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| Sunday, 27 April 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Code to institute responsible advertising Q&E Advertising, which claims to be Sri Lanka's largest independent advertising company, is developing a code of best practice to ensure that the communications solutions it develops will be culturally sensitive and morally acceptable. Explaining the rationale for this move, Q&E Chairman Vijith Kannangara said: "We are in a very powerful industry. We must realise that our communications campaigns have an indirect effect on our cultures, languages and religions....in other words, our work indirectly plays a role in shaping the values of our society. Therefore, we should be guided by a very precise set of directions regarding this work and not leave it to the vagaries of individual interpretation. Otherwise we will create massive and permanent destruction. We will not even realise the damage we are doing. "In the absence of such a code in the industry, we felt that it was our responsibility to develop and nurture it. We have many brilliant professionals working in advertising in Sri Lanka. The industry must have a mechanism in place to direct their talents and efforts into work that truly matters." Dr. Uditha Liyanage, Q&E's Board Director explained the mechanisms the company is putting in place. "We are inviting an advisory panel representing the academia, religions, languages, arts, culture and women's and children's interest groups. With the help and guidance of the panel, we will formulate a set of values, policies and best practices, which will guide our team at Q&E as well as our clients. The panel will review the code as well as our adherence to it on an ongoing basis. "Good marketing communications can go beyond meeting customer needs and address customer interests and social well-being. If we go about this task in a socially responsible way, not only will clients' brands benefit in the short-term, but they will also acquire a sustainable benefit and advantage in the long-term." Q&E will announce a number of trail-blazing initiatives in the ensuing months. Having a robust mechanism to produce responsible advertising is one of them. |
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