SLIM appointed strategic partner of World Brand Congress 2009

SLIM (Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing) has been appointed a strategic partner of the prestigious World Brand congress, to be held on November 5-6 in Mumbai. The World Brand Congress is globally recognised as being the single largest gathering of the best brains behind international trail blazing and much sought after brands, and is also the meeting place of over 500 marketers and brand custodians from world renowned organisations from every sector and continent. As such, the Congress is the platform for driving brand growth and supremacy with innovative ideas to gain market share and industry leadership as well as enhance profitability.

The Asia Brand Congress has been held annually for the past 17 years, and this is the first time ever that the Congress has been expanded into a World Congress, to which other countries including Asia are invited.

World Brand Congress Awards are in two categories, namely, Organisational Awards and Individual Awards. The winners' entries of SLIM Brand Excellence 2008 will be forwarded to the competition courtesy of SLIM, in recognition and appreciation of the local winners. These entries will compete with other entries received from around the world, in the Global Brand Excellence Awards, which is a key awards category in the Organisational Awards.

A panel of keynote speakers feature global experts who will share ideas and initiatives that take brands to new heights of success. This year's panel comprises Hemant Sachdev, Joint Managing Director, Consumer and Online International, India, Microsoft Corporation (India) Pvt. Ltd., Prof. David Rogers, Exec. Director, Center on Global Brand Leadership, Columbia Business School, Jody Turner, Founder and Lead Consultant, Culture Of Future. Com,, Melissa Dawn Johnson, President, Velvet Suite Marketing, Sandip Das, CEO, Maxis Communication Sdn. Bhd., and Wally Olins CBE, Chairman, Saffron Brand Consultants.

Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) will hold the next SLIM Brand Excellence Awards 2009, the flagship event of SLIM, on 29th October at the Water's Edge. The awards place emphasis on the branding strategies that underlie a well conceived marketing - mix programme and will reward outstanding brands and brand custodians this year too.

The SLIM Brand Excellence Awards recognise and reward the brands that must BE (note the pun on the acronym of 'Brand Excellence') the brand that other brands aspire to BEcome, but fail to emulate. This theme is sustained by an innovative and creative ad campaign that showcases stories on the 'BE' Brands, which are the benchmark brands that do not fear competition because they are the competition, the brands that do not copy but are, instead, copied.

Last year's SLIM Brand Excellence winners should contact Jehan/Hashini at SLIM before 10th September to send in their entries for the Congress. Entries are free of charge.