EH Sausages wins its first Effie Award

Monday, 10 February 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Creating history for the brand, Elephant House Sausages was recognised at the Effie Awards held recently at Water’s Edge, receiving its first ever Effie in the Renaissance Category for the memorable campaign ‘Who would you share your secret with?’ This campaign was initiated with the objective of reviving the image and appreciation of a 50-year brand. The Effie Awards, organised by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) and the 4A’s, recognises effective marketing campaigns in the country. The awards which adhere to global standards are judged by an imminent panel of judges who have experience in the marketing and advertising sectors in the country.

“This is a first time honour for the brand as well as Keells Food Products PLC. We are delighted to have been recognised at this prestigious awards ceremony for our efforts to revive the legendary EH Sausages brand,” said Keells Food Products Head of Marketing and Asst. Vice President, John Keells Group Samari Ihalagedara. The Elephant House brand was synonymous with sausages in Sri Lanka in the early sixties, seventies, and eighties. However, over time a host of competitors entered the market and changing palates meant that the EH Sausage brand was overpowered by many other brands. “EH Sausages were still in the market but they were sought mainly by the older age group. We realised that there was an entire generation growing up with no awareness of a high quality local brand,” she said. “That is when we decided to revive the premium EH Sausage brand and encourage a whole new generation to experience its taste and quality while retaining our loyal consumers.” EH Sausages launched the ‘Who would you share your secret with?’ campaign which highlighted the sharing of the secret EH recipe with those who are special to you. The campaign encouraged those who already identified EH Sausages as the best to share it with their loved ones, while also attracting the interest of those who were curious to experience this premium local brand. Speaking about the campaign Elephant House Sausages Asst. Brand Manager Nuwan Rathnayaka said: “The biggest challenge was to connect the emerging youth with a brand that was perceived to be ‘old’. We had to identify their needs and understand their lifestyle and make EH Sausages relevant to them. We utilised social media (‘Secrets’ fan page on Facebook) extensively to connect with this generation and take the EH Sausage brand into an arena that they are familiar with. “Furthermore, we embarked on a number of activities including product sampling at supermarkets, trade and consumer promotions and sponsoring social events. We also added to the existing range of sausages by launching five new varieties, all of which have been well received by consumers.” Having substantially increased its market share, today EH Sausages is once again market leader in the premium sausage segment. “It is indeed heartening that EH has once again become the number one premium sausage brand in the country. It is truly a testament to the legendary taste and quality of EH Sausages,” added Rathnayaka. Elephant House Sausages have been a distinctively Sri Lankan brand since its launch in 1966, providing consumers with premium products that are on par with international standards.