Why politicians don’t see the potential foreigners perceive?

‘Sri Lanka: What a wonderful world’ says World Marketing Association Chief

Asia’s topmost and one of the world renowned marketing gurus on Saturday lifted the spirits of marketing community when he suggested that Sri Lanka has the characteristics to position itself as offering the globe a spiritual experience akin to the famous song What a Wonderful World.

Indonesian Hermawan KartaJaya, who is the President of the World Marketing Association, shared this idea at the Asian Business Forum in Colombo organised by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM).

He was inspired by the fact that Sri Lanka apparel industry was positioning itself as a supplier of ‘garments without guilt’ and tourism industry which wishes every tourist “ayubowan” meaning – may all living beings on earth have long life -, aspiring to be a carbon-clean destination within the next 10 years.

He didn’t have this knowledge beforehand but picked it up from the respective presentations made by MAS Holdings Director Corporate Branding and Strategic CSR Ravi Fernando and Sri Lanka Tourism Chairman Renton de Alwis during the Forum’s inaugural session ttitled ‘Marketing in the changing landscape,’ which he kicked off.

In his own presentation KartaJaya, who is the patron of the Asia Marketing Federation and Co-Founder of the Philip Kotler Centre for ASEAN Marketing, said that to be globally successful, “Sri Lanka cannot be the best, the better or the biggest but strive to be unique and different,” hence Sri Lanka must rethink its positioning strategy.

Describing China as the land of ‘hardware’ and India as the land of ‘software,’ KartaJaya, who has been rated by CIM UK as one of the ‘50 Gurus Who Have Shaped the Future of Marketing,’ said Sri Lanka has what it takes to position itself as the land of ‘spiritualware.’

He said that Sri Lanka’s rich religious and cultural diversity coupled with the various initiatives the industries such as tourism and apparel have undertaken should enable Sri Lanka to make such a positioning.

He played the famous song What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong and encouraged the enthused participants at the forum to add the word Sri Lanka and sing the chorus.

KartaJaya, who was on his second visit to Sri Lanka, with his inimitable style amidst applause inspired all those present at the Asian Marketing Forum to be proactive.

A senior marketer present at the forum told The Bottom Line it was ironic that a foreigner sees the true potential of Sri Lanka whereas the power and money hungry politicians are blind and self-centred as the nation continues to languish while the rest of world speeds away.