity to
tweak them as they please is relished by consumers.

[
Edwin Africa and Erwin Selvarajah
‘Consumers are offered endless
possibilities to ‘Explore, Express,
Discover More with Pepsi’
The result is different expressions and different
experiences.
That explains why Pepsi has moved to respond and
reveal the brand in multiple dimensions to the young
and the young at heart.
‘Consumers are offered endless possibilities to
‘Explore, Express, Discover More with Pepsi’ through
multiple contact points with packaging, advertising,
point of sales, promotions and online. These
revolutionary changes have been done without changing
the iconic Pepsi globe that many associate with the
brand,’ says Edwin.
The visible piece of this effort is the new package
graphics for Pepsi, which incorporates the new global
designs with youth-oriented icons such as Music, Travel,
and ‘Emoticons’.
‘And to localize the experience, we had created an
interesting localised packaging which includes notable
local symbols such as the Petronas Twin Towers, KL
Tower, and Hibiscus on the Travel pack, in support of
the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign,’ says Erwin.
The blast to deliver a passport of endless possibilities
on the things consumers enjoy most in life through
Pepsi is on. ‘Now, our consumers will have a different
experience each time they buy a Pepsi,’ says Erwin.
And the proposition comes alive on every
merchandising and on-premise tools everywhere in
Malaysia; from coolers, vending machines, to retail
outlet signages, from delivery trucks to minute branding
paraphernalia like paper cups.
But the new initiative permits the brand’s visual
expression to reflect various customer desires. Were
there any concerns about tampering with its image?
‘We have maintained Pepsi’s standard look, the red
and blue globe with a wavy framework. However, the
background can be changed to reflect the expression
and experience desired by the consumer. That is why
Brand Equity | 8
our cans and cups carry different themes,’ says
Edwin.
And Pepsi’s brand ambassadors in Malaysia are
the winners of the talent-search reality show, One
in A Million. The two ambassadors, Low Sook Wee
(Suki) and Ahmad Faizal Mohd Tahir (Faizal) were
selected not only for their recent accomplishment,
but also for their personality, charisma, and outlook
on life on and off stage.
‘In short, they personify the endless
determination, the youthful spirit of exploration,
self-expression and discovery which is what the new
Pepsi re-designing is all about,’ says Erwin.
The refreshed proposition comes at a time
when the carbonated beverage category has seen
lacklustre growth of late as health conscious
consumers have successfully been engaged by a
plethora of non-carbonated traditional and non-
The potent benchmark lies in the
restyled Pepsi’s ability to engage
consumers in the long haul.
[
traditional beverages.
Permanis has invested a total of RM8 million on
advertising and promotions for launching the restyled
brand, which includes new thematic TVCs,
print, outdoor advertising, in-store merchandising,
point-of-sale materials and several packaging designs
and promotions.
‘Consumers have access to exclusive online
content, games and contests through the web address
printed on each of the packaging designs,’ says
Erwin.
Erwin says that the relaunch has delivered double
digit growth in sales. However the potent benchmark
lies in the restyled Pepsi’s ability to engage
consumers in the long haul.

Pepsi’s Design & Brand Repertoire – The Stories
Pepsi Brand Re-Style Designs –
a celebration of youth and discovery
Emoticon: Today, we connect through shorthand
dialogues on Instant Messaging (IM), mobile phones,
email, blogging, and message boards. A fusion of
‘emotion’ and ‘icon’, emoticons are expressive symbols
made up of punctuation marks to relay a thought or
feeling. How many do you recognize?
DJ: Today, technology allows us all to become our
own DJ. From MP3jing, beat mixing, scratching, and
mash ups, the design reminds us how music has gone
high tech.
Travel: Embracing a world of discovery through icons
and images relating to local cultures, this canvas is a
visual index to your sense of adventure.
In Malaysia, Pepsi has localised this design in support
of the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign by including
the Petronas Twin Towers, KL Tower and Hibiscus.
Brand Equity | 9
...celebrate the
colourful, rhythmic
movement of our ‘live
in the now’ spirit
[[
Other Pepsi Brands
Pepsi Twist: From Carnivale to local street fairs,
the bright, vivid colours and patterns of Global festivals
celebrate the colourful, rhythmic movement of our ‘live
in the now’ spirit. This spirit is encapsulated in the
design based on the ‘Festival’ theme.
Pepsi Max: Inspired by the ‘Tattoo’ theme. With hit
television series like, ‘Miami Ink’ and ‘Inked’, global
youth have embraced using their bodies as a form
of self-expression. Once considered something only
engaged in by tough guys on Harley’s and service men,
tattoo culture is being reframed as artistry.
Pepsi Light: In a world that continues to move
faster, more and more people seek a way to slow down.
From Yoga to meditation, finding the ‘me moment’ has
become key.

