‘Innovative and nation minded’ digital marketing wins Seylan Bank three awards at SLIM DIGIS 2.2

The Bank with a Heart secures a Silver and two Bronze awards for #ResponsibleMe and National Day campaigns

Seylan Bank, the Bank with a Heart, secured several accolades to its name at the recently concluded SLIM DIGIS 2.2 with a Silver and a Bronze for its #ResponsibleMe campaign, along with another Bronze for the Bank’s National Day campaign. Awarded in celebration of Seylan Bank’s best digital marketing endeavours, innovation and talent, these awards also stand as a testament to the Bank’s continued efforts in communicating meaningful initiatives to society.

The multiple award winning #ResponsibleMe campaign clinched Silver and Bronze Awards for Best Digital Marketing Campaign – CSR category and Best Use of Branded Content respectively. Securing a Silver for Best Digital Marketing Campaign under the CSR category, the #ResponsibleMe campaign was recognised as one of the best holistic campaigns that demonstrate how different digital platforms worked together to achieve results. Seylan Bank’s strong entry showcased seamless synergy of the campaign elements on strategy, innovation, creativity, execution and results.

The additional Bronze for Best Use of Branded Content was a result of the campaign being recognised as among the most creative, innovative and effective use of branded content that provided a real return on investment for Seylan Bank. As the #ResponsibleMe campaign fit in well with Seylan Bank’s values, strategy and clearly addressed the marketing challenge, the entry was able to secure this sought after title. It is also noteworthy that #ResponsibleMe brought home a coveted Silver Award at the recently concluded Dragons of Asia Effective Marketing Awards 2022, which recognised the very best in results-driven marketing communications across all countries in Asia.

The success of Seylan Bank’s #ResponsibleMe campaign began at the height of the third Covid-19 wave, when the Bank felt that society needed to be educated about making responsible choices to contain the spread of the virus. This was certainly the need of the hour as it was observed that there was rising demotivation to follow recommended protective behaviours, also known as pandemic fatigue.

The Bank decided to execute the delivery of the precaution message more assertively. This led to the campaign slogan “Suhada Haden, Tikak Seren”. To pull off the campaign, Seylan team members took on the responsibility to bear the #ResponsibleMe message to the public, adding their own voices through their personal social media spaces. Key opinion leaders soon joined the call, and social media came abuzz with #ResponsibleMe.

The Bank then considered a mentality change which made people accept individual responsibility to maintain preventative methods. To this end, the Bank with a Heart launched a unique virtual media briefing to effectively drive this message as a responsible corporate, with the participation of media personnel active in the digital space.

In terms of Seylan Bank’s National Day campaign, its efforts were rewarded with a Bronze Award under the Digital Brand Bravery Awards. The campaign was a step towards bravely taking on conventional ideologies through digital medium and reaching out to the intended audience.

Due to several sensitivities that surround the National Day, brands generally tend to be cautious in their messaging. In post-conflict Sri Lanka, language has been identified as essential for reconciliation since speaking each other’s language results in greater understanding of each other’s cultures. Through the National Day campaign, Seylan Bank did exactly this by reminding people about the importance of learning both national languages equally.

Through this, Seylan Bank started the conversation as to what it takes to truly celebrate National Day as opposed to parading the term ‘Independence’. It highlighted the most important issue for post-conflict Sri Lanka to correct its course. Seylan Bank boldly carried out the campaign resulting in the Bank improving its brand equity while bringing to light a nationally important issue.

In addition to this impactful success at the SLIM DIGIS 2.2, Seylan Bank also secured multiple accolades in 2022 including 8 NASCO Awards at the National Sales Congress. Further, the Bank with a Heart was Ranked as No 1 in Customer Service Excellence in the Banking Sector for the 4th consecutive year by LMD, No 77 in the world by The Finance Brand website for the use of social media by the Banking Sector and No 29 in LMD’s Most Respected Entities in Sri Lanka. Seylan Bank was also ranked among the Top 20 in LMD Brands Annual 2022 Rankings and is rated among the Top 40 entities by Business Today Magazine.