Starcom MediaVest Group officially began operations in Sri Lankan as Starcom Worldwide, in January. This will be the company’s 111th office in its worldwide network comprising 68 countries. The company will also be supported by Leo Burnett Solutions Inc. (LBSI), one of Sri Lanka’s wellknown marketing communications companies. Offering the promise of ‘fuelling brand power; this new media agency will use its international proprietary processes and tools to determine people’s passions and their interaction with contact points in Sri Lanka – from how people spend their time and money to how they define themselves. This process termed Passion Group Marketing is Starcom’s strategy for a better understanding of targeted customer groups prior to communicating with them. “With the development of the Sri Lankan media environment, advertisers need the know-how to reach their audiences efficiently and effectively. Starcom, with its global strength and its experience in markets closer to home, can add huge value to locally sensitive yet internationally savvy network with Starcom Worldwide in Sri Lanka,” said Shiroma I Cooray, Chairperson, Starcom Worldwide, Sri Lanka. “There was a need for media specialists in Sri Lanka so that the local market and international entrants could flourish with the help of an experienced advocate to aggregate all media spending to more effectively negotiate for buying media while at the same time managing media contacts through creative and tested methodologies and processes,” commented Ravi Kiran, CEO, Starcom South Asia. “This is a win-win situation for all parties involved, including the country as a whole, as in the long term it will further reduce barriers for international companies entering Sri Lanka while strengthening the business infrastructure;’ he added.
Sushruta Samanta, CEO, Starcom Worldwide, Sri Lanka, indicated that his mandate is to ensure the smooth transition of existing business from LBSI over to the more specialized Starcom Worldwide. Samanta is a well-regarded international media specialist with almost a decade of experience and hands on knowledge of several globally recognized brands. He stated that his immediate goal is the setup of operations and the transfer of the media specialists of LBSI to the processes and methodologies proprietary to the Starcom network as well as ensure the smooth shift of several existing clients from LBSI to the Starcom umbrella. “At the present time all energies would focus on consolidating existing clients as they were loyal customers of LBSI who deserved to be the first to benefit from Starcom’s enhanced understanding, improved customer insights and added contact innovations;’ he said. Through access to syndicated and proprietary global research databases, Starcom has the ability to extrapolate international and economic trends to provide insights for brands at the local level. In addition to full service media services agencies Starcom, MediaVest and other regional brands, the holding company operates several diversified units.