Pepsi’s Propositions – Key Milestones
1958
Pepsi identifies itself with young, fashionable
consumers with the ‘Be sociable, have a Pepsi’
theme.
1961
The younger, post-war generation inspired the theme
‘Now it’s Pepsi, for those who think young.’ It defined
youth as a state of mind as much as a chronological
age, maintaining its appeal to all market segments.
1963
Pepsi recognizes one of the most significant
demographic events in commercial history, the
post-war phenomenon and positions the brand as
belonging to the new ‘Pepsi Generation’. Advertising
history is made with ‘Come alive! you’re in the Pepsi
Generation.’ It is the first time a product is identified,
not so much by its attributes, as by its consumers’
lifestyles.
1969
There is a shift in Pepsi Generation advertising
strategy with a new theme, ‘you’ve got a lot to live.
Pepsi’s got a lot to give.’ youth and lifestyle are still
the campaign’s driving forces, but with ‘Live/Give,’
a new awareness and a reflection of contemporary
events and mood become integral parts of the
advertising’s texture.
1973
‘Join the Pepsi People, Feelin’ Free’ captures the
mood of a nation involved in massive social and
political change. It pictures us the way we are – one
people, but many personalities.
1975
The Pepsi Challenge, a landmark marketing strategy,
convinces millions of consumers that the taste of
Pepsi is superior.
1976
‘Have a Pepsi Day’ is the Pepsi Generation’s upbeat
reflection of an improving national mood.
1984
A new generation has emerged – in the United States,
around the world and in Pepsi advertising, too.
‘Pepsi. The Choice of a New Generation’ announces
the change, and the most popular entertainer of
the time, Michael Jackson, stars in the first two
commercials of the new campaign.
Brand Equity | 10
1993
‘Be young, have fun, drink Pepsi’ advertising,
starring basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal, is
rated as best in U.S.
1997
In the early part of the year, Pepsi pushes into a
new era with the unveiling of the GeneratioNext
campaign. GeneratioNext is about everything that is
young and fresh, a celebration of the creative spirit.
It is about the kind of attitude that challenges the
norm with new ideas at every step of the way.
2003
Pepsi-Cola unveils a new advertising campaign,
‘Pepsi. It’s the Cola,’ which is the brand’s first
major campaign shift since 1999. The new campaign
highlights the popular soft drink that goes with
everything from food to fun.

Brand Equity Interaction Marketing
Involve, Empower, Engage
Proactive brands cannot afford to ignore the enormous
opportunities presented by interaction touch points
‘Let consumers participate!’ Is the new mantra in brand
building. It’s a tenet that is gaining ground, albeit at a
feverish pace, and is infiltrating every touch point that
brand builders deploy to ensnare customers.
‘In a simpler economy with fewer choices, it is easier
to figure out a clearly differentiated brand message,
when to deliver it and through which medium. In a less
sophisticated economy, it’s easier to achieve a desired
consumer perception or action with just messaging as
a platform. Not so today,’ says Chin Weng Keong, head
honcho of the Arachnid Group which consists of Malaysia’s
leading and most-awarded interactive agency, Arachnid and
its subsidiary Slipknot.
It’s obvious that today’s consumers shop in a highly
proliferated environment, with lesser and lesser
differentiation in tow. ‘It’s so much easier to switch brands
these days. Consumers have also become more immune
to traditional marketing messages and are more prone to
ignore them. Furthermore, media has become incredibly
fragmented and the consumption of media itself has
changed so even reaching them in the first place is getting
harder, much less getting heard.’
So are there better ways for brands to stake an
undisputed claim, be recognized, heighten consumer
involvement and race ahead of the pack? Chin emphasizes
that the solution lies in the realm of interaction marketing.
He explains that interaction marketing gives consumers
the opportunity to be closer to the brand than ever. ‘Brands
that let consumers create something for them, or to have a
resounding voice, are giving consumers the opportunity to
become one with it. They get to experience and to affect,
rather than merely “consume” a bunch of messages.’
It’s a two-way street on which consumers have a say in
how their relationships with brands will develop. They are
empowered to seek, manage or modify what’s targeted at
them.
‘What’s more, giving consumers the opportunity to take
joint ownership of the brand, to be co-creators of its voice
and actions, often results in a higher propensity to share
the experience with friends and peers,’ says Chin.
But it is a vicious cycle that we are dealing with in
the battlefield. Interact yes, but competitors are bound
to catch-up. Chin reasons that the answer lies in the
campaign’s core idea and its capacity to deliver value at
all times.
‘Interaction marketing campaigns must deliver value
Brand Equity | 12
to create excitement, always. Brands risk attrition in the
absence of value, or if the value proposition is weak. Value
to consumers can mean more entertainment, utility, or
empowerment to take control. Something that serves a
distinct sense of purpose must be delivered,’ he says.
Case in point would be Brylcreem’s microsite
sohhemsem.com. Conceived by Chin’s team, the content
not only entertains but also empowers users to determine
and share key elements of the content. And pacheye.
com gave visitors the opportunity to design album art and
merchandise, upload remixed music tracks and become
contributors to the artiste’s album.
‘Interaction marketing is about driving engagement
and depth. When done right, consumers are no longer
intrusively marketed at but become willing allies in the
advancement of a brand,’ says Chin.
Chin Weng Keong can be reached at wengky@arachnid.com.my
Chin Weng Keong

