Post-war Sri Lanka at an exciting stage of development –top ad executive says
View(s):COLOMBO – When Jarek Ziebinski, a top advertising executive, arrived in Sri Lanka a week ago, he was hoping that the optimism and enthusiasm he saw on his last visit, four years back soon after the war ended, would have transformed into growth and development.
“Oh, it has happened! I was smiling as I saw the big change while driving down to Colombo from the airport; new roads are being built; new buildings are being constructed; new infrastructure is in place. The country is getting stronger and better,” noted the President of Leo Burnett & Arc – Asia Pacific, during a visit to look at the Sri Lankan operation and to attend a larger meeting of executives from in the region.
Four years ago, the Polish national who has charted the fortunes of the Asian region for this global advertising giant, found people happy and optimistic. “I was curious to see what has happened since then, four years later,” he said in an interview with the Business
Jarek Ziebinski
Times at Leo Burnett’s Colombo office.
Mr. Ziebinski spoke on a range of issues including double digit growth year-on-year at the Colombo office and the region, ethical issues in advertising and how technology has transformed the advertising industry.
However everything is not perfect in Sri Lanka, as Mr. Ziebinski discovered during client visits including Coca Cola, Samsung and Nestle. “They are optimistic and see a great opportunity but they voiced concern over issues like protectionism and the need to stimulate local consumption as growth now appears to be coming only from infrastructure development,” the advertising executive with 26 years of experience behind him, says.
“Consumer goods are not moving fast enough as people don’t have enough purchasing power (money in hand). Inflation is increasing but wages are not moving in tandem,” he noted.
On the positive side however, unemployment is low and people have jobs; so hopefully buying power will return,
Mr. Ziebinski this week also chaired a meeting of 50 Asian regional managers from 13 countries during a 3-day brainstorming session.
While China and India are the growth areas, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand have also seen tremendous growth for the company.
“I am excited to be in South East Asia because this region is fascinating, this is the happening place,” he added.
Pausing for a moment, when asked about ethical issues in the industry and the way it operates, Leo Burnett’s regional chief, says:
“We have to tell people the true story about products, about services. There should be nothing hidden. We have to be truthful.”
However, he argues, there is also freedom of commercial speech that should be respected.
“Yes ethically, we stick to the law and respect regulations. But we must be able to communicate to advertise products and services. That is part of the market economy.”
New technology has brought in its wake, tremendous challenges and opportunities. Next year, Mr. Ziebinski reckons, only 50 per cent of the ad spend would be in non-traditional areas like TV, radio or media while the rest would go into social media, mobile phones, i-phones, Internet or tablets.
“The world is changing rapidly and so is the way we communicate in the advertising industry,” he added.
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