Branding building is important in helping infocomm companies to stay ahead in a changing market landscape. Speaking at a branding workshop organised by the Infocomm Development Authority for Singapore Infocomm enterprises, Mr Andrew Martschenko, Executive Director - Brand Strategy with Interbrand, noted that a brand was not just a product made in a factory, but something made in the mind. "It's the emotional connection," he said. "A brand represents a pact between the customer and the supplier, and it has to be at the heart of everything that you do."

The brand has to be built around the customers and cater to their needs. This focus is especially important in the infocomm world where customers' needs and preferences are evolving all the time, said co-facilitator Ms Anna-Karin Birnik, Senior Consultant with Interbrand.

Mr Martschenko: A brand represents a pact between the customer and the supplier, and it has to be at the heart of everything that you do.

The message resonated with workshop participant Mr Saurav Bhattacharyya, Executive Director of Quantum Inventions. "As a technology company, we tend to look at our own products and solutions first, and then the customer. So, it was quite an eye opening experience to start with the customer and end up with inputs to all aspects of the company - the product, product development, positioning, sales strategy, and the way we present ourselves/product/service to the customer," he said.

The customer focus was also a key takeaway for Ms Christina Ondevilla, Marketing Services Executive with e-Cop. "To be effective, you have to know your target market/audience so you can tailor your branding campaign to capture their attention," she said.

Ms Ondevilla also came away with a greater appreciation of the roles that other colleagues could play in the branding exercise. "Employees are the most important brand ambassadors because customers deal directly with them and good customer experience will reflect a good image/brand of the company," she said.

As Mr Martschenko pointed out, successful organisations marry their brand strategy with their business strategy, and this would involve different departments such as human resource, research and development and sales. For R&D, for instance, it would not just be innovation for the sake of innovation but understanding what the customer needed. For sales, it would involve selling a certain experience and meeting certain expectations.

"Ultimately brands must deliver on their promise," he said. "In the technology space in particular, there is a track record of over-promising. The marketplace and dynamics tend to put you in that position. You need to keep ahead, but you have to be careful about setting expectations and making sure you deliver on your promises."