Marketing (Analyzing Organization’s Marketing)
Company’s Name: Proton Sdn Bhd
MARKETING MIX
The marketing mix is generally accepted as the use and specification of the 'four Ps'
describing the strategy position of a product in the marketplace. The 'marketing mix' is a set
of controllable, tactical marketing tools that work together to achieve company's objectives.
The 4P Marketing Mix Proton Holdings are included:
Product & Service
A tangible object or an intangible service that is mass produced or manufactured on
a large scale with a specific volume of units. To look the product and services Proton
Holding we focused at their group operations included Engineering Services, manufacturing,
sales and promotion, property, financial services, investee and associate companies. The
business of the Group has been expanded to include engineering consultancy,
manufacturing, distribution, financial services and property investments. The Group designs
and produces cars for diverse consumer preferences. The portfolio of PROTON models
includes the reliable family-sedan Waja, the stylish Gen.2, the versatile Arena, the proven
Saga and Wira range, the fun-to-drive Savvy and the desirable sporty Satria Neo. The Group
also has in its portfolio, the world-renown sports cars, with models such as Elise, Esprit,
Exige and Europa. These cars are manufactured in Malaysia and the United Kingdom.
There are the car models by Proton Holdings
Proton Saga
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Models
Info
Proton
Saga
The Proton Saga was the first Proton model. It rolled
off the Shah Alam assembly line for the first time in
September 1985. The 100,000th Proton Saga was
produced in January 1989.
Models
Info
Proton Wira
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This car was, and still is, very popular in Malaysia. The
word Wira translates into English as "Hero" but instead
of using this as the name in English-speaking countries,
Proton chose to use the word Persona. The wira has
variant models such as 1.3GLi A/M, 1.5GLi A/M, 1.6XLi
Proton Wira
A/M, 1.8XLi A/M and 2.0D M. Only the 1.8XLi Auto is
marketed in the English-speaking country at first known
as Persona. Persona is a hatch back model. However,
from about 2001 onwards, the car has been sold as the
Wira in the United Kingdom,
Proton Satria
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Models
Info
The Proton Satria (also called the Proton Compact in
the UK) is a sporty 3-door hatchback based on the
Mitsubishi Mirage / Mitsubishi Colt. Proton gained a lot
of valuable engineering knowledge from its takeover of
Lotus which ultimately led to a special Lotus badged
version of the Satria being produced.
Proton
Satria
The Proton Satria GTi is a 3-door sports hatchback.
This was Proton's entry in the sport performance
hatchback market. The Satria GTi is popular in
Malaysia and has a large following in Australia. It is
powered by a 4-cylinder 1,800 cc DOHC engine and
featured Lotus-tuned suspension.
The Proton Satria R3 is a limited edition road-legal
race-spec Satria with only 150 units in production. It
features a double seam-welded lightened chassis and a
tweaked engine with more aggressive cam timing.
The Proton Satria SE is the last batch of Proton
Satrias to roll out. Featuring Proton Arena sports rims
and grille, and many extras in the interior similar to the
Proton Wira SE, this would be the last of the Satrias
before the long-awaited SRM (Satria Replacement
Model) rolls out.
The Proton Satria Neo is the replacement model of the
previous Satria variants, using all-new design, chassis
and power plant. Launched on 16 June 2006, the Satria
Neo is available in 1.6L and 1.3L variants, where both
variants are powered by Campro engine.
Proton Putra
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Models
Info
Proton
Putra
The Proton Putra (also sold in the United Kingdom and
Australia as the Proton Coupe or Proton M21) is a 2door sporty coupe based on the Mitsubishi Mirage.
Considered by many as one of the better looking of the
Mitsubishi-based models, the Putra was well received
and commands good second-hand value.
Models
Info
Proton Perdana
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The Proton Perdana, based on the Mitsubishi Eterna,
was first produced in 1995, and was intended for the
higher-end market.
