‘Sri Lanka puts 1990 on speed dial’: 1990 Suwa Seriya wins at SLIM Digis

MullenLowe Group Creative Group Head Prasad Weerasekara receiving the Gold award. Also seen (from left): 1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation Board Director Sandya Salgado, We Are Designers Managing Director Joe Lenora, and MullenLowe Group Account Director Wajinie Mahanama 

• Campaigned by LoweDigital-We are Designers, recognised with two medals

LoweDigital, the digital arm of the MullenLowe Group, Sri Lanka, in partnership with We Are Designers received two awards at the recently concluded SLIM Digis 2020 for its campaign for the free emergency ambulance service, 1990 Suwa Seriya. The companies bagged a Gold for the ‘Best Digital Marketing Campaign – NGO and Government category as well as a Bronze for the ‘Best use of Technology in Marketing 2020.’ 

The entry titled ‘Sri Lanka puts 1990 on speed dial’ highlighted how 1990 Suwa Seriya, an island-wide Pre-Hospital Care Service, operated 24/7, but it was greatly underused due to a lack of awareness by the general public. The campaign consisted of the launching and popularising of both the 1990 Suwa Seriya app as well as the services on offer. Following the implementation of the campaign, 1990 Suwa Seriya saw a significant increase in the number of calls by citizens reaching out through this invaluable service, this demonstrated the campaign’s reach and effectiveness. 

LoweDigital commenced operations just over a year ago and have sought to bring purpose to the digital medium rather than the medium trying to find a purpose for brands. They strive to reset priorities in the digital communication process and have been able to truly harness the full potential the medium offers, thereby helping companies such as 1990 Suwa Seriya smartly invest and gain unforced traction with digital audiences around the country. The company partnered with We Are Designers a few years ago, to bring a fresh creative dimension to the digital landscape in Sri Lanka. 

Commenting on the award, 1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation Board Director Sandya Salgado said, “We would like to congratulate the teams at LoweDigital and We Are Designers on this achievement. The teams clearly understood the need of the hour and developed a strategy that made 1990 resonate in the hearts and minds of the people of Sri Lanka, making it the number they would first think of in the event of an emergency. We appreciate the level of dynamism and passion the teams bring to the table, making it a pleasure to work in partnership with them.”

SLIM Digis is organised by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing and celebrates Sri Lankan’s best digital marketing endeavours, innovation and talent, and recognises the region’s growing influence on the global digital industry. The awards program encourages work, which is innovative, contemporary and in line with global standards, which will inspire the digital marketing industry and the next generation of practitioners.

MullenLowe Sri Lanka was established as LDB Lintas in 1993 and was subsequently referred to as Lowe LDB, an agency which comes from a powerful creative lineage. It came to be known as MullenLowe as a result of a merger with US-based network Mullen in 2015. A majority of MullenLowe’s business comes from global FMCG giant Unilever. In addition, it works with some of the country’s leading brands in carbonated soft drinks, banking and finance, insurance, biscuits, milk foods, tea, FinTech, personal and beauty care products, mobile communications, data and consumer electronics. 

The group possesses vast cross-category knowledge which gives it an edge when it comes to effective work. The Group represents five strategic verticals offering expertise in Creative, Strategy Consultancy, Activation, Digital and Public Relations. Rated as the 36th in the world and placed within the top 10 most effective agencies in APAC by Effie Index 2020 the MullenLowe Group is known for hyperbundling its offering using its verticals to offer meaningful solutions for brands. The company continues to dominate the top 10 most advertised categories by 80% and the top 20 most advertised categories by 50%, making it by far, the most influential brand communications company in Sri Lanka.