MARKETING PROFESSION
Compiled by Prashanthi Cooray
WIRED TO STORYTELLING
Kaushala Amarasekara explains how brands build lasting customer trust
Q: What defines a strong and enduring brand presence in rapidly changing markets – and what are the most effective ways to build long-term customer loyalty beyond price or promotions?
A: A strong brand presence today isn’t defined by visibility alone but rather, by connection.
Customers should feel that a brand is personally tuned in to them – that it truly understands them. That means moving beyond generic promises and taking deliberate steps to make people feel seen, heard and valued.
Price and promotions may capture attention but connection earns loyalty. When customers feel a brand speaks their language, understands their aspirations and remembers them in meaningful ways, it creates a bond that outlasts any discount.
Enduring brands are those that move from being a product in someone’s hand to becoming a presence in their life.
Q: In your opinion, what distinguishes impactful nationwide campaigns from those that fail to connect with audiences?
A: In Sri Lanka, I believe marketing is still about provoking emotions. The campaigns that work here are the ones that feel personal – they touch the heart while staying true to our everyday lives.
The real magic happens when someone sees a campaign and thinks: ‘This is about me, my life, my Sri Lanka.’ At that moment, marketing stops being an ad and becomes a movement.
Campaigns fail when they forget that people respond less to logic and more to the heart – in the end, emotion always wins.
Q: How can brands use storytelling to build trust and emotional resonance with customers?
A: Storytelling makes things memorable. From childhood, we’re wired to listen to stories – it’s how we learn, dream and connect.
Brands that understand this use storytelling as their main bridge to people’s hearts.
A good brand story doesn’t merely describe a product; it creates a feeling that lingers and makes customers want to come back because they remember how the story made them feel.
Ultimately, products may fade from memory but stories endure – and that’s where trust is born.
Q: With the rise of digital platforms and influencer marketing, how do you balance short-term visibility with sustainable customer relationships?
A: Influencers can spark visibility but visibility alone doesn’t build loyalty. The key is balance – digital platforms can be used to light the spark but lasting connections come from substance.
Sustainable relationships are formed when a brand consistently delivers value beyond the hype – turning ‘likes’ into lasting trust.
Q: How can data and market research be better used to refine communication and loyalty strategies?
A: What we do with data is more important than how much of it we have. Too often, brands admire the numbers without acting on them.
The smart use of research involves listening to what customers aren’t saying directly – spotting patterns, pain points and emerging desires. Data should humanise customers, not reduce them to spreadsheets.
Q: How do you see the role of marketing leaders evolving in Sri Lanka’s corporate landscape over the next five years?
A: The role is shifting from brand custodians to growth architects.
Marketing leaders will need to be fluent in both creativity and analytics, comfortable with technology and deeply attuned to social responsibility. In a market such as Sri Lanka, resilience and agility will be as important as big ideas.
Q: What advice would you share with young professionals entering marketing on balancing creativity with analytical and strategic thinking?
A: Don’t fall into the trap of being only creative or analytical. Today, marketing is both an art and a science – while creativity gives you wings, strategy provides the runway.
The best marketers I know are curious, adaptable and never stop learning because the rules of the game are always being rewritten.
Q: How do you approach integrating traditional and digital channels, to create a cohesive and impactful brand experience?
A: I don’t see them as separate worlds because customers don’t think in terms of channels; they think in terms of experiences.
Integration means ensuring that whether consumers see a billboard, TV spot or digital ad, they feel the same brand voice and promise. Cohesion builds trust while fragmentation breeds confusion.
Q: What role do you think innovation will play in shaping the future of branding and customer engagement in your line of business?
A: Innovation is less about chasing trends; it requires practicality, adaptability and a willingness to learn as you go. It entails finding smarter ways to connect with people, and making experiences feel seamless and relevant.
The future of branding will be shaped by those who can take change in their stride, simplify the complex and deliver value consistently. Innovation often comes from improving what already exists in ways that truly matter to customers, rather than inventing something entirely new.
Brands that remain practical and adaptable grow alongside their audience, ensuring that every interaction feels thoughtful, purposeful and a step ahead of expectations.