Proton
Perdana
The Proton Perdana V6 was a face lifted version of
the Perdana, featuring a more powerful V6 engine and
new front and rear look. It was later face lifted to
include the Alfa-Romeo-inspired grille that earned it the
nickname Alfa-dana among enthusiasts.
Proton Tiara
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Models
Info
Proton
Tiara
The Proton Tiara was a supermini class 5-door
compact car based on the Citreon Citra. It was built
under licence from PSA Peugeot Ctroen by Proton from
1996 to 2000. The Tiara was powered by a 1.1L engine
and featured a different grille, taillights and bumpers
than the Citroën AX. Its successor is the Proton Savvy.
Models
Info
Proton
Juara
The Proton Juara was a microvan based on the
Mitsubishi Town Box Wide. This model was the first
batch being totally CKD models from Japan. The
external appearance of the car, which was a
modification of the original Town Box, was not popular
with the Malaysian market and suffered poor sales. The
Proton Juara was very economical in fuel consumption
and was very versatile. It is also one of the bestequipped Mitsubishi-based models offered from Proton.
Models
Info
Proton Juara
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Proton Waja
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Proton
Waja
The Proton Waja (Proton Impian in Europe) is the first
Proton to be designed and styled in-house. However,
the car's chassis and engine were sourced and adapted
from Mitsubishi (except for the 1,800 cc variant, which
was powered by a Renault engine). The word Waja
translates into English as "steel" while Impian translates
into "dreams" or "ambition". The name Impian was
chosen as it was considered to be a more pleasant
sounding word for the international market. In January
2006, the car was fitted with a Campro Engine which
has been re-tuned to boost the horsepower to 86 kW
(115 bhp) and 155 N-m of torque. This made it go fullcircle, as the CamPro was originally developed for the
Waja, but was deemed not ready for production when
the Waja was launched, hence debuting in the Proton
Gen-2. The facelifted 2007 Proton Waja was launched
on 19 January 2007 with the new grille nearly identical
to the Proton Savvy. Although Proton Waja was
designed as a premium product of Proton, it was
termed as one of the worst cars of Proton.
The Waja was also released as the Proton Chancellor
in late 2005, a variant for the executive market with a
250mm wheelbase stretch and luxury fittings and
accessories, including a space-robbing rear centre
console that restricts seating to four persons. It is fitted
with powertrain from the Proton Perdana V6. With a
selling price of about twice that of a Waja, the
Chancellor is a very rare sight on Malaysian roads.
Proton Arena
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Models
Info
Proton
Arena
The Proton Arena (called Proton Jumbuck in the
United Kingdom and Australia), a coupe utility vehicle.
Based on the Wira platform, Proton engineers managed
to develop a vehicle that would cater for those who
have an active lifestyle and also those who need a
small and economical utility vehicle as opposed to a
commercial truck. 1200 units were sold in Australia in
its first year. The Arena comes in 3 body styles.
Models
Info
Proton Gen-2
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Proton
Gen-2
The Proton Gen-2 is the first fully Malaysian-developed
(including chassis and engine) Proton car and the
replacement model for the Proton Wira; launched on
2004 Proton still continued to sell the Wira after the
Gen.2 was launched, due primarily to the popularity of
sedan/saloon vehicles in the target market. The Gen.2,
a hatchback design, is considered by many to be the
best-looking Proton. It has a minimalist and modern
interior with design cues from the Lotus subsidiary.
However, very low quality of materials and fit and finish
of interior components seriously hurt the public's
perception of the quality of the vehicle at launch. Later
models used improved quality materials and assistance
from the TUV of Germany to help maintain the quality
improvements. The Gen.2 was the first Proton to
receive the (inappropriately) named CamPro engine,
which at launch was widely criticised for the lack of lowto mid-range torque (pulling power), due to a late
decision to drop Camshaft Profiling from the engine
feature-list in production models. Attempts to improve
this torque deficit by adjusting ECU parameters have
largely been unsuccessful. Published engine torque
curves still show a pronounced dip in torque output in
the crucial 2000-3000 RPM engine speed region,
presumably due to the missing engine feature.
