Brand’s unit to widen sales reach with direct business operation

Brand’s Suntory Trading (Thailand) is a sales arm of Brand’s Suntory International for Brand’s products via traditional and modern trade channels.
The opening of the direct business department is in line with the company's plan to bridge the gap between the conventional purchasing outlets and the market not reached by these stores.
Along with the announcement of the direct business unit, the company has officially launched Brand’s ActivMove, the company’s first food supplement in the Thai market. Sales will be conducted through three direct-selling channels: telesales, the website store. brandsworld.co.th and LINE: @BRANDScare.
The company said the product caters to what it calls “new era” consumers of both sexes and all ages. It is aimed at helping those whose joints come under increasing pressure in daily life, contributing to premature joint problems. The company targets annual sales of Bt250 million from direct business in the first 12 months, and up to Bt500 million in the next three years.
Yuichiro Ara, the head of the direct business department for Southeast Asia and North Asia at Brand’s Suntory International Co Ltd, said that Brand’s Suntory Trading (Thailand), under the umbrella of Brand’s Suntory, opened the direct business department to provide a new marketing channel in addition to the conventional means provided by shops. This initiative would boost sales of Brand’s products, said Ara, noting that Thais have long been familiar with them.
“Introducing a new business model also serves to respond to changes in consumer behaviour that are resulting in more products being purchased through e-commerce and social media,” he said.
"There is an increasing trend for online shopping. As for the direct selling approach, it relies heavily on customer relationship management and how we create a personal touch. We aim to satisfy customers by using direct selling and direct marketing approaches. 
“The key challenges are, how do we expand our customer base and acquire customer data in order to conduct re-targeting of marketing activities. We are looking into ways and means to acquire quality data on consumers in the both the online and offline spheres. We are also leveraging on collaborative marketing with our business partners.
“Direct selling enables the company to reach customers personally, get to understand them and create relationships with them. Customers not only order products directly from these channels but also obtain useful information about Brand’s supplement products; customers can subsequently receive advice and tips on how to take good care of their health.”
The company has used the same business model in other countries and territories such as Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore as well as in Thailand, where Brand’s food supplements are widely recognised.
 Brand’s ActivMove has been in the market for some time now through direct selling channels, but only on a test basis, as it had not been officially launched.
“The product has gone on to receive an overwhelming response and is ranked among the top five products sold through direct business channels,” Ara said. “This inspired the company to officially launch ActivMove on March 14, in which it presented ‘Toon Bodyslam’, or Atiwara Kongmalai, as brand ambassador as well as celebrities who are passionate about fitness and exercise, like ‘Lek’ Kornkanok Yongsakul and ‘Por’ Punyapat Thanomkul, who have also joined the campaign.
“More products will be launched to offer a fascinating array of choices.”
Sawanya Chantarastapornchit, senior manager of the direct business department at Brand’s Suntory Trading (Thailand) Co Ltd, said the company seized on the market opportunities presented by ActivMove because statistics show that one third of Thais suffer from joint problems, especially in the knees.
 “Women are more prone to this than men. Around 50 per cent of people over 40 years old are found to have joint issues while at least 10 per cent of those under 40 years old are affected. Ageing and being overweight are important factors contributing to degenerating of knee joints,” she said.
“Today’s lifestyle and daily routines exercises that put pressure on the joints - such as jogging, biking, extreme sports, wearing high-heels all day long and walking for extended period - is another contributor to premature joint degeneration. Wrong sitting postures, for instance sitting on the floor with one’s legs to one side, crossing one’s legs and squatting can also cause problems. So it’s not only seniors but also younger people that suffer knee joint problems.”
She said the main target groups for ActivMove are those aged 25-60 who have an active lifestyle, love fitness and exercising, and those who are overweight as this, along with other risk factors, may cause knee-joint degeneration.
“We are confident it will continue to receive a great response from consumers and expects to see double-digit sales growth each year, aiming to make Bt500 million in sales in three years,” Sawanya said.