Leading Global Creatives Headline 4A’s Advertising Festival in Sri Lanka

Colombo, Sri Lanka, May 17, 2024 – Sri Lanka is set to witness its largest ever creative training programme as The Four A’s Advertising Festival, powered by Unilever Sri Lanka and globally connected by SriLankan Airlines, prepares to impart knowledge on May 30th & 31st.

Over two days, this learning festival promises to be a source of new ideas, innovation, and inspiration, aimed at elevating the standards of advertising creativity in the region. At the heart of it are 13 distinguished speakers from around the globe, each bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the forefront at Taj Samudra Colombo.

Ajay Vikram, Chief Creative Officer at Publicis Groupe South-East Asia, will discuss the evolving landscape of advertising across the Southeast Asian region. Asheen Naidu, Executive Creative Director at TBWA Singapore, will be speaking about the inclusion of tech into advertising.

Michaela Futcher, Managing Director and Head of Strategy at Media Arts Lab APAC, Singapore, lends her strategic acumen on the negative impact algorithms have on creativity, while Psembi Kinstan, Group Executive Creative Director at DDB Group Melbourne, shares his experiences from an award winning career that spans from Australia to the UK.

The line-up further boasts Assam Khalid, an Independent Creative and Strategy Consultant at Vexology Advertising Dubai and Guan Hin Tay, Creative Chairman at BBDO Singapore who will share thoughts from his latest book COLLIDE.

Mahesh Ambaliya, Senior Creative Director at VMLY&R, brings a fresh perspective to the festival about creating ads for positive impact, and Mandie Van Der Merwe, Chief Creative Officer at Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney, infuses the event with her passion for creating humour in advertising. Harsh Dave, Founding Director at Firecracker Mumbai, will offer attendees a glimpse into the world of high-quality production in the advertising & film industries.

Pooja Rawat, EVP Strategy at MullenLowe Lintas Mumbai, will be sharing excerpts from their recent pan India study ‘The state of states’. Joining her is Surjo Dutt, Chief Creative Officer at Dentsu Creative India – West and South Regions, who will elaborate on the importance of leaning into cultural truths.

The line-up continues as Teddy Sandu, Creative Director at MullenLowe Singapore, discusses the evolving role of AI in the advertising industry. Rounding off the ensemble is Zehra Zaidi, Group Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy Pakistan, whose creative prowess knows no bounds.

Together, these top-tier creative minds promise to deliver world class training in a scale never before seen within the local advertising and creative industry.

As anticipation builds for The Four A’s Advertising Festival, powered by Unilever Sri Lanka and globally connected by SriLankan Airlines, all eyes are on these speakers, poised to chart the course for a renaissance of creativity and innovation in the advertising landscape of Sri Lanka.

About The Four A’s Advertising Festival:

The Four A’s Advertising Festival is a premier event in the advertising and creative industry, providing a platform for learning, networking, and recognition of creative excellence in Sri Lanka. In essence, The Four A’s Advertising Festival emerges as a cornerstone in the creative communications landscape, heralding a new era of celebration, collaboration, and innovation in Sri Lanka’s advertising and marketing ecosystem.