The Futurist: Why brands must stay competitive

It is often assumed that larger companies will always have the advantage over smaller competitors, owing to their scale, resources and capacity. In recent times, however, industry giants have become threatened by the competition, as leaner and meaner brands rocket to stay ahead.

One such example is that of Feedly, which has proved its mettle to emerge as one of the world’s leading RSS readers. Back in March 2013, when Google announced its plans to shut down Google Reader, the company jumped at the opportunity to tap into the user database, reaching out to millions of users who were looking for alternatives.

By engaging thought leaders, creating content and simplifying the transfer from Google Reader to its product through a one-click migration process, Feedly was able to secure a huge share of Google Reader’s customers, tripling its own numbers from four million to over 13 million.

A day after its paid tier became available, the company sold 5,000 Pro accounts. Feedly is a prime example of a smart brand that was watchful of an ever-evolving marketplace, and quick to seize the opportunity, acting on new partnership opportunities to meet the needs of its target audience. Staying ahead through speed, integration and content.

Similarly, only six years ago, Huawei stepped into the smartphone business as a newcomer. We came from humble beginnings, but have since risen to become what we are today – thanks to innovation, adaptability and speed in reaching audiences with the right messages.

When we started in China, we knew it was important to develop a versatile, multidimensional marketing and advertising strategy to conquer the hearts of the masses and be ubiquitous.

In an overcrowded Android market where brand awareness is crucial, we would not be able to compete by only leveraging product functionality, especially when the nature of the industry today is more than just a telecoms commodity. Brands need to stay close and connected with their audience.

As such, we applied a strategy that embraced local markets, reaching out to them through what they could relate to most – content. The partnerships were aimed at changing the brand perception and turning Huawei into a brand that locals could truly identify with.

Strength in partnerships

Partnerships are also key to growth. To support the development of our smartphone brand, Huawei recently collaborated with premium camera manufacturer, Leica to build and launch the Huawei P9 boasting a dual camera system.

Both brands complemented each other’s strength and premium standards to develop a product that would meet the technological and style needs of global customers.

Beyond Leica, Huawei has also formed several strategic partnerships with other consumer brands. We have even tied-up with football clubs such as Arsenal, Atlético de Madrid and AC Milan, even signing Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi as a brand ambassador in 2015. Recently, we collaborated with Hollywood A-listers to accentuate our marketing strategies, and bring to life our products in a way that is relatable and loved by customers.

Speed. Content. Partnerships. Relatability. These are just some of the key elements that we have embraced, as Huawei continues to expand across the globe.

In the age of connectivity, the prevalence of devices such as smartphones and tablets means that we must continuously anticipate shifting market practices by keeping an eye out for new opportunities and partnerships that will help complement our offerings for customers.

Only the fastest and smartest brands will survive.

The author of the article is Matthew Ho, regional marketing director, Huawei Consumer Business Group, Southern Pacific