The version with Campro CPS engine was previewed
during the 24th Thailand International Motor Expo 2007
in Bangkok.
The Proton Gen-2 was also released in the form of two
other variants:
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The Proton Gen-2 R3 MME Edition
The Proton Gen-2 EVE Hybrid, a hybrid
concept version of the Gen-2, revealed during
the 2007 Geneva Auto Show. It retains the
S45MPH Campro engine coupled together with
a 30 kW, 144V Electric motor.
Proton Savvy
Picture
Models
Proton
Savvy
Info
The Proton Savvy was launched June 2005. The 1,200
cc 5-door Supermini Car. The car is fitted with an
engine and a gearbox sourced from from Renault. In an
official on-road test made by Proton in mid-2006, Proton
Savvy recorded the fuel consumption rate of about 24
km/L at constant speed of 90km/h (or about RM0.08/km
of fuel), making the car as the most fuel-efficient
Malaysian car as verified by Malaysian Book of
Records. Even with very good fuel efficiency the car
maintenance was report to be very high even
surpassing the Proton Waja. This because of the use of
the European Renault engine.
The Proton Savvy R3 Zerokit was based on the
Proton Savvy R3 prototype and could be added to a
Savvy purchase for an additional RM3000. It featured a
roof spoiler, front and rear lips and side skirting.
Proton Persona
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Models
Info
Proton
Persona
The Proton Persona was launched on 15 August 2007.
The 1.6 litre sedan is based on the Proton Gen-2 and
features a sedan body instead of the Gen-2's hatchback
body. It retains the same 82kW Campro engine. The
Persona is rebadged as the Proton Gen-2 Persona in
the UK market.
Models
Info
Proton
Exora
The Proton Exora was launched on 15 April 2009. It is
powered by the 1.6L Campro CPS I4 engine producing
125 horsepower and 150Nm of torque, resulting the top
speed of 165 km/h (103 mph) and the average fuel
consumption of 7.2 L/100 km (39 mpg-imp; 33 mpgUS).The Exora will feature a Body Control module which
allows automatic activation and configuration of various
vehicle functions such as door locking/unlocking, interior
lamps, headlamps, brake lamps and wipers. The result
has been announced on 17th February 2009. The name
Proton Exora",was picked from the Name The Proton
MPV competition grand prize winner Norsholihan Bt
Abdul Eanich.
Proton Exora
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The importance of ensuring they have a strong product portfolio is all the more
crucial as it has a pivotal impact on their turnaround plans. This is reinforced by their winning
strategy of introducing „the right car, for the right market, at the right price and at the right
time. This strategy was reflected in their newly introduced Persona and Saga models, with
the latter powered by the new CamPro IAFM engine during the year under review and
suffice to note, these two models are performing tremendously well in the market to date.
Furthermore, there have continued to update and refresh their existing product lines
to entice and attract customers. The re-energised Waja and Gen.2, with their new look and
powerful CamPro CPS engine, and the economical Savvy re-designed to give better value
proposition to the buyers of the Savvy Lite, have successfully managed to excite car
consumers in Malaysia during the year under review. Staying on course, PROTON will be
launching their first MPV in early 2009, further solidifying their product line-up to include a
high quality multi-purpose vehicle that can cater to the family-oriented contemporary lifestyle.
Other exciting offerings are also in the pipeline with replacements for the Waja and
iconic Perdana on the drawing board. To sustain this positive momentum, there will continue
their research and development (R&D) efforts and comprehensive market surveys to gain a
deeper understanding of the needs of their customer base. By harnessing the right
technology and keeping their finger on the pulse of customers’ requirements, their truly
believe that this will bring us closer to achieving their goals of a dynamic product portfolio.
Product Development
With robust product planning, there were able to introduce both new and improved
PROTON Cars in the year under review, marked by the successful launch of the Persona in
August 2007, followed closely by the unveiling of the new Saga in January 2008 also Ixora in
2009.
