Unconventional Guests of Honour

 From left: M.D. Anushal Dhilanja, a schoolboy; Supun Rangana Abeywickrama, a Project Engineer; Sewwandi Nawarathne, a mother and housewife; Lowe LDB Founders Terry and Lilamani Dias Benson and Trevine Fernandopulle, a retired Senior Executive, cutting the ribbon to declare open MullenLowe’s sister agency LoweLintas

• MullenLowe Sri Lanka Group pays tribute to consumers at inauguration of new office

MullenLowe Sri Lanka, the premier strategic communications and advertising agency, recently launched its sister agency LoweLintas. The two agencies, along with three specialist divisions form the MullenLowe Sri Lanka Group, are located in close proximity to each other, operating from premises at Austin Place and Kynsey Road respectively.

The MullenLowe Sri Lanka group’s flagship agency has built a stellar reputation for itself by creating a body of work that includes advertising campaigns that are clutter-breaking, creative and effective in the marketplace. 

One of the most important factors to be able to achieve this is to have a deep understanding of consumers from all walks of life. Immersing oneself into the daily lives of ordinary consumers is almost mandatory to be able to create communication that builds brands, sells products and drives consumer behaviour. Needless to say, the average consumer is an important stakeholder in the process of building brands and creating communication campaigns.

The agency does not shy away from touching upon unconventional themes and ideas in its campaigns and this is what has ensured its clients’ brands get an unfair share of attention in a cluttered and competitive landscape.

The organisation wanted to ensure that this creative and unconventional spirit was infused into the operations of the new agency right from day one. Usually, the chief guest or guests of honour at the launch of a new company office tend to be dignitaries or high-profile personalities from the Government or corporate sector. However, the agency strayed away from this norm and wanted to pay tribute to one of the most critical stakeholders for the agency and its clients, namely the consumers.

MullenLowe invited six consumers hailing from different walks of life, representing the diverse audience that MullenLowe touches in every piece of communication it puts out, to cut the ceremonial ribbon declaring the new office open. These six consumers included, a schoolboy, a Government servant, a teacher, a three-wheeler driver, a retired corporate executive and a mother.

Commenting on the selection of these individuals, MullenLowe Sri Lanka Group CEO Thayalan Bartlett said: “Having our finger on the pulse of the consumer landscape is the fuel that ignites our creativity and we wanted to ensure that we do not lose this connection as we expand and grow in the market. Great advertising comes from a place of empathy, respect and understanding for consumers and inviting to them to do us the honour of inaugurating our new agency and its premises was a gesture from us recognising the same.”

Commenting on being invited to open the new office, one of the consumers stated: “In the course of daily life I buy and consume several different brands and products, many of which I hear about through some medium of advertising. I was surprised and thrilled that I was invited to be the Chief Guest at the inauguration of a new company, purely due to me being a consumer.”

The occasion was commemorated with fanfare and the sound of drums. The six guests of honour lit the ceremonial lamp and cut the ribbon to open the new office in the presence of all the MullenLowe staff as well a living legend of Sri Lankan advertising, Lilamani Dias Benson.