Young Lotus 2017 was held recently at The Excellency in Colombo. Organised by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (4As), one of Sri Lanka’s governing bodies for marketing communications and advertising, the competition drew a tremendous influx of interest in the form of 42 participating teams, representing a collection of 18 agencies and assorted media bodies. 
“It was extremely gratifying to see so many agencies taking part this year,” said 4As President Sheron Jayasundara.
“It is a testament to the commitment of these agencies towards the training of their young stars and their professional development as future stakeholders of the industry.” 
The participating teams were given a brief and a time limit during which they were required to conceptualize and develop a communication solution which met the requirements stipulated in the brief. After which they would present their ideas to a panel of distinguished judges, comprising of some of the country’s most notable creative directors. 
This year’s competition was sponsored by Rocco’s, one of Colombo’s leading food and beverage brands. 
Rocco’s Joint Managing Director Krishanthi De Silva sharing her views on the competition said, “We were amazed at the creative talent showcased at the event and are excited at the prospect of implementing many of the innovative ideas we saw in the near future as part of our strategic plans.”  The winning team was judged to be Natasha Fernando and Randula de Silva, both representing Neo Ogilvy. This talented duo will now go on to represent Sri Lanka at the 13th Young Lotus Creative Workshop and compete with their fellow creatives from the Asia Pacific region. The competition, which is part of AdFest, aims to recognize talented youth in the region, while encouraging and helping them improve their skills under the tutelage of experienced, world-class advertising gurus. 
Founded in 1998, AdFest is the number one creative festival in the Asian region. Every year, delegates from around the world join together to exchange ideas. AdFest is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and is focusing on celebrating the diversity that the festival has encouraged with the inclusion of various different cultures all over Asia.