Ogilvy Group Clinches 6 Effie Metals for Campaigns Responding to National Priorities

• Ogilvy Digital wins one Gold, two Silvers and two Bronze awards for breakthrough campaign “When the Trees Lament”

• Phoenix Ogilvy bags Silver for “Relive the Epic of Ramayana” campaign

Ogilvy Group Sri Lanka delivered an impressive performance at the SLIM Effie Awards 2025, held recently, securing a total of six metals, one Gold, three Silver and two Bronze, along with eight finalist recognitions across its Digital, Creative and Media agencies.

Phoenix Ogilvy receives the Silver Effie for the "Relive the Epic of Ramayana" campaign

The Effie Awards, annually celebrate the country’s most effective marketing and creative campaigns. What distinguished Ogilvy’s performance this year was the relevance of its campaigns to Sri Lanka’s current context, particularly in advancing sustainability awareness and supporting the country’s tourism sector.

A major contributor to the Group’s metal haul was Ogilvy Digital’s standout campaign “When the Trees Lament” for the brand El Toro. The campaign won Gold in Experiential Marketing (Live, Digital), Silver in Media Innovation (Emerging & New Channels), Silver in Business-to-Business (Products and Services), and Bronze in Environmental (Brands, Non-profit), in addition to securing three finalist recognitions.

The agency’s work drew public attention by highlighting the growing issue of deforestation linked to construction, and the country’s continued reliance on timber over more sustainable alternatives. Noting that mourning is an important part of Sri Lanka’s way of life, the agency used cross-sections of real tree trunks to create vinyl-like “laments,” giving a symbolic voice to felled trees. The installation attracted more than 20,000 visitors and generated nearly 1,700 hours of listening time within four days, prompting renewed discussion around sustainability and responsible timber use.

Phoenix Ogilvy contributed further to the Group’s overall performance with a Silver in the Travel & Tourism category for SriLankan Airlines’ “Relive the Epic of Ramayana” campaign. As the sole metal winner in its category, the campaign reinforced its significance following its regional recognition last year, when it secured Sri Lanka’s first-ever APAC Effie, an industry milestone noted for elevating the country’s tourism story. By presenting Sri Lanka as the living landscape of the Ramayana, the work helped strengthen the visibility of the country’s Ramayana Trail and supported wider efforts to attract regional travellers. 

Ogilvy Digital further secured a Bronze in the Home Furnishings & Appliances category for Singer’s “Take the Load Off Her Head” campaign, which addressed longstanding domestic expectations placed on women and showed the role of household appliances in easing daily responsibilities.

Lalith Sumanasiri, Managing Director of Ogilvy Digital and Media said “For us, effectiveness has always come from understanding the country’s mood and needs. We have a role to play in addressing the real issues Sri Lanka is dealing with. That relevance is what gives the work its effectiveness. Sustainability, tourism and everyday consumer challenges are not abstract themes, they are part of daily life here. When our teams and clients engage with those realities with responsibility and creativity, the work naturally becomes stronger.” 

The outcome rounded off a strong year for the Group, with the recognitions highlighting the strength of its cross-disciplinary work and the broader relevance of campaigns that contribute to national needs and priorities. 

Caption - The Ogilvy Digital team with their metal haul at the 2025 SLIM Effie Awards