DAMANSARA, Malaysia -- In the early hours of a hot and humid Sunday, over 4,000 Malaysians gathered at Starling Mall in Damansara, adjacent to Malaysia’s capital, for the first-ever Coway Run. The crowd was a mixed bunch, from elite runners who came decked out in athletic gear to young mothers in hijabs pushing their strollers along the 5-kilometer course.

South Korea’s largest water purifier maker’s first-ever marathon on May 7 was organized to raise awareness about the importance of clean water for healthy living, according to the organizers of the event. 

“We thought that a marathon would be an excellent way to emphasize our brand as one that provides clean, refreshing water to our customers,” a spokesman for Coway said.

The run included both 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer courses. There were giant 3.6-meter-tall water purifiers along the way, providing runners with water to stay hydrated.

The event was part of the company’s efforts to solidify its brand in Malaysia, where it has quickly become the top player in the water purifier market. Since the Korean water purifier company entered the Malaysian market in 2006, its sales have been growing at 110 percent annually to reach 143 billion won ($128 million) last year, according to the company.

The event targeted young, tech-savvy consumers, with former beauty queen Carey Ng and fitness star Jordan Yeoh joining the run and posting from the event on social media in real time.

With industry estimates putting the proportion of households using water purifiers at just about one-third, Malaysia -- the company’s top foreign market -- still offers high potential for growth.

The company’s success in Malaysia has been fueled by its introduction of its rental system, which has made it the top water purifier company in Korea. Rather than selling its water purifiers -- which can cost over $1,000 -- outright, the company offers long-term leases on its products that come with regular home servicing.

The implementation of the Korean system of renting out machines and offering regular bimonthly checks was due to the open-minded nature of the Malaysian market and Coway’s utilization of local talent, according to Lee Hae-sun, CEO of Coway.

“Malaysia is a multicultural country, making the people quite open-minded,” Lee said as he cooled down after finishing the 5-kilometer run. “They have the same needs for clean, pure water as people in Korea, and here they have been able to receive the same excellent service at home from our 6,000 local workers.”

“My mom has a Coway water purifier at home, and she really likes the fact that someone from the company drops by regularly to get feedback about the machine and provide service,” said V-Shern, a 27-year-old who completed the 10-kilometer race. “This race was a good chance for people who know Coway to challenge themselves in a healthy way.”

Coway plans to hold a similar event for its Korean consumers in Seoul on June 5, in celebration of World Environment Day. 

By Won Ho-jung (hjwon@heraldcorp.com)