The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) has urged Malaysian companies to embrace mobile marketing for Gen-Y customers, who represent 40 per cent of Malaysia's population.

President Tan Sri Saw Choo Boon said currently, Gen-Y accounts for 62 per cent of Malaysia's workforce, while a third of Malaysians use smartphones as their only internet-connected device.

"In other words, companies which engage Gen-Y consumers via mobile are definitely a step ahead of their competitors," he told a press conference after opening the FMM Marketing and Branding Conference 2016 here today.

Gen-Y is the population born between 1980 and 2000 who are now aged between 15 and 35.

Members of the generation, also known as "millennials", have been shaped by technology and are deemed as smartphone, laptop and internet savvy.

Saw said there are 34 million mobile subscribers and 17.5 million internet users in the country who on average spend 3.8 hours a day on their mobile devices.

"As the number of mobile users in Malaysia has been growing, mobile branding is one of the ideal methods and the cheapest platform to sell one's products," he said.

He said companies that are actively engaged in mobile marketing would benefit not only from enhanced new business but also reduced cost of sales.

Meanwhile, Saw said today's event attracted 108 marketing personnel from various industries, especially from fast moving consumer goods and personal care companies.

The event aimed to provide a platform for companies interested in implementing mobile marketing strategies to reach their targeted consumers, he said.