Grey Colombo's winning streak for its 'Garments Without Guilt' campaign, created for Sri Lanka Apparel, reached new heights recently with the campaign slated to be inducted into New York’s ‘Global Effie Hall of Fame’ because of the campaign’s recent Bronze Global Effies win, where it beat out somewhere in the range of 8,000 to 10,000 entries.
Ajai V. Singh |
Touted as being 'one of the country's most awarded campaigns internationally', the campaign has already picked up metal at Macau's Asian Effies, New York's WPPED Cream creative awards and Sri Lanka's Chillies. Interestingly, the criteria for entry into Global Effies contention required that entries feature a 'single brand idea running across at least four countries in two or more regions worldwide'.
Ajai V. Singh, VP and Country Head, Grey Colombo, delighted by the win and saying that it was also prestigious to Sri Lanka, added: “The campaign ‘Garments without Guilt’ had to deliver results for the relatively new brand Sri Lanka Apparel. Hence creative effectiveness was of paramount importance, we pushed the issue by using the strategic combination of the new age marketing tools. And there is no better feeling than to be awarded a Global Effie for it. It has lifted us.”
The campaign, based on an insight from AC Nielsen research which indicated that 'both US and their European counterparts were very impressed with the ethical business standards of all Sri Lankan apparel manufacturers', spanned 10 countries, while attempting to achieve the following: Position Sri Lanka as a preferred destination for apparel sourcing in Asia; build brand awareness for the 'Made in Sri Lanka' label; get 'Garments Without Guilt' international recognition; and build Sri Lanka Apparel's website as a 'bridge to connect the world with the industry and its initiatives'.
According to a Grey Group statement, "Sri Lanka Apparel is the first apparel industry body to be positioned on an ethical platform. Grey Colombo's ‘Garments Without Guilt’ campaign stood strong in the face of a very challenging category. Its positioning of Sri Lanka as the global ethical apparel manufacturing and sourcing destination was successfully achieved, thereby helping exports reach an all time high of US$ 3.2 billion in 2007/2008 from US$ 2.9 billion in 2006/2007.
The campaign employed digital marketing techniques to reach out to its diverse target audience. Social networking platforms like MySpace, Facebook and YouTube were leveraged to influence global apparel-sourcing decision-makers and engage consumers, social activist groups and the media in an extremely cluttered market". Mr Singh said this is a milestone win for Sri Lanka and “we are tremendously honoured to be globally lauded as the creators of one of the most effective case studies in marketing communications."
He noted that Grey was proud to join the distinguished group of Global Effie winners and place Sri Lanka on the world map. “This is a testament of our commitment to developing powerful creative work that demonstrates compelling effectiveness and success, which is ingrained in the way we work with all our clients”. |
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