THE LONG AND SHORT OF BMW SHORTIES 2007
Background
In December 2006, BMW Malaysia launched BMW
Shorties – a corporate social responsibility program aimed
at discovering and promoting Malaysian film-makers in the
form of a short film competition for amateurs.
Judges included some of Malaysia’s most respected
and exciting film professionals – Yasmin Ahmad, Paul
Loosley, James Lee, Affandi Jamaludin, Danny Lim and
Gregory Wee. On top of which, a 1-day film workshop was
conducted by the judges to provide tips for aspiring filmmakers.
The grand prize was two-fold. BMW Malaysia granted
the winner RM50,000 production budget to fund his/
her next short film project. After which, BMW Malaysia
endeavored to help showcase the film by submitting it
into international film festivals and competitions; a first in
Malaysia.
Non-Traditional Communications
In generating awareness for the program, BMW Malaysia
broke away from convention. With the help of Slipknot, it
embarked on an awareness exercise utilizing blogs, social
networks and viral films to tap into the online community
of film enthusiasts who were the target audience of the
campaign, directing visitors to the official website – www.
bmwshorties.com.my – for details and entry forms.
Brand Equity | 13
Of note was a humorous ‘short film’ shot and posted to
video sharing sites, looking like a scene from a Chinese
gangster movie, but ending in humorous chaos as the
result of a low production budget. The viral film was shot
using amateur equipment and finished with intentionally
low production values to strike a chord with the indie film
making community that is often rich in creativity but poor
in production pocket.
74 film submissions
received within
64-day submission
period
Engaging the Public
From the perspective of the competition itself, BMW
Shorties tapped into the growing popularity of independent
short films in this country thanks to the excellent quality of
films being produced in recent years.
Hence, the People’s Choice Awards category was added
to the BMW Shorties competition. Ten of the best short film
entries were short-listed and uploaded to the BMW Shorties
website for viewing.
And for 9 days, the public voted to determine the
People’s Choice Award winner. During the same period, a
public survey ran on the website to determine the efficacy
of the Internet strategy.
Runaway Success
This marks the first BMW Malaysia campaign to be driven
via the Internet almost exclusively (the only ‘traditional’
component was a requisite PR campaign in newspapers and
magazines).
The results not only demonstrated the popularity of the
program, but also the viability of the Internet as a platform
for reaching relevant audiences, fully convincing BMW
Malaysia to continue its support of the program using this
strategy.

