15 th July 2024: AIA Insurance shone at the recently held 4A’s Advertising with a remarkable
five awards recognising the company’s creative and engaging campaigns.
AIA’s ‘Suwa Walan’ was a campaign that emerged as a standout, securing three awards
including two Gold awards. The campaign done in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Cancer
Society and creative agency Loops integrated, was a unique campaign that tapped into local
insights to drive awareness and education about breast cancer and the importance of self-
examination. The campaign combined physical and digital elements to drive this education
and awareness by leveraging the cultural practice of Sri Lankan women checking clay pots
(Walan) for imperfections by which, the campaign effectively communicated the importance
of self-examination in a culturally sensitive manner. The campaign addressed the hesitations
Sri Lankan women have regarding regular checkups due to taboos, misconceptions about
pain, and costs. By paralleling the practice of checking clay pots with self-examination for
breast cancer, Suwa Walan resonated deeply within the cultural context, encouraging
women to adopt regular self-screening practices. AIA Suwa Walan drew inspiration from
timeless Sri Lankan art and incorporated these elements into the campaign, making the
message of breast cancer self-examination visually compelling and deeply resonant with the
target audience.
This campaign won Golds for ‘Best Use of Ambient Media’ and ‘Design (Environment &
Experience) ’ as well as Bronze in ‘Use of Cultural Nuance – Static Special’.
Celebrated for its insightful incorporation of cultural elements, The AIA Prarthana Kodiya
campaign also yielded impressive results, with two awards including Silver in ‘Best Use of
Activation – Not For Profit’ and Bronze in ‘Best Use of Ambient Media’. This campaign in
collaboration with creative agency TBWA was carried down during the AIA Poson Safety
Programme.
Tapping into potent local insight, AIA rolled out an initiative to deter pilgrims from taking risks
in the water. By using a traditional Buddhist ‘wish flag’ (Prarthana Kodiya) with the message
“May the devotees not get into unsafe waters,” AIA successfully conveyed the importance of
safety. These wish flags were not just read by the pilgrims but also taken to heart, as seen
by their effusive comments. They also went an extra mile to hang these wish flags on the
sacred Bo tree in the holy city of Anuradhapura in a heartfelt gesture of imbibing it into their
prayers.
The campaign's distribution of wish flags at strategic locations not only delivered the
message effectively but also left a memorable impression on the audience, encouraging safe
practices during the pilgrimage.
AIA’s CMO Sasith Bambaradeniya commented “we were so happy to have been recognised
at this prestigious awards ceremony as we place immense importance of effective creativity,
purposeful engagement and empathy led marketing. These awards are a testament to our
commitment to pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation, while underscoring our
purpose of delivering compelling and impactful campaigns that leave a lasting impact. We
look forward to more innovative campaigns that not only captivate and engage but also
contribute positively to our community. A shout out and thank you to my amazing team at
AIA that make magic, not to forget our dynamic creative agency partners. Here’s to many
more great things together!”
The 4A’s is a non-profit organization committed to advancing the Marketing Communications
and Advertising industry in Sri Lanka with a mission to elevate the industry’s stature by
nurturing talent, creativity, and promoting ethical advertising practices.