SLIM-Nielsen Peoples Awards gives voice to the people

• New categories and wider coverage given to North and East

With the stage set and ready, the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) is ready to unveil the choice of the people at the SLIM-Nielsen Peoples Awards which is to be held on Tuesday 15th March. The SLIM-Nielsen Peoples Awards is held annually to recognize the brands and personalities that have left a lasting impact on the people of the Nation.

The Peoples Awards are significant because it allows people to choose their favourite brands, companies, personalities, advertisements, films, tele dramas instead of having companies and personalities apply for awards. This year’s research boasts of a more representative sample of people, as it includes the North and East of the country for the first time.

Mr. Rohan Somawansa, President SLIM said, “As part of the Peoples Awards, SLIM looks at the ‘people’s choice’ which is the ultimate decision maker in marketing strategies. Any marketer who wants to see the success of a brand should understand and heed the people’s choice. SLIM always stresses on the fact that marketers should be research-biased in their decision making and the Peoples Awards is yet another step in line with our objectives.”

SLIM, the national body of marketing has programmes to encourage best practices in research, branding, advertising and sales which are the key pillars of marketing. A brainchild of SLIM, and backed by Nielsen, the largest research company in Sri Lanka, the SLIM- Nielsen Peoples Awards saw its inception in 2006 and has been held annually since.

Mr. Thushara Perera, Vice President SLIM said, “As much as the awards give the public an opportunity to laud the brands that are dear to them, the research done also gives corporate entities insights regarding top- of -mind awareness and how their brands are perceived by consumers.”

Mr. Ruwan Liyanagamage, Project Chairman said, “What has always set this event apart is how relatable it is. It appeals to those in the business and marketing field for its precision in accurately identifying the brands that are hot in the people’s minds, as well as a sense of competition. It also creates a sense of interest in consumers as it reflects their opinions. In essence, it’s like a Grammy nomination for those in the business field and once again the people have chosen and all that is left is for us to hear their decision.”

In order to maintain fairness and ethical standards across the board, the Survey spanned a period of five months and for the first time in its history the survey was also conducted in the North and the East, where randomly selected males and females between the ages of 15 to 60 years were interviewed. The data for the survey was captured through face to face interviews using a structured questionnaire by Nielsen field research officers who are specially trained to conduct interviews of this nature. The Survey commenced in September of 2010 and ended in January of 2011, with a total of 2,700 individuals having been interviewed throughout the island.

Mr. Shaheen Cader, Managing Director, Nielsen said, “Marketing decisions should always be research-biased. Hence, this is an excellent partnership which decides where exactly a brand should be positioned in the consumer’s mind and how successfully it has been placed. I must say that we managed to include a sample from the North and East for the first time in Sri Lanka. We have discovered many interesting insights which we are planning to share with you all at the event and will be available for you post-event. So I believe this is an excellent opportunity for marketers in Sri Lanka to understand their customers.”

This year’s awards are sponsored by Elephant House – KIK Cola and co-sponsored by Sunquick and DSI. Media Partners for the event are ITN, Lite FM and Neth FM. Creative Partner for the event is Lowe LDB while GPR is the Public Relations Partner. Blaze Media is the Digital Media Partner, and Sign Tech is the service sponsor for BTL advertising and awards. The Video Production partner is TVT and the Hoarding Partner is Studio 21, whilst the Photography Partner for the event is Ninehearts and Printing Partner is Ceylinco Computer Forms.