Results in Brief
•74 film submissions received within 64-day submission
period (more than double the expectations).
•210 workshop applications received within 33-day
sign-up period (more than 7 times overbooked), forcing
the original 25-seat limit to be increased to 36.
•3,580 votes received within the 9-day People’s Choice
Awards voting window (daily average 398 votes).
•2,528 website surveys filled within 9-day survey
period (daily average 281surveys). The survey was not
incentivised.
•88% of respondents cited “word of mouth” as their
source of awareness of the BMW Shorties program –
via blogs, forums, email, instant messaging, portals,
websites, web links and mobile.
•10,000+ website mentions and talk about BMW
Shorties (Source: Google.com 30 March 2007)
•Word of mouth crossed national boundaries on the
Internet bringing visitors to www.bmwshorties.com.my
Brand Equity | 14
from not just Malaysia – Malaysia 80%, UK 13.3%, and
Australia 6.7% (Source: Alexa.com)
More to Come
BMW Shorties 2007 is far from over. It is now just about
to enter its second phase. The Grand Prize winner, Abdullah
Zahir bin Omar, will soon begin production on his next film
on the RM50K prize money production budget.
At the same time, he will be blogging his experience on
www.bmwshorties.com.my taking audiences along his
journey of creativity all the way through the international
film awards submissions.
About Slipknot
Slipknot is a new-generation integrated marketing
communications agency that utilizes both traditional and
digital mediums to build brands through consumer interaction,
engagement and participation.
Slipknot can be reached at slipknot@slipknot.com.my

Brand Equity Creative Media Strategy
THE NEXT
THING NOW
The global brand expression of a Media Specialist
delivers potent engagement solutions
A policy-fronted blockade on any outbound
communications that wanted to commend its
achievements has been lifted of late.
And fronting their success is a brand expression that
is verbalized in three words ‘Next Thing Now.’
‘Proof of success is what we have to show. Even
though Next Thing Now was launched in June last
year, we decided to demonstrate our capabilities with
proof of delivery to our clients before talking about
it. That is why we were silent about our global brand
proposition,’ says its managing director, Gaurav Bhasin.
And proof is what they have in hand to savor.
Universal McCann Malaysia has been the Grand Prix
Winner and the Runners’ Up for Media Agency of the
Year for two consecutive years now. And it was the only
media agency in South East Asia that got to the final
at the recent Cannes Lions International Advertising
Festival.
Explains Bhasin, ‘Next Thing Now is our global brand
expression and is about us actively embracing the
future. It is about constant innovation and evolution
in the way we do everything that’s relevant to our
business and therefore our clients and their consumers
as well.’
‘It is about doing today what needs to be done
tomorrow. It is a philosophy that enables us to lead our
clients in the area of thought leadership,’ he says.
Bhasin says that two values are embedded in their
brand proposition –‘engagement innovation’ and
‘accountable creativity’.
‘Gone are the days when one goes about monetizing
or creating wealth by creating excellent execution,
or pumping lots of money to try to get discounts from
media owners,’ says Bhasin.
He explains that the aim of engagement innovation
is to engage consumers innovatively. Detailed research
is carried out to unearth consumer insights which
in turn are used to craft relevant communications
strategies.
‘The next stage calls for exploring better ways to
talk to the consumer. The intention is not to use a push
model and expose the message as it was done in the
[[
Brand Equity | 16
golden era of mass marketing. It is about finding better
ways to talk to consumers so that they will get involved
in the message. That is engagement innovation,’ says
Bhasin.
The second value alludes to the need for their
creative media strategies to deliver. ‘We do not believe
in creating solutions for the sake of being creative. The
output must be accountable in terms of strategy and
the outcome thereafter. Our innovative solutions must
help our client brands,’ says Bhasin.
Next Thing Now has delivered for top notch brands
and the list includes Coca-Cola, Seasons Soy Milk,
Johnson & Johnson’s lotion and among others, Stay free.
‘We have not lost a single piece of business locally
since the last three years. And we will grow 100% this
year,’ says Bhasin.
Gaurav Bhasin

‘Next Thing Now’ case repertoire
1. Suria KLCC ‘Christmas Gift Ideas’
Challenge:
• Position SKLCC as the top of mind ‘gift hub’
during the Christmas season amongst female
purchasers.
• Peak clutter period – Christmas usually the
‘utopia’ of festive seasons as it contributes to
high sales for retailers.
Brand Equity | 17

