Artslab Creatives claims 4 Effie recognitions

Artslab X Maliban team: Nidarshan Viraj, Ziyan Jaufer, Anjalee Nelson, Akhila Wijetunga, Shehani Perera, Sachini Gamage, Chamathka Banneheka, Miyuru Dharmage, Anjana Gajanayaka

• Two Silvers for Sri Lanka’s first AI deepfake campaign for social good

Artslab Creatives, an independent digital marketing agency founded in 2020, has secured four recognitions at Effie Awards Sri Lanka 2025, competing against the country’s most established marketing organisations. 

The agency won two Silver awards for its campaign with Fems Sri Lanka and contributed to a Bronze award and Finalist recognition for Maliban Biscuit Manufactories in partnership with MullenLowe Sri Lanka.

The ‘Forward and Fearless: From Deepfake to Bold Purpose’ campaign, developed and launched in March 2024, is Sri Lanka’s first-ever use of AI deepfake technology for social good. At a time when deepfake technology is largely associated with misinformation and harm, Artslab chose to challenge that narrative entirely, reimagining it as a tool to amplify voices for menstrual health awareness. The campaign was conceived, strategised and executed entirely in-house.

The campaign earned a Silver in the AI category, in which no Gold award was conferred, and a Silver in Experiential Marketing (Digital). The wins were achieved without consortium backing, holding company infrastructure or external creative support, on the strength of an original idea and the conviction to execute it, at a competition that drew over 300 entries. 

Artslab Creatives Founder and CEO Akhila Wijetunga said, “I am deeply proud and genuinely honoured to receive this recognition, not only as a validation of our approach to marketing and campaign strategy but as an acknowledgement that creativity and technology can be used as instruments for social good.”