Renowned for its ‘designed for life’ products, Phoenix was voted one of the top three most loved household brands in Sri Lanka by LMD. In this interview, we learn about the brand more intimately.

Q: Phoenix has been a household name for many years. Can you tell us a bit about the company’s recent ‘personality change’?

A: Until a few years ago, Phoenix did not have dedicated design and branding teams. While our products were durable and functional, they were not our own designs.

In order to remain a step above our competitors, we wanted to make something fresh and original – products that both honour Sri Lanka’s tropical and colourful ecosystem, and put us on the global map. As such, we had to rethink our strategy.

Over the last five years, we’ve expanded our operations. Today, we are no longer only a manufacturer but also a household brand loved by all Sri Lankas. Our priority now is to create products that are designed to be a part of your life.

We introduced a new catalogue showcasing our new language and logo, and launched new streams of digital marketing through social media, a revamped website and an e-shopping platform. In addition to this, we opened two new brick and mortar showrooms to give people a chance to experience the new Phoenix shopping experience firsthand.

We’re here to stay, and we want our customers to touch our products, feel their innovation and be delighted. If you are a Phoenix patron, you hold a product that was designed to be a part of your life!

Q: Could you shed light on how these branding efforts add value to Phoenix?

A: Being a household name and loved brand in Sri Lanka was always a priority for us. Branding helps us achieve this vision. We want people to see our bold and intentional personality while finding innovative ways to stay connected to our customers.

The execution of the new product and branding strategy has also changed the internal dynamics at Phoenix. We had to adjust our internal operations and all related activities to support the new brand strategy.

We’re constantly thinking of ways to better serve our customers. How can we bring our products to the global market? At the end of the day, we are unique and our branding must reflect that.

Q: What can you tell us about Phoenix’s product strategy – and what is the role of the annual product launches?

A: The product launch is a new image we create at the beginning of each year to promote and upgrade our products. Every year, we visualise, design and create smarter and better products.

This is a pledge to better ourselves each year by upgrading our products and branding. We do this because in a creative industry, nothing is static. We must keep moving forward, and this helps us stay fresh and relevant.

Q: Are there any other steps that the company has taken to offer green or sustainable solutions in the market? If so, how is the organisation progressing towards its goals?

A: We’re a household company that sells resin-based products. We have no future if sustainability isn’t made an urgent priority.

While rebranding, we decided that by 2025, we would triple the amount of post-consumer recycled material (PCR) that we use in our production. Today, we have made good progress in achieving that goal.

And we plan to set up our own plastic recycling plant in line with a dream that recycled material will be produced to be as good as new. We have an enthusiastic team that is dedicated to helping us reach our sustainability goals.

Our journey has also made us adapt. When the economic crisis hit Sri Lanka, we had no international resources to rely on. This made us realise the great potential in our own country to find resin materials and domestic recycling options.

We sincerely believe that the only sustainable solution is the one that’s designed for life. At Phoenix, that is exactly what you will get.

“Being a household name and loved brand in Sri Lanka was always a priority for us. Branding helps us achieve this vision”

Q: What are Phoenix’s plans for the future – particularly in relation to branding and the customer experience?

A: Our most important priority is to continue being one of Sri Lanka’s most loved household brands.

The shopping experience is at the centre of the Phoenix ethos. We want to give our customers a chance to experience this at our flagship stores in Welisara, Panadura and Battaramulla, as well as eventually expand the number of owned retail stores. Additionally, we want to export our products and become a global brand.

We have only begun to scratch the surface. The journey to stay on top is both continuous and never ending. As long as we are a part of daily Sri Lankan life, we know we’re doing something right.

– Compiled by Avanti Samarasekera

Telephone 0777 889999  |  Email info@phoenix.lk   |  Website www.phoenix.lk