Solution:
Most female consumers use magazines as
reference for Christmas gift ideas. The
credibility comes from the fact that gift ideas
come from the editorial team.
Armed with the above insights, Universal
McCann created a simple yet innovative and
relevant solution. They matched different gift
ideas from Suria’s retailers with the content
and persona of the magazine. These were then
presented in the magazine’s unique style with
the help of editors.
Results:
Within two weeks from the magazine’s on-sale
dates, the featured products were all sold.
2. J&J Bacteria (Care) Free
Challenge:
Amplify the core benefit of the new variant
which contained tea tree (known for strong
anti-bacterial properties) while engaging
the mind of the target and increasing the
relevance of using panty liners amongst
college going females.
Solution:
• ‘Contextual Media Placement – WHAT you say
is as important as HOW you say it.’
Brand Equity | 18
• Public toilets were identified as the place
where incidence of bacteria was likely to
be very high. Messages were the crafted
for these negative environments to trigger
an immediate link with the anti-bacteria
proposition of Carefree Healthy Fresh.
• To minimize wastage only potentially high
traffic toilets in colleges (near computer
labs, libraries, cafeterias etc) were used to
communicate the benefit.
Results:
77% of the respondents who did not use panty
liners indicated that they would now consider
using Carefree Healthy Fresh.
3. J&J Baby Soft Lotion Advergame
Background:
J&J had launched Johnson’s Baby Soft lotion
with ‘24 hour’ moisturizing as its unique
proposition. The challenge was to device an
innovative solution that could demonstrate
the core proposition in a context that would
amplify its significance to office going females.
Challenge:
Create a platform to engage working white
collar women with the ‘24 hour’ moisturizing
property of the product.
Solution:
Insights revealed two things:
• The segment experienced the driest skin in the
office air-conditioned environment. This nailed
the PLACE.
• The also often go online to enjoy casual little
breaks in the midst of their stressful day. The
MEDIUM.
- Developed in a fun & interesting manner,
a stress busting advergame was designed
showing the product’s efficacy in the frequent
occurrence of skin dryness in the office.
Result:
The game was played by nearly 26,500
people with 10% referring it to their friends &
becoming brand advocates in the process.

Brand Equity Youth Trends
New Youth Study Provides
A new study on Malaysia’s urban
youth, the first carried out by an
advertising agency, is expected to
help advertisers better target the
country’s increasingly affluent under-
30 market segment.
The results of ‘Project After
Sunset’, carried out by BBDO and
Proximity Malaysia, will offer
advertisers valuable insights into the
lifestyles of Malaysia’s urban youth,
allowing the former to better target
their intended target market.
‘We at BBDO and Proximity
Malaysia know that there is a
need for better understanding on
what governs and dominates the
consumption patterns of the youth.
In short, we wanted to know what
makes them tick and what draws
them,’ said BBDO and Proximity
Malaysia’s Group Chief Executive
Jennifer Chan.
Chan said the youth segment was
a primary target audience for most
brands across categories. More than
60% of the Malaysian population was
under the age of 30, making them
the largest consumer segment of the
day.
‘We designed a methodology which
went beyond normal focus group
sessions. Instead of taking them out
Economic Insights
BBDO & Proximity
trains the spotlight on youth
consumption patterns
of their environment, we went INTO
their environment,’ she said.
Research for Project After
Sunset was carried out through
blog entries, focus groups and
an ethnography study, where the
research team followed a group
of youths for six consecutive days,
enabling the team to observe the
subjects in their natural habitat.
Among the findings include
interesting facts such as:
Night life for youths under the
age of 24 is ruled by the ‘tribe
vibe’, where choices on where
they go have to be unanimous.
Brand Equity | 20
Hanging out at the local
‘mamak’ is an almost daily
ritual, although groups of
friends will occasionally treat
themselves to better, more
expensive dining venues to
indulge themselves.
The Internet is like oxygen to
the urban youth, who seems
unable to survive without it.
They spend an average one to
three hours, sometimes more,
a day surfing the Internet.
Activities include downloading
music, movies, chatting and
playing games.
Jennifer Chan