Product Refreshments
The face-lift of Gen.2 was done in tandem with the initiation of the Persona project to
take advantage of cost sharing given that both projects share similarities in terms of their
interior design. As a result of the exterior face-lift, the Gen.2 now features a new bumper,
body kit, colour and alloy rims. Their also upgraded parts of the exterior and interior of the
car based on customers’ feedback, while introducing the much-anticipated CamPro CPS
power train. The engine’s Variable Intake Manifold (VIM) switch alternates between a long
intake manifold at low engine speeds and a short intake manifold at higher engine speeds.
PROTON is applying a longer intake manifold to achieve slower airflow, as this system has
been found to promote better mixing of fuel. The short intake manifold will allow more air to
enter faster and be especially beneficial to engines at high Revolutions per Minute (RPMs).
With extra power, better handling and improved quality, the regret becomes a highly
competitive model in the sporty C-segment automotive category.
Price
The price is the amount a customer pays for the product. It is determined by a
number of factors including market share, competition, material costs, product identity and
the customer's perceived value of the product. The business may increase or decrease the
price of product if other stores have the same product.
Price of their product actually are suitable because all customer know that the car is
a necessary good, and the differential price with other product is not large. From the
competitor analysis the competitive environment category measures the opportunity for new
market entrants, based on existing manufacturers and brands in the country. Despite
increasing numbers of carmakers launching production activities in Malaysia, some major
manufacturers are still absent leaving opportunity for extra competition. The market scores 5
out of 10. Another that, competitor is Toyota Motor Corporation; Honda Motor Company Ltd.;
Shenyang Brilliance Automotive Company Ltd.; Mitsubishi Motors Corporation;Yuejin Motor
Group Corporation; Hyundai Motor Company Ltd.; Mazda Motor Corporation; Daewoo-FSO
Motor S.A.; Isuzu Motors Ltd.; Kia Motors Corporation and Toyota Astra Motor PT.
Also that, Perodua’s successful tie-up with Japanese manufacturers, as well as an
emphasis on small, fuel-efficient vehicles, allowed it to overtake Proton in passenger-car
sales in 2006. It outsold Proton in the domestic market both in 2006 and 2007. However, its
subcompacts do not directly compete with larger, more expensive Proton offerings. The
company has 140 sales outlets and 37 service branches and 113 service outlets across. So
that these is term of market share that have must taking by Proton Holdings.
According to the list of car proton price below showed that material cost by following
the product quality Proton
Proton Satria
Model
RM
SATRIA 1.3GLi SE (Metallic)
42,888.12
SATRIA 1.5GLi SE (Metallic)
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Proton Wira
Model
RM
WIRA Peca 1.5GL (Metallic)
47,320.00
WIRA Peca 1.5GL (Solid)
46,676.50
WIRA 1.5GLi SE Aeroback Metallic)
50,027.97
WIRA 1.5GLi SE Aeroback Auto Metallic)
52,106.77
WIRA 1.5GLi CE Auto (Metallic)
51,337.43
WIRA 1.5GLi Type-Q EV (Metallic)
48,863.08
WIRA 1.5GLi Type-Q EV (Solid)
48,157.20
Proton Waja
Model
RM
WAJA 1.6L SOCH (Manual)
59,455.60
WAJA 1.6L SOCH (Auto)
63,332.40
WAJA 1.6L EV SOCH (Manual) With Air Bags
WAJA 1.6L EV SOCH (Auto) With Air Bags
66,799.97
Proton Iswara
Model
RM
ISWARA Aeroback 1.3S-LMST (Metallic)
38,500.81
ISWARA Aeroback 1.3S-LMST (Solid)
36,135.86
ISWARA Aeroback 1.3S-LMST *NPS (Metallic)
35,800.79
ISWARA Aeroback 1.3S-LMST *NPS (Solid)
34,511.34
ISWARA 1.3 Sedan *NPS (Solid)
37,670.08
ISWARA 1.3 Sedan *NPS (Metallic)
38,313.58
Proton Gen-2
Model
GEN-2 1.6 DOCH Auto (Metallic)
RM
58,114.50
GEN-2 1.6 DOCH Manual (Metallic)
55,036.50
Proton Perdana
Model
PERDANA V6 2.0(A)
RM
106,096.94
The services prices included Interest Rate is 3.88% for 7 years and 3.99% for 9 years and 2
years standard manufacturing warranty plus 3 years Extended Warranty.
