SLIM to offer 20,000 free e-tickets to Electronic World Marketing Summit on 6-7 Nov.

Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) on Thursday announced granting of 20,000 free e-tickets to the Electronic World Marketing Summit (eWMS) to be held virtually on 6 and 7 November with the theme ‘Marketing Changes to Meet Sustainability Goals’.

The eWMS was founded by Professor Philip Kotler in 2010 with the objective of creating a better world through marketing.

The summit, which will be live-streamed for 48 hours, is set to be delivered by over 172 world-renowned speakers in business, marketing, digital and social media, branding, and all related areas across over 100 countries across the globe who will share their experience and knowledge aiming to unite innovative minds from the corporate, public, non-profit and academia to explore ways to integrate marketing solutions to meet sustainability goals. 

The role of the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) in eWMS was announced at a press conference on Thursday chaired by President Nuwan Gamage, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Sanath Senanayake, University Grants Commission Chairman Senior Professor Sampath Amarathunge, SLIM and AMF Past President Rohan Somawansa, and Dr. Fahim Kibria representing Kotler’s Impact.

Gamage said: “Marketing professionals require motivation, direction, and leadership to move forward in these challenging times as all facets are now subjected to new means and expectations. eWMS is a chance to rethink the sustainable future; what adjustments need to be done and what strategies and tactics could be used to guide businesses through this difficult period and to succeed. 

“With this in mind, SLIM has arrived at a decision to offer 20,000 free e-tickets to local undergraduates and post-graduates who are studying marketing to promote the best global marketing practices among Sri Lanka’s marketing fraternity.”

Somawansa, recalled that SLIM started communicating with Kotler Impact in 2011 to promote the brand ‘Sri Lanka’ in the global marketing field. As a result of the affiliation with the AMF and its awards ceremony, SLIM nominated the winning organisations to present three eminent marketing professionals to represent the local marketing fraternity at this eWMS 2022.

This selection primarily was based on their performance which assured an accolade at the awards ceremony, the professionalism of the respective speakers, the number of years of experience and recognition in the global arena that they represent to date. 

The nominated speakers are : Dilshan Fernando, Chief Executive Officer of Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company, on how the brand ‘Dilmah’ used sustainable marketing models to take the brand globally; Ceylon Biscuits Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Nalin Karunarathne, on CBL’s global marketing strategies that enabled the brand to span across over 65 countries and Basilur Tea Export Ltd. Director – Sales and Marketing Hemantha Perera, on their journey through sustainable marketing efforts to become an award-winning premium brand in over 80 countries.   

Somawansa further added that these personalities will be able to have a positive impact on the developments in the overall marketing field in Sri Lanka.

Representing Kotler’s Impact, Professor Fahim said that SLIM’s involvement with Kotler’s Impact goes back to 2011 and that helped to recognise Sri Lankan marketers at this eWMS. Senior Professor Sampath Amarathunga appreciated SLIM’s giving away 20,000 free e-tickets as a golden opportunity for Sri Lankan University students to learn about global brands, their experience, research insights, global marketing strategies, etc.