‘Second Life Notebooks’ campaign by Ogilvy Sri Lanka records historic award run

From left: MP Sugath Wasantha de Silva, Ogilvy Digital, Ogilvy Media and Geometry Global Managing Director Lalith Sumanasiri, and Geometry Global Sri Lanka Creative Group Head Nadeera Warawita 

The ‘Second Life Notebooks’ campaign by Ogilvy’s Geometry Global Sri Lanka for ProMate (PrintXcel) has become the most internationally awarded single campaign in Sri Lanka’s advertising history. 

Its latest recognition comes from the coveted Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity held in France, where it earned four shortlist nods.

The campaign, in total, has garnered 17 awards and shortlist honours at some of the world’s most respected creative and advertising festivals between 2024 and 2025, including Dragons of Asia, EPICA, Spikes Asia, AdFest, Clio Awards, D&AD, and Cannes Lions.

The need for the campaign arose from a sudden 300% surge in paper prices, a consequence of Sri Lanka’s recent economic crisis. This sharp increase made Braille writing books unaffordable for many families and schools.

Ogilvy’s Geometry Global team conceptualised a simple yet powerful idea: to give used notebooks in Sri Lanka a second life, and, in doing so, offer visually impaired students a fairer chance at education. 

The campaign invited the public to donate gently used notebooks, which were repurposed into Braille writing books.

‘Second Life Notebooks’ was a deeply human creative campaign, and it resonated with the Sri Lankan public, garnering unprecedented community support and donations. 

As a result, it was able to provide Braille notebooks to visually impaired students in every Government school across the country.

Commenting on the campaign, Sri Lanka’s first visually impaired MP Sugath Wasantha de Silva, a well-known advocate for the rights of visually impaired communities in the country, said: “This initiative is truly a social service, a program launched from a deep understanding of social responsibility. In a time of severe paper shortage and an unprecedented crisis, recognising this need and intervening to provide a solution—that is the essence of humanity. If all members of society are to be equal—if they are to enjoy education, health, and other fundamental rights equitably—then these initiatives, which bring to light groups that were hidden in darkness, are truly like lighting lamps. As a social activist and a visually impaired person who intimately understands the struggle of not being able to get an education without paper, I can say this is an outstanding endeavour. The fact that the value of this initiative has been recognised beyond our shores and gained international appreciation fills me with immense pride and happiness as a Sri Lankan and a member of the beneficiary community.” 

From a creative standpoint, the ideator of the campaign, Geometry Global Sri Lanka Creative Group Head Nadeera Warawita said: “We set out to solve a real problem. The recognition the campaign has received is humbling, but the true reward, as a creative, was seeing children use these books and being given the opportunity to continue their learning. Knowing our work made a meaningful difference, that’s what mattered most.”

Ogilvy Digital, Ogilvy Media and Geometry Global Managing Director Lalith Sumanasiri noted that the most powerful ideas are born at the intersection of deep consumer insight and a clear understanding of a client’s business. He noted: “With ‘Second Life Notebooks,’ we identified a critical need in society and connected it to what our client could uniquely offer. This campaign demonstrates how creativity, when grounded in purpose and strategy, can deliver not just awards, but real, measurable impact. It’s a powerful reminder that when the advertising industry listens and responds to real-world challenges, it can leave lasting impact.” 

For PrintXcel, the campaign was more than a marketing initiative—it reflected the company’s values and long-term vision. 

PrintXcel Group of Companies Group Chief Executive Officer P. Kudabalage commented: “This campaign has been deeply meaningful for us because it reflects the kind of brand we aspire to be: one that stands for purpose, innovation, and community. It helped us connect with people in a way that goes far beyond product, and that connection is invaluable for the brand in the long-term. The international recognition the campaign has received for its impact is a reminder of what’s possible when brands use creativity as a force for good.”

Total list of wards: 

• Dragons of Asia (2024): Five awards, including the Blue Dragon for Best Campaign in Sri Lanka, two Golds for Cause Marketing and Small Budget Campaigns, Silver for Brand Building, and Black for Social Media.
• EPICA (2024): Bronze for Social Advocacy.
• Effie Awards (2025): Two Golds for Small Budgets and Social Good.
• Spikes Asia (2025): Silver for Social Behaviour and Cultural Insight.
• AdFest (2025): Bronze in the Sustainable Education category.
• Clio Awards (2025): Bronze for Cause-Related PR and a shortlist for Real-Time Response.
• D&AD (2025): Shortlisted for Creative Use of Budget in Activations and Participation.
• Cannes Lions (2025): Four shortlists across Brand Design, Media, and two Sustainable Development Goals categories.