Brands must be run at the boardroom level and be an integrated part of all strategic issues."
Taipei (ANTARA News/CNA) - Asia has the essentials to build brands, with its strong innovation, leadership, and culture, which will help more Asian companies become major brands in the world, a visiting expert stated on Tuesday.

"Asia has a massive, unprecedented, and fantastic opportunity over the next five, 10, say even 50 years," said Martin Roll, a Singapore-based author and lecturer, at a forum on branding and marketing.

Legacy brands will not necessarily come from the Western world, such as the United States or Europe, any more, as there are more entrepreneurs springing up in Asia and many experienced ones returning to Asia to build brands, he noted.

Expressing excitement that he can witness and even be part of the process, Roll suggested that a brand needs to be distinctively unique and very well-positioned, as well as be backed by strong skills and values.

Taiwan has been trying to develop its local products and companies into globally recognized brands in recent years, and that calls for serious high-level efforts, the expert said, adding that marketing department leaders should be present at the boardroom.

"Brands must be run at the boardroom level and be an integrated part of all strategic issues," Roll said.

Once a brand is established, the brand builder can never slack off, Roll said, adding that brands should keep innovating, nurturing culture, and investing in research and development.

"You need to keep the innovation engine humming," he said, noting that arrogance and complacency would kill strong brands.

Taiwan used to be known for its original equipment manufacturers and original design manufacturers, but now it is time for Taiwanese companies to step up and build up their own brands, Roll said.

"It`s never too late," he said. "Somehow there are always opportunities ... any industries, not just those in the technology sector, can succeed."

Caspian Smith, director of the Brand System & Workforce Enablement under IBM Growth Markets, echoed Roll`s remarks during a panel discussion, saying that Taiwan has great opportunity as it is right next to China, a huge economic growth engine.

Taiwan is active and willing to engage in the world, which is very positive for establishing brands, Smith said.

Good brands should empathize, listening to the public and creating fantastic whole-package experiences,
he added.

Brand identity is crucial, noted Telly Kuo, former Asia-Pacific general manager of Taiwan`s top projector vendor Optoma Corp., adding that most Taiwanese companies, if not all, focus on the quality-price ratio, which should be seen as only a feature, not an image.

Other companies can easily outperform with better products made by more advanced technology, and therefore, positioning is even more important, he explained.

The two-day forum, called the Taiwan International Branding Forum, kicked off in Taipei on Tuesday. It is being organized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Taipei-based Taiwan Institute of Economic Research.
(U.A045/H-AK)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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