The Macao Chain Stores and Franchise Association (MCAF), in collaboration with the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT), will launch detailed measures to help certified “Distinctive Shops” boost their brand awareness. These measures include recommending selected merchants for national-level “China Time-Honoured Brand” status in the Chinese mainland and providing support for digital transformation, MCAF President Wong Ian Man said on the sidelines of a forum yesterday.
Wong made the remarks on the sidelines of the “Revitalising Classic Brands by Brand Remodelling” forum at the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre in Nam Van. The forum aims to align with Macau’s “1+4” appropriate economic diversification strategy, serving as a learning and exchange platform to help traditional brands seize brand-remodelling opportunities.
The second edition of the “Distinctive Shops” evaluation formally recognised 10 “Century-Old Heritage Shops” and 39 “Macau Classic Brands” last year, Wong pointed out. He added that despite still facing the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the selected shops from the inaugural edition managed to survive with the joint support of the government and the association. In fact, some of the shops even successfully expanded their footprints, Wong said.
However, Wong pointed out that traditional shops face common structural bottlenecks, including labour shortages, weak digital operations, and conservative mindsets that lead to an insufficient drive to innovate or adopt online business models.
An owner of one of the selected businesses, surnamed Tse, spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the forum yesterday, noting that online consumption is a long-term trend. Tse said he believes that expanding online channels should take priority over physical, brick-and-mortar expansion, and recommended that the local government support resources be directed accordingly.
Tse also expressed hope that the government would provide official channels to assist local businesses in promoting their brands to the Chinese mainland, Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities in particular, and overseas markets, while simultaneously providing high-traffic promotional resources* within local tourist districts.
* In marketing and business, “high-traffic promotional resources” refers to advertising channels, platforms, or tools that attract a massive number of visitors, views, or users, making them highly effective places to promote a product, service, or brand. – Gemini
Macau Chain Stores and Franchise Association (MCAF) President Wong Ian Man on the sidelines of yesterday’s “Revitalising Classic Brands by Brand Remodelling” forum at the Macao Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre in Nam Van. – Photo: Ida Cheong