They also spend one to four
hours a day watching television,
with first jobbers spending
the most time glued to the
television. The difference
is that they would usually
download TV content from the
Internet and watch it on their
own time.
Hard copy materials such
as books, magazines and
newspapers are perceived
by this consumer segment as
‘fillers’, when they need a
break from all things digital and
electronic.
The ‘best friend’ concept
is becoming a thing of the
past, with youths hanging out
with a core peer group but
supplementing them with groups
with similar ‘special interests’;
BBDO & Proximity call ‘Passion
Groups’. Passion groups are
another way of segmenting this
target audience.
youths also have a tendency
to mix and match their
consumption to reflect
extremes such as a dinner at a
mamak stall followed by a night
of partying at Zouk or taking
a budget airline to a luxury
resort. They are seen to be
practicing ‘creative spending’.
Brand Equity | 21
‘We have discovered some
interesting facts; facts that brands
targeted at the youth audience
can leverage on… the whole idea
is to keep our finger on the pulse
of this increasingly economically
interesting segment of the
population,’ Chan said at the media
briefing showcasing the results of
Project After Sunset today.
Based on the findings of the project,
BBDO and Proximity Malaysia are
also launching the country’s first
youth portal, called MyPod. The
interactive website will be used as
a strategic tool to keep tabs on the
views and opinions of this particular
market segment.
With MyPod, BBDO and Proximity
Malaysia will be able to identify the
hottest trends and latest fads among
the urban youth, receiving instant
feedback on various online stimuli
which could include advertisements,
promotions and opinion polls as well
as new products and services.
‘To keep up with the ever-changing
tastes of this segment of the
population, we have to be able
to spot the latest trend, predict
the next new craze and forecast
the next big thing. With all this
information, we are certain we will
be able to ensure that our clients
get on and remain on the right track
when it comes to targeting their
audience,’ Chan said.

Brand Equity Shopper Trends
The widely held view is that consumer goods brand
custodians are expected to maneuver within and around
an assortment of exciting challenges in the Malaysian
shopping environment.
A discussion with Kosta Conomos, the director of The
Nielsen Company’s retailer service unit (Southeast Asia)
just about confirmed the belief.
Insights into shopping habits were compiled from
discussions with 1472 target respondents, both male and
female from all ethnic groups aged between 15 to 65 in
a research exercise that covered 10 major cities across
the length and breadth of Malaysia.
Kosta spoke at length about happenings in the
retail trade sector. Pointedly, the grocery retail trade
Key Market Trends – Malaysia
• Polarization of the Retail trade in key Urban centres is increasing. The key drivers:
- Growth in Hypermarket & Small format store growth
- Supermarkets in urban centres are increasingly ‘lost’ in the mix, there is a growing
need for them to differentiate their offer
- Retail leadership is generally city-based within format, not National
• Significant growth in Retailer spend on above the line marketing - TV, Radio, Newspapers,
Internet
• There is significant growth in overall Private label (PL) awareness & purchase
• There is increase in awareness of ‘Health & Well-being’ as part of everyday life
• And increasingly, sophisticated shoppers are becoming more demanding of retailers
overall offer, NOT only low prices
Developments in the Trade Sector
•
•
•
•
•
•
2006
ShopperTrends
Eye on Malaysia…
Modern Trade (MT) outlet growth (+7%) continues to outstrip retailer sales growth
(+4.5%) & population growth (+1.9%)
Growth is being driven by the Central & Southern regions
These trends, coupled with a decline in consumer confidence will likely lead to
declining sales per outlet on a like for like & per square metre basis
Retailers’ increasingly need to accelerate sales growth to match channel growth &
growth in square meterage to ensure positive like for like
In 2007 we will see the largest increase in Hypermarket numbers (+32%) since the
year 2000
What remains to be seen is whether Hypermarket growth will be countered by
declines in sales & store numbers for other MT Store types to keep the balance
Brand Equity | 22
is expected to undergo structural
changes. ‘In particular, the Modern
Trade will surpass Traditional
channels as the leading contributor
to share of trade within 12 months,’
he says.
The bottom line is that brand
builders are operating in challenging
times and the elements are not about
Kosta Conomos
to ease-up anytime soon.
Significant pointers that emerged from the discussion
have been clustered for undemanding interpretation
below.

