Leo Burnett SL named ‘Agency of the Year’ at Effie Awards

From left: People and Culture Head Kumudini Gomes, Rochelle Jayawardene, Leo Burnett Sri LankaChief Strategy Officer Murtaza Tajbhoy, Publicis Sri Lanka Director Selonica Perumal, Leo Burnett Sri Lanka Managing Director Ranil de Silva, Stuart Deckker, Rinesh Jayarathne,Executive Creative Director Lalindra Nanayakkara, Leo Burnett Sri LankaChief Executive OfficerArosha Perera, Roshan Fernando, Ikram Mohideen, Senior Creative Director Athula Kathriarachchi and Lakmina Ranasinghe

Leo Burnett Sri Lanka, the local office of the global advertising network Leo Burnett Worldwide was recently named the ‘Agency of the Year’ at this year’s Effie Awards programme.

Leo Burnett Sri Lanka added credentials to its standing as Sri Lanka’s leading creative agency by securing the coveted ‘Agency of the Year’ effectiveness in creative communications, which is revered as a top industry accolade. 

The award was received by Ranil de Silva and the agency team, in the presence of a distinguished gathering of guests and professionals from across the local marketing communications industry.
The Effie Awards programme is renowned by advertisers and agencies alike, as one of the most eminent and prestigious awards shows in the local and global industry. 

This year, five of the agency’s campaigns which stood out creatively and were successful in delivering tangible results were shortlisted by the jury comprising of a cross section of industries and was chaired by Fairway Holdings Group CEO Imal Fonseka. 

The campaigns shortlisted were UNICEF’s communication titled ‘Uniting the Country to end Child Abuse’, ‘White Cane Day’ Innovation for the Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society. The corporate campaign for Commercial Bank titled ‘Bank for Your Success’, the national activation conducted for Women’s day by Velvet titled ‘Liyaka Mahima’ and the internationally recognized initiative to manage the garbage issue at Sri Pada which was termed ‘Merit Bin’.

‘Uniting the Country to end Child Abuse’ was awarded as a finalist in the ‘Non-Profit’ category,for the manner in which it rallied the Sri Lankan public to come together to end child abuse across the country. The ‘White Cane Day’innovation on TV was awarded as a finalist in three categories - ‘Media Idea’, ‘Non-Profit’ and ‘Small Budget’, for being a poignant reminder to the public to register as eye donors. This campaign helped the society to emerge as the ‘Most Effective Brand of the Year’ at the Effies. The ‘Bank for Your Success’ campaign helped strengthen the corporate image of the bank and was selected as a finalist in two categories; ‘Finance’ and ‘Corporate Reputation’. The Velvet ‘Liyaka Mahima’ campaign was named a finalist in the new ‘Seasonal Marketing’ category. The ‘Merit Bin’was created on behalf of the Ratnapura Provincial Council to find a sustainable and effective solution to address the issue of garbage at Sri Pada. The campaign was submitted in the ‘Non-Profit’ category at the awards show and was awarded a Bronze Effie.

Commenting on the agency’s success at the Effie Awards, Leo Burnett Sri Lanka Managing Director Ranil de Silva said, “This recognition is a very gratifying reward as it reinforces our creative standing as the country’s leading agency with the honour of being results driven. It also proves a very strong belief of ours that outstanding creative work delivers invaluable results to its brands. My team and I are honoured to have been named the ‘Agency of the Year’ at this year’s Effie Awards programme.”