The Barista Story
Less Blah More Boom
Sri Lanka's coffee scene didn't look the same two years ago. Barista changed that.
Dilupa Pathirana, Chief Executive Officer of Barista Coffee Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, takes the stage on the 12th of November to share how Barista cut through the noise and built a brand that Sri Lankans didn't just visit, but talked about. The story behind the boom is one of sharp execution, knowing exactly what the brand stood for and going all in on it. Less theory, more doing. Less blah, more boom.
At Spot On, we put the spotlight on Sri Lankan brand builders who have done noteworthy work, sharing real stories for practical learning. This is the first of five.
Dilupa PathiranaChief Executive Officer, Barista Coffee Lanka (Pvt) Ltd
The Maliban Story
Heritage Is Overrated
Being around for decades doesn't guarantee you a place in tomorrow.
Positha Perera, Group Head of Corporate Communications at Maliban Group of Companies, and Sagar Hiranand, Co-Founder of Shuffl Studio, take the stage on the 12th of November to share the story of one of Sri Lanka's most recognised heritage brands and what it takes to stay relevant to a generation that didn't grow up with them. From turning 70 years of invisible nostalgia into a campaign you could smell, to taking the scent of Maliban Handiya to bus stations and highway exits across the island, to backing Sri Lanka's own F3 driver Yevan David in one of the most unexpected sponsorship moves in recent memory, the Maliban story is one of balancing the weight of legacy with the courage to do things differently.
At Spot On, we put the spotlight on Sri Lankan brand builders who have done noteworthy work, sharing real stories for practical learning. This is the second story of five.
Positha PereraGroup Head of Corporate Communications, Maliban Group of Companies
Sagar HiranandCo-Founder, Shuffl Studio
The LOVI Ceylon Story
The Power of Unreasonable Dreams
Development is not a destiny. It's a decision. This is not a talk about waiting for the economy to change.
Asanka de Mel, Founder of LOVI Ceylon, takes the stage on the 12th of November to share the story behind one of Sri Lanka's most distinctive brands. From leaving a technology career in Silicon Valley to coming home and turning the national dress into boardroom wear, Asanka has built LOVI Ceylon on the belief that growing a brand and growing a country are not two different things. Through the LOVI story and a practical toolkit on how to 10x your income and Sri Lanka's, Asanka challenges marketers and business builders to grow their companies, grow their incomes, and grow Sri Lanka faster. As they are the leaders building the future we want.
At Spot On, we put the spotlight on Sri Lankan brand builders who have done noteworthy work, sharing real stories for practical learning. This is the third story of five.
Asanka de MelFounder, LOVI Ceylon
The Sunsilk Story
Mane Character Vibes
Every heroine has great hair. Sunsilk decided to own that.
Shamara Perera, Director Marketing, Personal Care, Beauty and Wellbeing and Media at Unilever Sri Lanka, takes the stage on the 12th of November to share how Sunsilk tapped into something Sri Lankan audiences already loved. Korean dramas, Bollywood, Hollywood, across every genre, hair is a main character. With the Hair Moves campaign, Sunsilk recognised that and built a strategy around it, using cinema as a vehicle to reach younger consumers who were already there, already watching, already aspirational. The result is a brand that stopped chasing its audience and started showing up in their world instead.
At Spot On, we put the spotlight on Sri Lankan brand builders who have done noteworthy work, sharing real stories for practical learning. This is the fourth story of five.
Shamara PereraDirector Marketing, Personal Care, Beauty & Wellbeing and Media, Unilever Sri Lanka
The Lion Story
The Art of the Unseen
Most brands take for granted the ability to just show up. Lion Brewery cannot.
Madhushanka Ranatunga, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC, takes the stage on the 12th of November to share what brand building looks like when the traditional tools of the trade are off the table. In Sri Lanka, alcohol brands are prohibited from advertising directly, which means no conventional campaigns, no standard media buys, no straightforward path to the consumer. What Lion has built over 139 years, and continues to build today, is a masterclass in working with constraints. The Lion story is one of going back to fundamentals, finding the unseen angles, and proving that great marketing is less about the tools you have and more about how well you understand your brand and your audience.
At Spot On, we put the spotlight on Sri Lankan brand builders who have done noteworthy work, sharing real stories for practical learning. The story that closes the night at Spot On 2.0.
Madhushanka RanatungaChief Sales and Marketing Officer, Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC
