Reckitt Sri Lanka team reveals formula for marketing effectiveness

For over 60 years, Reckitt has been an integral part of the lives of all Sri Lankans, offering the market a range of solutions that have grown into household names in the consumer healthcare segment, enhancing the hygiene, health and nutrition of people across the country.

The Reckitt team started 2022 with its brands Dettol and Strepsils being recognised by the marketing fraternity, at SLIM Effie Awards 2021 and SLIM Digis 2.1. The awards lauded the work done by Reckitt in the previous two years, to effectively communicate with its consumers and make a difference in their lives. Dettol was also ranked as the Most Loved Brand in Sri Lanka by LMD Magazine.

Speaking on the journey, Reckitt Sri Lanka Head of Marketing Shaminda Perera said, “Over the years, we have offered a range of trusted solutions that have positively contributed to the lives of Sri Lankans around the island. From Dettol to Harpic to Lysol to Durex to Strepsils to Enfa, our brands have helped people live cleaner, healthier lives and our role as a consumer healthcare solutions provider has been even more vital in the last two years with the pandemic.”

Dettol was recognised in the Social Media and Influencers categories for its ‘#HandWashingChallengeSL’ campaign at Effie Awards Sri Lanka 2021. The Effie Awards Sri Lanka, organised by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing and held in partnership with Effies International, celebrates campaigns that personify marketing effectiveness, while Strepsils’ ‘#IWishIHadAStrepsils’ campaign was adjudged a finalist in the Healthcare, Small Budgets Products and Services and Social Media categories.

Dettol’s ‘#HandWashingChallengeSL’ was also awarded Silver in the Best Response to COVID-19, Best Use of Branded Content and Best Use of Content Platforms, at SLIM Digis 2.1, which is held by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing to recognise innovative and effective digital marketing campaigns.

“Consumer well-being is at the heart of everything we do as a brand and consumer education is a cornerstone of our marketing approach. When the pandemic began, the need for solutions that safeguarded health grew immensely, as did the challenges of getting products to consumers and educating them on ways to stay safe and healthy. It was a national crisis and as a leading healthcare brand, we knew we had to step up our efforts and find new solutions to meaningfully reach people across the country. This is where our purpose-led approach to product development and delivery came to the fore,” noted Reckitt Sri Lanka Marketing Manager Chathurika Fonseka.
During the onset of the pandemic, Dettol supported on-ground efforts through partnerships and donations. It established handwashing units in hospitals and public transport locations islandwide to ensure accessibility to preventive measures to the public. 

Speaking on the effort, Fonseka said that Reckitt collaborated with healthcare professionals to create educational content that was broadcasted islandwide, informing people of best practices on hygiene, health and safety, to help prevent the spread of the virus.

Speaking about the campaign by Dettol, Reckitt Sri Lanka Marketing Manager Nutrition Tehan Samarasinha said, “The pandemic was an unprecedented global occurrence and people were scared because there was a lot; we didn’t know about it. What we did know was that staying clean was key to staying safe. The lockdowns changed how people receive their information. Digital came to the fore and we realised that the messengers in the household would be the younger generation. Recognising this helped us better reach more families using digital channels, which both the Dettol and Strepsils campaigns were successful in doing.”

Samarasinha was instrumental in leading Dettol’s communications effort during the onset of the pandemic.
“The recognition we have received is a testament to the purpose-led approach we take to developing and promoting products. It’s also a validation of our commitment to having a meaningful impact through the work we do at Reckitt. We would like to thank all our consumers, business partners and agency partners, for supporting our drive for a cleaner, healthier Sri Lanka,” said Perera on the Reckitt formula for marketing effectiveness and safeguarding consumers.