Sunday Nov 17, 2024
Sunday Nov 17, 2024
Wednesday, 30 October 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The SLIM-Nielsen Peoples Awards, widely known to be one of the most eagerly anticipated marketing events of the year, recognises brands and personalities closest to the hearts of the people of Sri Lanka. The event is the voice and the verdict of the people of the country and takes into account brands and personalities that have impacted Sri Lanka in the past year.
SLIM further announced that expanding its survey reach to cover all nine provinces across the country which commenced in 2013 shall continue in 2014 as well. All interviews and surveys by market research giant and Peoples Awards research partner Nielsen will be conducted in both Sinhala and Tamil languages.
The first ever SLIM-Nielsen Peoples Awards was held in 2006 and since then it has had a profound impact on the marketing ecological system of Sri Lanka. The award ceremony evolved over the years to introduce new categories becoming more current and relevant as it progressed.
In-depth view
Commenting on the benchmark set by the Awards, SLIM President Gamika de Silva said: “As the national body of marketing, SLIM takes pride in conducting the country’s largest independent survey in partnership with Nielsen to give fellow marketers an in-depth view into the Sri Lankan consumer.”
He added that successful brand marketing, sales and advertising strategies stem from how well organisations know their customers. “Hence, in helping marketers to nurture a marketing-oriented culture in their organisations, it is equally important to focus on research as it is the most crucial of the four marketing pillars and has the power to either make or break a strategy,” he noted.
SLIM’s Project Chairperson Neluka de Alwis will drive SLIM Peoples Awards 2014. De Alwis has an extensive background in the real estate industry of Sri Lanka and over 15 years of experience in sales and marketing, including 10 years of senior management experience.
She is also an Executive Committee Member of the SLIM, having joined the body in the year 2007. In 2010, she was appointed as an Executive Committee Member during which she initiated the “Gamata Marketing” projects and took the essence of marketing to the villages.
Commenting on the awards, de Alwis stated: “As marketers, it is extremely important to know the pulse of the consumer. Research is the best tool to know your customer well and also to know if the customer has accepted what you thought is what customer wants. In that sense be it pre or post; research is the key tool for any marketer in designing the marketing strategy.” She added that SLIM helps marketers to see the entire nation in many views through the nationwide research conducted in conjunction with Nielsen Sri Lanka.
Mechanism
Speaking about the mechanism for identifying the winners in each category, Nielsen Managing Director Shaheen Cader said: “Selecting the winners will be based on a nationwide survey covering males and females between 15 to 60 years over a five month period. Respondents will be asked to state their favourite brands and personalities across various categories with those receiving the highest nominations being declared as the winners.
“The favourite brand is an important measure of equity, and therefore a good reflection of the strength of the emotional connect between the brand/personality and the consumer.”
The 2014 edition will include over 30 award categories which will fall under the main themes of FMCG, service, durables, personality, media and entertainment in addition to the much sought-after award for the ‘Brand of the Year’.
The Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) was founded in 1970 and subsequently incorporated by an Act of Parliament in 1980. SLIM is a member of the Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industries and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) and the Federation of Marketing Research Industries (ESOMAR). SLIM also serves as an active member of the Board of Asia Marketing Federation (AMF) which is represented by seventeen member countries. AMF is dedicated to establishing marketing as a driving force in the country in harnessing available marketing skills for the growth of and development of the profession.