Promotion
Promotion represents all of the communications that a marketer may use in the
marketplace. Promotion has four distinct elements - advertising, public relations, word of
mouth and point of sale.
Advertising
Proton has do their advertising included:
1) Print and press advertising
 RM58 SERVICE CAMPAIGN,
 The Savvy Lite. Mesmerizing.
 Only RM33,549 (Manual Trnasmission) or RM36,549 (Auto Transmission). Available
in Black of White.
 Celebrate their 50th year of independence with a Proton Saga, from only RM26,999
 The New Car Model Advertising
2) TV commercial
Proton also does their advertising via television as when their launching a new product also
does the Proton Quality Campaign Launch
Public relations
A public relation (PR) is the practice of managing the communication between an
organization and its publics. Public relations gains an organization or individual exposure to
their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that do not require direct
payment. Because a public relations places exposure in credible third-party outlets, it offers
a third-party legitimacy that advertising does not have. Common activities include speaking
at conferences, working with the press, and employee communication.
There are some of activities had been due by Proton Holding to see their customer:
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Proton At Jakarta International Motor Show
Satria Neo 2000 Rally Car Unveiled In Bristol, Uk
Proton Axle Racing Participated In Atcs, Sentul, Indonesia
A Collaboration With Road Safety Department
Proton & Giatmara Organize Advancement Of Automotive Training
Proton Quality Campaign Launch
Proton Family Day At Sunway Lagoon
The Satria Neo Asian Touring Car Series 1500 Launch
Csr Programme - Ummc Pediatric Cancer Ward
20 China Journalist Visited Proton
Cmc Customer Appreciation Day
Le Tour De Langkawi 2008
Word of Mouth
Word of mouth is a reference to the passing of information from person to person.
Originally the term referred specifically to oral communication (literally words from the
mouth), but now includes any type of human communication, such as face-to-face,
telephone, email, and text messaging.
This is included the Radio Commercial does by Proton Holdings. Listen to the radio
commercial included “Berbuka Puasa Di Era Bersama Gen.2”, “Merdeka Untukmu
Campaign”,“Proton Menghargaimu Campaign”, “Trm Teaser Campaign” and other
campaign.
Point of Sales
Point of sales (POS) or checkout is both a checkout counter in a shop, and the
location where a transaction occurs. Colloquially, a "checkout" refers to a POS terminal or
more generally to the hardware and software used for checkouts, the equivalent of an
electronic cash register. A POS terminal manages the selling process by a salesperson
accessible interface. The same system allows the creation and printing of the voucher.
Point of sales by Proton sales transaction is do by loan or instalment which do via
their Finance panel (Bank). The transaction handling by Proton Commerce Sdn Bhd (PCSB)
was incorporated on 27th October 2003 and started its operation on 1st March 2004. PCSB
is a 50:50 joint venture company between Proton Edar Sdn Bhd (PESB) and CIMB Bank
Berhad (CIMB). So Point of sales in Proton Holding Berhad is do not have b them because
their sales transaction doing by instalments.
PCSB offers competitive hire purchase loan financing packages to new Proton car
purchasers through PESB and EON sales network nationwide. With the combined
infrastructure of the two entities, PCSB can offer better deals for Proton car financing with
one-stop online convenience together with fast application and approval processes.
In addition, customers enjoy value-added financing packages with a combination of
other financial products. All this with the assurance and reliability of two established parent
companies that is well equipped with the expertise and infrastructure.