Related charts
Convenience Store (CVS) continues to escalate whereas Provision now
shows a slight turn around…
2600
2200
1800
1400
1000
CVS
Pharmacy
1,081
30000
28000
26000
24000
Hyper/Supermarket store growth is escalating…Hypers expected to grow to by
+ 19 outlets in coming 12 months, an increase + 32.8% vs. today...
60
50
40
30
Provision
28,659
HYPERMARKETS
31
500
480
460
440
420
400
+19.5%
1,292
416
33
-2.5%
27,944
SUPERMARKETS
+25.2%
1,618
1128
437
37
-4.4%
26,723
+19.8%
1,939
1212
43
439
Brand Equity | 23
+13.2%
2,194
-4.3% +1.5%
25,586
25,693
53
1377
451
58
+14%
2,502
474
1531
+2.9%
26,444
2001 2002 2003 2005 2005 2006
Hypermarkets continue to increase share of where shoppers ‘spend most money’,
clearly impacting Supermarkets & more traditional channels…
43
52
59
33
26
24
8 9
7 7
Hyperm arket Superm arket T raditional
Groc ery
2 0 0 4 2 0 0 5 2 0 0 6
5
3
4
3
1 1 2
Minim arts W et Markets C VS/Serv.
Station
3
494
Base: All respondents (2004 n=1207, 2005 n=1203, 2006 n=1472)

Summary: Shopper Behavior
•
Increasingly, Shoppers are spending more in the Modern Trade (MT) formats with 83% claiming to
spend most money there. However…
- There is no significant change in monthly household spend on Food, Grocery & Personal Care items
- Shoppers appear to becoming more loyal to formats for specific category purchases e.g.
Medicinal items from Drug stores, Groceries from Hypermarkets
- Shoppers still visit Provision shops for fill-ups and quick trips
- Wet markets remain the “place of most often purchase” for Shoppers in terms of fresh
meat, seafood and vegetables
- Ease of access to MT formats is assisting in driving Retailer value share growth
- This is resulting in some cannibalization within and across MT store formats
Related charts
Shoppers still visit Provision shops once every 3 days...
Average Number of Visits Per Month
2.8 2.8
2.4
3.1
2.6 2.5
1.7 1.5
1.4
Most shoppers shopped at the same stores they always do or
just go to the closest store...
Shopping Around Habit
[
[
Hyperm arkets Superm arkets Pers onal C are
I s hopped at the sam e store I always do
Stores
I just went to the c losest store
I chec ked the newspaper or flyers for coupons and
went to the s tore with the attractive deals
I shopped at a s tore that a c olleague, friend or
relative had recom m ended
I was passing a store that c aught m y attention and I
tried it
I heard of a new s tore and dec ided to try it
I c hose the store that I'd s een advertis ed recently
I was vis iting friends / fam ily and went to a store that
they usually s hop at
Brand Equity | 24
4.7
6.3
5.9
C onvenience
Stores in Gas
Stations
2 0 0 4 2 0 0 5 2 0 0 6
8 %
8 %
7 %
6 %
3 %
1 4 %
7.8
9.1
10.5
T raditional
Groc ery
8.3
Base: Visited in Past Year
6.3
8.2
W et Markets
6 7 %
7 8 %
Base: All Supermarket/Hypermarket shoppers (n=1230

Private Label penetration in past 4 weeks has increased to 47% as
shoppers become more familiar with Private Labels...
- 2006 -
13% do not know
any Private Label
Brands
Summary: Trade Sector Trends
•
•
•
•
•
- 2005 -
23% do not know
any Private Label
Brands
Buyers of Private Label Brands in Past 4 Weeks
4 7
Shoppers association with low prices is diminishing as they expect retailers to be competitive on
price…
- Two thirds shop at closest store
- Three quarters go to the same store out of habit
Where there is an overlap is store catchments shoppers are selecting stores based on the best
‘overall’ offer
- It is far more than ‘low prices’ & ‘promotions’ that are driving store selection,
perception & loyalty
39
Retailer spend on ‘above the line’ marketing is at all time highs, however the ability of each to
convert ‘regular shoppers’ to ‘dependables’ is mixed at best
Retailers’ have placed greater emphasis on Private Labels, thus growing overall awareness.
However, it is unclear as yet to what extent this is driving store selection
- More focus needs to be placed on the education of shoppers with respect to PL
in order to increases the ‘stickiness’ of shoppers to retailers’ specific PL brands
Similarly, General Merchandise represents a significant opportunity to grow store equity & sales
- 33% - 88% of shoppers would consider buying General Merchandise categories
- However, increased emphasis is required on the ‘service’ element if success is to
be met with the current approach
Shopper Expectations & Action
•
•
Shoppers expect quality, safe, consistent products available when they want them at a ‘value
for money’ price
Shoppers are increasingly weighing up the overall ‘offer’ in selecting their shopping
destination
Brand Equity | 25
31
- 2004-
31% do not know
any Private Label
Brands
Base: Visited in Past Year