PETALING JAYA, Oct 21 — Mention "e-hailing” in Malaysia and Grab may very well be the first name to come to mind.

The company is currently the most prominent player in the local e-hailing market, sparking anti-monopoly investigations from the Malaysian Competition Commission after they acquired rival firm Uber’s regional operations in March last year.

But did you know that Malaysia has 41 other e-hailing firms for riders to choose from, based on information from the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) website?

While this helps disprove Grab’s monopoly over the e-hailing market, consumers may still be overwhelmed when it comes to differentiating the apps from one another.

Grab and MyCar

The user experience for Grab (left) and MyCar may feel alike, but strong branding helps consumers understand the difference between both products. — Screengrabs from Grab and MyCar applications

Grab and MyCar both share a similar interface on their respective apps, including near-identical ride-booking and cancellation screens.

However, MyCar focuses solely on e-hailing while Grab provides a myriad of other services, including an e-wallet system and food delivery.

EzCab and EaziCar

Malaysians might experience a sense of deja vu when dealing with EzCab and EaziCar. — Picture from Instagram/ezcab_mys and screengrab from YouTube/Eazi Car

With such similar-sounding names, passengers might have to do a double-take to distinguish these two e-hailing apps from each other.

Keep an eye out for their branding styles to tell them apart; EzCab utilises a light blue colour for their logo and website while EaziCar favours a striking red.

Pickup2u and PicknGo

While the apps share similar names, they provide different services to their users. — Picture from Instagram/pickupmalaysia and Facebook

Riders may get the names of Pickup2u and PicknGo mixed up if they’re not careful.

Upon closer inspection, consumers will notice that the two companies offer distinctly different services from one another.

Pickup2u provides the option to book taxis while PicknGo lets its riders hail a private car and driver, which can also be booked for tourism purposes.

The abundance of e-hailing firms in Malaysia means it’s especially important for companies to establish a solid brand identity by adhering to trademark laws and offering unique services in a saturated market.

Henry Goh & Co is the leading intellectual property (IP) firm in Malaysia with strategic expertise in trademark, patent, industrial design, and copyright protection.

Getting brands to stand out from the crowd through IP awareness is one of the firm’s key aims with their clients, both local and overseas.

To find out more about Henry Goh & Co and their services, visit their official website.

* This article is brought to you by Henry Goh & Co.