President - 4 A's
In these times of greater accountability in business and the growing emphasis on measurable contributions, the Effie Awards Sri Lanka plays an important role in not just recognizing such but also providing an environment for companies to continuously ensure that they do not lose sight of effective communication.
Today, effective communication covers a wide gambit of options far broader than the 3 main mediums we used to confine ourselves to a couple of decades ago. What was effective yesterday may no longer be so today and in this ever changing world with so many new options springing up almost on a daily basis, what is effective today may not be so tomorrow. New developments in consumer research and understanding have shown us that consumers can be reached at what was hitherto considered strange times and places. These new consumer touchpoints have sometimes proved far more effective given the product and the mindset of the consumer at this particular point in time.
By its very definition, effective communication has to engage and subsequently elicit a favourable response from its audience. Therein lies the connection with creativity. Boring, ineffective communication will not engage and certainly not generate results.
As the representative body of the Ad industry in Sri Lanka, The 4As is delighted and proud to have been a partner with the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing in bringing the Effies in all its glory to Sri Lanka in 2006. We have seen quantum leaps in entries year on year and in this, its fourth year, I am sure we will see a fiercer level of competition as Agencies and Marketers embrace this opportunity to showcase their efforts during a phenomenal year for business.
It is my wish that the entries will truly reflect a joint effort by both the Client and the Advertising Agency. It is only through such combined efforts that we will see uplifting of the submissions from the level of an entry to that of a winner!
My Board joins me in wishing Effies Sri Lanka and all the participating Agencies the very best of luck.
Keith Wijesuriya
President
Accredited Advertising Agencies Association (4As)