Proton Commerce is committed to delivering competitive hire purchase finance
facility by leveraging on the synergy of the core competencies and resources of its parent
companies, with a focus on providing fast, efficient and friendly service to car buyers. Thus,
by leveraging upon these multi-faceted strengths, Proton Commerce’s objective is to
become the preferred automotive finance provider for all purchasers of new Proton cars
while being recognised as the most competitive, comprehensive and capable player in the
automotive financing industry.
The year under review saw PROTON aggressively augmenting the International
Sales & Services Division with additional human resources, focusing primarily on technical
support as well as after-sales and customer services. Clearly, this investment reflects the
importance of the export market in PROTON’s long-term growth. In terms of market
expansion, the Group successfully penetrated into China and Thailand, while expanding
their reach in Iran, the Middle East and Indonesia.
At the same time, their re-energised the Saudi Arabian market, which is crucial to
their success in the Middle East. The year also saw the implementation of a special
programme for semi knocked-down (SKD) and completely knocked-down (CKD) exports to
Iran and China, which are expected to contribute positively towards the new financial year’s
export volume growth PROTON’s technical support and after-sales service capabilities must
be of high standards in order to further enhance PROTON’s brand equity in the international
market. Towards this end, several ‘Service Campaigns’ were held during the year under
review in their key export markets. Also known as PROTON STAR, these campaigns
included customer-focused initiatives ranging from a 43-point check to discounts for spare
parts.
Naturally, these campaigns are ideal platforms to bring PROTON closer to the
international customer base. During the year, there was also a marked increase in the
frequency of visits by both the sales and technical teams to the various countries in which
PROTON has presence, to enhance their understanding of the markets and provide better
response to the customers.
Place
Place represents the location where a product can be purchased. It is often referred
to as the distribution channel. It can include any physical store as well as virtual stores on
the Internet. The following is there explained Proton at the several countries.
Indonesia
Performance and Operations
PT Proton Edar Indonesia registered higher sales of 1,422 units compared with 546
units in the previous fiscal year. In July 2007, the company launched the Waja and Neo
models in conjunction with the Indonesia International Motor Show 2007.
Prospects
The Indonesian Automotive Industry Association (Gaikindo) had forecasted a steady
total industry volume growth over the next three years from 500,000 units in 2008 to 600,000
in 2010. The Company is expected to perform better in the next financial year with the
launching of the Gen.2 Persona in July 2008 and the new Saga before the end of 2008. To
achieve the anticipated sales increase and improve the after-sales support, the Company
has expanded its network by an additional four branches and five dealers.
Thailand
Performance and Operations
PROTON made its entry into Thailand on 30 January 2008 through its wholly owned
subsidiary, Proton Motors (Thailand) Limited. Within a short span of time, PROTON
managed to successfully penetrate the Thai market with sales of its cars exceeding 1200
units within the first six months of its launch. Since making in-roads into the Thai market,
PROTON captured 1.3% of the market share in the passenger car segment and was ranked
8th overall.
Prospects
For financial year 2008/09, PROTON aims to achieve sales of 4000 units through the sale of
various models including the Savvy, Gen.2, Neo and Persona.
Singapore
Performance and Operations
The Certificate of Entitlement quota for cars in Singapore was lower by 3.1% in 2007.
This reduction signalled the end of bumper quotas in the island state and resulted in
distributors reducing their margins to clear outstanding stock. The year also saw the
introduction of China made cars into Singapore. Currently, 80% of cars in Singapore are less
than four years old while 90% are less than five years. The reduction in quota, coupled with
the introduction of China-made cars led to a 43% reduction of brands operating in their
segment. Sales were also further affected by the increased petrol prices and tightening of
credit due to the sub-prime fall-out in the US, as banks were more cautious in lending
money. On another note, the PROTON Persona launched in October 2007 received
encouraging response and drew accolades from both the press and customers.
Prospects
Given the market conditions in Singapore, a number of initiatives are in the pipeline to
increase their operational efficiency here.
