Phoenix Ogilvy gets deal to brew global campaign to promote Ceylon Tea

An agreement was signed by the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Phoenix Ogilvy to launch a global communications campaign to promote Ceylon Tea as the most exotic tea in the world and thereby command a better premium price.

 The Global Campaign was proposed to focus within seven identified regions, namely Rusia/CIS Region, Middle-East/ Gulf Region, African Region, Far East Oceania Region, European Region, American Region and South Asian Region.

In the first phase, the Global Campaign will focus on 12 markets during 2015/2016, and the rest will be considered during the second phase.

Ministry of Plantation Industries Secretary Upali Marasinghe (right) and Phoenix Ogilvy Chairman/Managing Director Irvin Weerackody exchanging the agreements in the presence of Minister of Plantation Industries Navin Dissanayake

USA, Russia, UAE, Japan, UK, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Germany, China, Australia, and India will come under the first phase.

Tea, once the No. 1 foreign exchange earner, is now lagging behind remittances from Sri Lankans working abroad and the apparel industry. The industry has been beleaguered by high costs of production, low productivity and incoherent and inconsistent policies. While the new administration will address these issues the launch of a campaign of this nature is considered most desirable by the tea industry.

The agreement was signed on behalf of the Ministry by the Secretary Upali Marasinghe and on behalf of Phoenix Ogilvy by its Chairman Irvin Weerackody recently at the Tea Board in the presence of the Minister of Plantations Navin Dissanayake. Sri Lanka Tea Board Chairman Rohan Pethiyagoda was also present at the occasion.