Ever since Proton formed its partnership with the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (more commonly referred to as Geely) in 2017, it has been on an upward trajectory in all aspects of the business. Given the troubled years of the late 2000s and early 2010s, perhaps Proton should have embarked on such a partnership earlier because the auto industry was already changing. In the late 1990s, globalization led the bigger players to realise that consolidation was going to be vital for survival as competition intensified.

Daimler AG’s Jurgen Schrempp created a ‘mega car company’ by ‘merging’ Daimler and Chrysler and thereafter, other companies formed alliances or merged as well. But at that time in the late 1990s, Proton felt it was about to ‘graduate’; it had learnt all there was about being a carmaker and by 2000, the CEO confidently told Malaysians and the world that it was a full-fledged carmaker ready to take its place in the global arena as a credible brand. It did not need to rely on other carmakers any longer; on the contrary, the CEO said: “Other carmakers are knocking on our doors for our technology.”

However, various domestic and internal issues prevented Proton from moving ahead and worse, it slipped from leadership in its own market where it had been able to hold the biggest share. Various parties with different interests either supported moves to find partners or simply rejected the idea on the grounds that Proton would lose its Malaysian identity.

By 2016, it was clear that having a foreign partner was the only way for Proton and DRB-HICOM picked Geely because it was the ‘best fit’. The partnership has since worked well and facts and figures suggest that it won’t be long before Proton is up at the top. It’s already No.2 in overall sales; registering a 36% growth in a market that saw a 5% decrease in sales; and it is the only major brand to have double-digit growth in 2019.

This has come about with assistance and guidance from Geely in many areas, especially quality. The Chairman of Proton Holdings, Dato’ Seri Syed Faisal Albar, added that much serious effort had gone into ‘improving and correcting the fundamentals’ of the business. And while the dealerships have all been upgraded significantly to enhance and improve the customer experience, attention has also been given to changing the mindset of those who work for the brand. It is no longer like the early years when it was a seller’s market and customers had limited choices as competition today means that they can consider many alternatives.

So, 2 years after starting a new chapter in its history, Proton’s progress is back on track and it is winning back the trust of customers in its most important market. “Our ambition is to become a truly modern, global automotive brand. Our new ethos comprises our core values of always using innovative technology, our commitment to reliability and adopting an international point of view,” said Dr. Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton.“

Having completed one chapter, Proton is now about to embark on the next one and to signify this, the brand logo has been given a subtle makeover. It is a more stylized representation of the tiger head, rendered in silver, with a stronger finish. The new design ‘uncages’ the figure (with more geometric lines) which has its head held high to show a determination to move forward to success.

Accompanying the new logo is Proton’s new tagline which will now be ‘Inspiring Connections’. It is said to encapsulate the brand’s aspiration of ‘utilizing technology and mobility to help make human connections that inspire a successful life’.

EVOLUTION OF THE PROTON LOGO