United Kingdom
Overview
Contrary to concerns surrounding the automotive industry, the overall UK total
industry volume (TIV) in 2007 increased by approximately 2.5% to reflect over 2,400,000
sales. The increase was due to the business and fleet sectors where sales rose by 5.5% and
3.3% respectively, while private buyer sales were static, contributing only 43% of the total
market share. Sales of diesel cars continued to rise, capturing over 44% of market share by
end-2007, and is forecasted to sustain its momentum. With regards to body types, the only
significant growth came from MPVs which rose by over 16%, usurping sales from the more
traditional three, four and five-door segments.
The year 2007 also saw the top ten market leaders focusing on private buyers with
all of them seeing a substantial rise in sales, now accounting for over 70% of the entire UK
volume between them. One of the key topics that took centre-stage in 2007 was the ‘green
issue’, which influenced the perception of the UK buying public. Both the Government
through vehicle taxation and manufacturers of highly fuel-efficient and low CO2 emission
vehicles marketing its benefits spearheaded sales of ‘green’ cars. Sales of low CO2 tax band
vehicles rose by 15%, while high tax band CO2 vehicle sales dropped by 17% Performance
and Operations Overall, Proton Cars (UK) Ltd saw a reduction in sales by 8% during the
year under review. Nevertheless, despite reduced marketing expenditure, retail sales
increased by 3.5% during the period, which bodes well for the brand in the long term. Sales
of the Gen.2 model improved during the year and the Satria, which was launched in March
2007, was well received by dealers, motoring press and the general public. However, sales
for Waja were impacted due to a drop in demand throughout the segment while the Savvy
faced severe competition from other brands in its category.
Prospects
In the second half of 2007 and early 2008, the operating environment in the UK
became more challenging with higher interest rates, a slow-down in the housing market and
rising cost of living. Given these market conditions, Proton Cars (UK) is adopting a number
of initiatives, which will lower operating costs, while maintaining a high level of support for
their dealer network and customers.
Australia
Overview
The total Australian vehicle sales grew by 9.1% and reached a record 1.049 million
units. Sales of smaller fuel-efficient vehicles accounted for the majority of the increase due to
the increasing price of oil and rising interest rates. The small and light segments, which
PROTON competes in, grew by 10.2% and 5.9% respectively whilst PROTON’s retail sales
increased by 16%. The current shift of sales towards smaller vehicles is expected to
continue as fuel prices continue to rise and the economy slows down. Performance and
Operations The positive financial results were due to improved Lotus vehicle sales and
reduced operational costs by Proton Cars Australia. In addition, the company also managed
to increase retail sales during the financial year in the face of heavy discounting by its main
competitors.
Prospects
Automotive sales in the coming financial year are expected to ease slightly on the
back of rising interest rates. On top of this, high fuel prices are projected to shift customers’
preference to more fuel-efficient models, which could translate, to increased sales in the
small and light vehicle segments. However, the launch of Persona in May 2008 and the
subsequent release of the face-lift Gen.2 are expected to boost volume by 22% in the new
financial year. The number of dealers is also estimated to increase slightly.
Australia will be implementing an aggressive rationalisation programme to improve
dealer throughput and increase the yield in under-performing regions. The strong focus on
these two key areas is expected to result in increased revenue and better operational
returns. Proton Cars Australia successfully increased its dealer network to 41 dealers
nationally during this period. Currently, all main regions throughout Australia are covered.
Sales of the Savvy and Jumbuck also improved significantly towards the end of the year
under review as a result of several innovative marketing campaigns
Branding strategy
Co-branding is an arrangement that associates a single product or service with more
than one brand name, or otherwise associates a product with someone other than the
principal producer. The typical co-branding agreement involves two or more companies
acting in cooperation to associate any of various logos, colour schemes, or brand identifiers
to a specific product that is contractually designated for this purpose included branding
strategy.
According to the Proton Holdings in just over 14 years there have gained a significant
international presence-bringing Proton to 49 countries across Europe, Latin America, the
Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa, Australia and the Asia Pacific. Over the years there have
increased cost-efficiency, reliability and quality through the use of automation and robotics in
the manufacturing process.
