Business experts urged local companies to make branding a priority even in times of recession.

They made the call at the Singapore Prestige Brand Award (SPBA) 2009 launch on Wednesday.

SPBA organising committee chairman Chan Chong Beng said businesses should use the downturn to 'gain a stronger foothold in the market', so they can reap the benefits when the market rebounds.

Branding programmes cost less right now and 'the market is less cluttered', he said, adding: 'The SBPA can tell you if you are on the right track.'

Mr Tan Chia Seng, Citibank's commercial bank head, told The Straits Times: 'A good brand must be absolutely clear on its business fundamentals - its strategic intent, its product delivery, and how it is differentiated.'

CitiBusiness, a department of Citibank, is the sponsor of the award, which is given to businesses with strong brands. Targeted mainly at SMEs, the SPBA is jointly organised by Lianhe Zaobao and the Association of Small & Medium Enterprises.

There are five categories: Promising Brands, Established Brands, Heritage Brands, CitiBusiness Regional Brands, and the new Special Merit award, for government agencies and non-profit groups.

Promising Brands are for those that are three to eight years old; Established Brands are between six and 30 years; and Heritage Brands must be older than 30 years.

The CitiBusiness Regional Brand award is for brands established in at least five foreign countries. All brands submitted must be at least three years old.

Each category can have more than one recipient, but only one overall winner. Among those five winners, the most popular one by public vote will get the Most Popular Brand Award.

Judges from both the public and private sectors will evaluate submissions based on brand identity, management, and performance. Last year, there were 44 recipients out of 133 applicants.

The deadline for submission is noon on Aug 14. Those who want to participate should contact the Award Secretariat at 65130349 for more details on entry requirements. The winners will be announced in December.