Branding Innovation Centre

Strengthening the corporate brand through innovation is paramount in ensuring success

As markets become increasingly dynamic and demanding, SMEs need to be able to adapt to new challenges and capitalise on innovation for growth potential. Being open to innovative ideas, approaches and systems is imperative in today’s fast-changing world. However, if a corporate brand is weak or incoherent, innovation may do little for the success of a company. Being complementary to each other, strengthening the corporate brand through innovation is paramount in stimulating long-term growth and ensuring success.

Brand development has evolved tremendously and has become very significant in the business arena. Malaysia has set a vision to become an economy driven by innovation and creativity in order to transform itself from being an upper middle economy into a high-income and advanced economy. Innovation and creativity will be the key to overcoming challenges, and ensuring that the country continues to prosper.

This collaboration between SME Corporation Malaysia and Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) to establish the Branding Innovation Centre (BIC) is another example of the Government’s continuous effort and support in reaching out and meeting the needs and requirements of the industries, particularly for SMEs. This public-private sector collaboration initiative will further promote the development of local SMEs in developing, building, and strengthening their own brands of products and services as well as in enhancing product packaging, which is made possible through the establishment of BIC.

I wish to congratulate and extend my appreciation to SME Corp. Malaysia and Limkokwing University for this commendable effort, and hope that this partnership will leapfrog the achievements of SMEs, in making them more visible in the eyes of the world through enhanced packaging and branding of Malaysian products and services.

Thank you.

Creating top quality
Made-in-Malaysia brands for the world

Malaysia has long been a top producer and exporter of a long list of products. The current global slowdown and the rise of new economies may have impeded our progress but it must be seen as an opportunity to re-visit our strategies and re-design the way we have been operating for the past few decades. Malaysia must become a country that stands alongside the very best in the world. We must succeed in creating more products the world wants to use and more brands the world wants to buy.

An important area for small and medium-sized enterprises to invest their resources is in the halal sector. Malaysia has the potential as well as the credentials to be a major halal global food production hub. Malaysia has the longest established and most widely recognized halal certification in the world. Malaysia trades with practically every country on earth. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world which therefore provides a ready market of over 1.8 billion. Increasingly non-Muslims are showing preference for halal products and therefore the market for halal products is expanding rapidly. Globally the annual trade in halal food is estimated to be valued at over RM1,300 billion.

Malaysia has strengthened its network for participation in the global halal market. Halal food production zones are already operating in six states in Malaysia, with halal distribution hub at Tanjung Pelepas Port in Johor.

It is therefore imperative that SMEs avail themselves to the opportunity which is right at our doorstep. The SMECORP Limkokwing University Branding Innovation Centre is offering its experience and expertise to transforming local products into global brands.