Sri Lanka’s marketing industry needs ethics and standards

Sri Lanka, often dubbed the pearl of the Indian Ocean, is known for its pristine beaches, lush tea, and diverse biodiversity. The island has bounced back from the recession in the past few years with ambitious plans to become a tourism hotspot, a tech and leisure hub, and an agri and industrial powerhouse in the region.

It is also home to some brilliant minds in advertising and marketing. But a crucial element has been entirely overlooked all this time: ethics, regulations, and standards regarding the industry. Various discussions have been held in this regard; however, none have been put into paper or action today.

Sri Lanka does have certain codes that touch upon slightly what I am advocating for, but they stand rather in isolation as opposed to a holistic approach. Such codes are targeted at big pharma, health institutions, food providers, or those covering mass media, telecommunications, or outdoor, and that, too, doesn’t do justice. It’s somehow selectively political.

Not having a national-level framework to oversee and monitor such ads and marketing activities is quite damaging to the country’s citizens and reputation. Due to this lack, we have seen many marketers explode and contribute to social, economic, and psychological dysfunctions.

One would quickly come across organisations claiming to be ‘the leader’, but no evidence supports this claim. This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are also no measures to monitor and report for any misleading advertising or claims made by such brands, discussions on its effect on children, or encouraging unhealthy choices or unethical consumption.

It's a small and beautiful country, and it wouldn’t hurt to have such measures and a unified national policy. In my professional opinion, Sri Lanka needs to begin active dialogues and establish an independent, non-governmental body that will be responsible for drafting and implementing the policy. 

There also needs to be a lot of knowledge sharing and transfer in the discipline, as I found the marketing or ad community to be isolated from the rest, with many having their circles. We need openness and transparency, and above all, a conscious mindset that embraces actions and values in line with positively impacting the broader society and community.

Many industry leaders invest considerable time and money in developing the best ideas and campaigns but are very shortsighted about the social and behavioural impact they have on citizens.

Unfortunately, they aren’t held accountable or monitored for this. We see many agencies and marketers in Sri Lanka, too, lost in their work and pride, often running after awards, recognitions, and retainers. The need to create that social impact is yet a long shot.

But this will not be sustained for long. A whole new generation in the country is demanding honesty and accountability, and if brands and marketers do not embrace this, it will be short-lived. They are aware of any unethical practices out there or in any attempts to do so, and they aren’t afraid of taking it public. This generation can mean consumers, partners, shareholders, or the next considerable talent. And one shouldn’t undermine this, as it’s ultimately all about relationships.

Overall, I want to say that the industry should step up and take a stand on this. We need to advocate and campaign and do every little part we can to educate our fellow clients, colleagues, and consumers.

Sri Lanka should have a national-level policy in regulating, monitoring, and improving all marketing, advertising, and communications-related activities, build capacity among those in the state sector that oversee such activities, and invest heavily in quality education and learning.

Thanzyl Thajudeen is the country representative for Sri Lanka at PRCA and serves on the PRCA APAC Board, PRCA Education Advisory Board, and Membership Committee. He is also a member of the CIPR International Committee and CIPR Professional Practices Committee and the founder of Mark and Comm.