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publishing it via Sarasavi Bookshops islandwide.
“It was Kalana (in 2011, an EXCO member and subsequently became the President of SLIM) who wanted me to go public with my philosophy in 2011 when it was just scripted. I shared this in Matara and Kandy SLIM and the reception was perfect. Then in the same year I went to Singapore and Pakistan to publish this philosophy. Then on special invitation I went to India, Korea, Japan, Peru and UK to share this philosophy and once again the feedback was perfect. In 2012 in India and at the 39th World Marketing Congress the first edition was launched.
“In 2014 the President and the Education Vice President Ruwan Liyanage together with Pradeep Edward called and said to take over the revamp of the SLIM Diploma in Brand Management within 60 days and today, 30 January, batch six received a complete new syllabus and the study pack was re-launched as Diploma in Strategic Brand Management (DSBM) under my leadership, which was a huge milestone I achieved for SLIM. DSBM has a practical project where students experience a real brand launch on their own. This is the first time in Sri Lanka/Asia and probably in the world that an experience such as this nature is offered to students.
“I am so glad and happy to introduce a program to this course and I am honoured that Dr. Kriti Dutta’s book is used for this program as the first handbook. Students from batch six onwards will experience the best in branding since legends of branding in Sri Lanka like Tilan Wijesekara, Gamika De Siva, Leroy Ebert and Tharaka Dias are involved to coach future brand managers of our country. The aim of this program is to create a brand marketer who is practical, world class and with a wider vision.”
In the SLIM DSBM course, Haputhanthri has introduced a concept called ‘Make your own brand in a practical way,’ which is the latest newest addition where SLIM Brand Diploma batch five students launched three brand projects, namely ‘Juice Republic’/Sera Deal and Waffle Station and under the guidance of Haputhanthri, students were driven to experience the practicality of branding. According to most of the students, experiencing a project of this nature was a complete mind opener which was unexpected.
Commenting further, Haputhanthri said: “Agreement by the SLIM President to have my book launch is an honour and a great moment in my life. It was dream of mine since I started as a student with SLIM in 1995. This philosophy will educate the Sri Lankan brand marketers to open their eyes for a brand new era. Branding is not a science but an art. Brand managers are a different DNA people where they are born and cannot be created. Therefore, they need to read about the inside, real life case studies to understand ‘Brandsology’. Also, most of the Sri Lankan brand managers are executing a communication manager’s job and not strategically looking into the deep areas of branding. Some think branding as making a logo and that is wrong. However, my philosophy will educate and enhance the knowledge span of a Sri Lankan brand marketer.”
Haputhanthri believes that in Sri Lanka, the brand management concept and the marketing management concept have not properly utilised. “I strongly believe that the marketing concept has reached its decline. It is time to move towards brands. I started to realise this when I started working for brands and that was 16 years ago. With my brand management, strategy and tactical experience, I thought I should deliver my thinking to the world who believes in brand management in practice.”
Haputhanthri is the Head of Marketing for TVS Lanka where they market two-wheelers and three-wheelers and he commended the leadership of Ravi Liyange to TVS and to his career, which he said was truly an inspiration where the experience gained from him was unmatchable in building brands through strategy. “I call Ravi Liyanage ‘the guru of strategy’ and he is next only to Michel Porter,” added Haputhanthri.
With over 17 years of brand marketing experience for both food and non-food, Haputhanthri has headed brands like Nivea, Maliban Biscuits (instrumental in launching Maliban Smart Cream Crackers) and in Fiji Islands, Sunquick, Weetbics, Royal Tea, Island Chill Mineral water and 30 other major brands. Haputhanthri has done research in Inca, Egypt and Sri Lankan symbology. He has further researched colour psychology and namelogy as well.
