Influential Brands, a Brand Alliance program, held a private ceremony earlier today to honor Singapore’s top brands.

The 2014 Influential Brands Award recipients were joined by Guest of Honor Seah Kian Peng (fifth from left) and Brand Alliance Group Director Jorge Rodriguez (first from right).

“Singaporean brands have the potential to make a global impact," remarked Seah Kian Peng, the event’s guest of honor, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, and Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC. “I urge more Singaporean businesses to view branding as a strategic tool for growth. All of this necessitates forward-thinking, decisive, and inspirational leadership.”

Seah, also the CEO of NTUC FairPrice Singapore, highlighted Singapore’s potential as a global launching pad in his address. He stated that “more Singaporean businesses might profit from considering branding strategically, from igniting the imaginations, hearts, and minds of their clients and the general public, and as a tool for expansion.”

“The future is bright for many brands in Singapore,” stated Jorge Rodriguez, Director of Strategy at Influential Brands. “There are numerous chances for brands to innovate, expand internationally, and represent Singapore on a global scale.”

“Old Chang Kee is a proudly Singaporean company with potential to expand regionally and beyond," he continued. “Singapore can be proud of our local brand champions, just as Tata and Alibaba are recognized as international brands from India and China. Influential Brands aspires to be a platform for businesses to work together to create better growth opportunities.”

Rodriguez also discussed how online media amplification can help companies reach a larger audience with their brand stories. He asked, “Do they understand your company’s worth, purpose, and goals?” “This is what we want to accomplish online,” he continued. “Consumers are curious about your values.”

He emphasized that brand developers should avoid reinventing the wheel. Instead of developing their own loyalty card platform, he suggested that they use existing ones, such as the PAssion card.

Collaborating with well-known online content platforms can also be beneficial because their followers can spread the word about a good story. “Create compelling stories,” he advised.

Rodriguez also gave a sneak peek at a mobile app that will provide users with targeted, location-based deals from Influential Brands winners.

Influential Brands: A documentary of their heroic rise was also released by Brand Alliance.

“We are witnessing a surge in the number of enthusiastic young people attempting to launch their own businesses,” stated Han Keen Juan, Executive Chairman of the Old Chang Kee Group. “Many of them are unprepared for the long road ahead. We hope that by sharing our story, we can provide them with a dose of realism that is rarely taught in the classroom.”

More than 40 categories were considered for the 2014 Influential Brands Award, with over 30 new categories added to the 18 from the previous year. Consumers chose the brands recognized in each category, indicating their trust and preference and reflecting a brand’s success in engagement.

Ya Kun (Asian Cafes category), Old Chang Kee (F&B Kiosks), and Dumex (Milk Powders) are among the 2014 Top Influential Brands.

You can read the blog post about the book here and the post about the Influential Brands award here.

The Influential Brands Award is given to brands who make an effort to connect with their customers in innovative ways. Influential Brands also wants to give companies a place to interact with their target audiences. The Influential Brands program is driven by four main goals:

• To provide a new perspective on powerful branding in Asia
• To inform business owners who want to use branding as a key driver of growth
• To act as a forum for recognizing top brands and their commitment to engaging consumers, as well as for exchanging ideas
• To deliver relevant insights in order to meet the needs of today’s ever-changing customers