The launch of their Research and Development facilities has contributed a most
critical activity, innovation in design and creative engineering methods. Consumers can now
expect Proton to deliver more unique, stylish and attractively priced cars. The new Proton
branding system is a critical milestone in their continued commitment to realize their vision.
Building a powerful brand globally requires us to consistently manage all points of contact
with their many audiences and ensure that they are in harmony with their guiding vision.
The first and foremost representatives of the Proton brand are their people. The way
their listen to their customers’ needs and the way their respond to these needs leave a
powerful impression in their customers’ minds as to who their are and what their brand
stands for. This is the motivation behind everything their do for their customers and is
defined by three primary components: 1) Positioning 2) Personality 3) Identity. These
components of their brand strategy are all built around a compelling central idea about their
brand that drives all other expressions It is their ability to deliver on this vision that creates
their customers’ preference for their brand over those of their competitors.
Their brand positioning denotes the place Proton wants to occupy both in the
marketplace and in their customers' minds. It defines whom their wish to be in contrast to
their competitors and it challenges us to maintain this critical difference.
The idea behind their brand positioning is a blend of the unique spirit of Malaysia with
an innovative, professional attitude and competence in advanced automotive engineering.
The positioning is a platform that guides their daily efforts rather than a word-by-word
formula to be used in their communications. Each part is an expression of their core values
and it describes what is unique about Proton.
Like all organizations there are guided in their daily efforts by a mission that qualifies
what their do in the marketplace. Their brand is however defined by the sum of all lasting
impressions their leave with their many audiences. This impression is derived from the
special characteristics with which the public identifies. This brand perception can be formed
either by default as it is determined by others in the course of a company activities or it can
be positively managed and designed for a specific response.
At Proton every day there have the challenging but unique opportunity to change
people's perceptions of what their stand for by asserting a clear brand personality founded
on a set of brand attributes that should guide all their activities and communications.
Proud. Although relatively brief, their Company history is one of remarkable
achievements of which there are proud. In their pride lies the vital energy that drives us
forward and forces us to take on new challenges.
Reliable. Naturally, there are committed to providing quality product and services.
More important is however receiving recognition for such quality from their customers. Not
only their customers but also their business associates and shareholders need to trust their
ability to deliver on their promise of quality. Their people are the impetus for this success and
to this end there are dedicated to building a learning organization, focusing on human
resources development and long-term employment.
Innovative. Challenging the status quo their continually seek new and unique
solutions, products, services and distribution means in anticipation of changes in customer
expectations. Their ability to innovate is also geared at developing collaborative relationships
with other national projects to assist in the development of indigenous products able to
compete in the international markets.
Knowledgeable. Their practices are embedded in total quality management and the
ability to add value in an expert way. They’re not something about everything but everything
about something. They continually strive to expand their skills and expertise in order to find
better solutions and produce better results. As a national project, Proton is also committed to
lead in the acquisition of intellectual capability in design and technology, which will propel the
nation to achieve the status of an industrialised nation.
Caring. With people as their primary focus, they are committed to building a friendly
organization, centred on personal touch and sensitivity to customers' needs with clear
communications leading to mutual understanding. As an asset to their nation there are also
a responsible corporate citizen, committed to the development of their nation.
More than just a graphic device, the new Proton identity is their mark of pride, which
embodies the positive qualities that have come to be associated with Proton over the years.
The diamond shape, derived from their very first top mark and the colour scheme are a
symbol of continuity with their past success. The tiger head conveys clearly their Malaysian
heritage being associated to the two tigers displayed on their national coat of arms. The tiger
is thus a symbolic representation of their origins and stands for the value their represent as a
national project. Historically it is a symbol of royalty throughout Asia– much like the lion was
in the old world – and is an animal believed to hold magical powers by many cultures. From
the power of this mighty creature they derive a strong allegorical expression of the quality
that distinguishes their products.