Business
Undoing marketing: Why we need to embrace responsible marketing
By Thanzyl Thajudeen
Marketing – directly or indirectly – is undoubtedly responsible for creating both favorable and unfavorable conditions we face today either at a macro or micro level, and unfortunately, it’s more towards the latter part. It has certainly aided or contributed to creating various unnecessary needs and wants, disruptive behaviors and habits, and a diminishing concern or care for self and those around including the environment. Marketers have often failed to take responsibility towards societal and humane values when developing their strategy or activity, and have simply surrendered to their own ego, pride and master.
The ‘undoing’ of all these is yet another whole different market, under the umbrella of a new sustainable economy, and this too is done not because of the guilt feeling but rather another approach to sustain or get a piece of the pie, or feel good in fulfilling that void, or to show others that they really mean it by dressing it up with terms like sustainability, inclusivity, and value creation. This great concern in industry, societies and economies are similar to that of the climate change and its challenges we are facing. Doing less harm or mitigating them simply isn’t enough. It’s just not about sustainable business practices or minimizing the limited resources the planet holds, it’s more about unpolluting the mindsets of the people who have long been victims of irresponsible marketing tactics.
For those narrow-minded who say that marketing cannot be blamed for, really doesn’t know the meaning of what marketing is. It’s the entire process of stakeholder value creation and undoubtedly, marketers are in a better position than any others in an organization to gauge and evaluate such, as they interact with numerous internal and external stakeholders day in and day out.
Marketing has long been criticized for provoking and creating disruptions, delusions and deceptions just so that they could exploit and make immoral profits, and the aftermath and consequences of such is seen widespread. On the contrary however there are those brands that are more humane in nature, and their idea of making sustainable and meaningful profits whilst taking responsible marketing as a necessity have paid off with stronger and deeper relationships not just with their customers who they put at the center of everything they do, but with all stakeholders. It all begins with the conscience within the marketing mind and understanding that every plan or action will either have a positive or negative impact, of which the latter is often unseen or ignored. Marketers should adhere to responsible practices.
Responsible innovation has a great role to play in doing such too. Let’s forget about the comfort zones that many marketers are in, lost into their own paradigm and a know-it-all attitude that often suppress ideas and being aversive to change. This is not just for marketers but for all entrepreneurs as well. The world needs responsible innovation as opposed to disruptive innovation which though it has its ups, has resulted in taking away our abilities, knowledge and the very nature of our being. Don’t pursue innovations that makes humans more reliant and dependent on the technology. These are creating empty minds today, and worse it’s also altering our attitudes and behaviors of the human values we’ve been sustaining for generations.
Spending a great amount of time and effort in hearing out to your stakeholders, not just consumers, is something any marketer cannot ignore. Empathy and emotional intelligence have never been more important. They should mindfully engage in deeper conversations and establish platforms to exchange ideas, feedback and suggestions with a mindset of goodness which is well reflected in one’s character and conduct. It’s also important to surround yourself, both immediate and distance, with those who share a similar passion and belief of having a moral obligation to undo the damages caused to the mindsets and perceptions of people, whether through the products and services you offer, the media and messaging you use, and the entire business infrastructure and value chain you’ve built. Whether you’re in a B2B or B2C setting, it’s all about human-to-human communication today where technology is simply the enabler.
Stress is a major phenomenon among today’s generation, fueled by the various complex issues that are only rising further and further – and yes, marketing, media, technology and entertainment has contributed to this greatly. Numerous research has found that Generation Z has the highest stress and anxiety than any other groups, followed by Millennials and marketers need to understand what this means when it comes to their customers and employees and be able to connect the dots with their behavior and emotions. Unfortunately, this crucial aspect is often ignored or not given much attention to.
Marketers are also often lost into the competition mindset and this type of thinking is so outdated today. This has only resulted in increased ego. It’s a shared economy everywhere, and marketers should find the ways and means in how best to share their resources and capabilities with others in their ecosystem and achieve a more sustainable value driven proposition in their pursuit to realize the results of their responsible marketing activities.
Marketers can, or should, play a key role in undoing and restoring all that is lost or stolen from our inner-human and societal values and not turn a deaf ear to everything that’s happening today. Acquire more self-awareness on being responsible, instill such values in your mind and all those who you lead, pursue on initiatives and decisions that will only improve people’s hearts and minds, and leave behind a legacy of goodness. With many hopes, I conclude this message to all my fellow marketers and entrepreneurs.
The Ceylon Motor Traders’ Association (CMTA), established in 1919 is the most senior automotive association in Sri Lanka affiliated with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, is calling for greater consistency, transparency and fairness in the policies governing the country’s automotive sector, stressing that a sustainable vehicle import framework must ensure a level playing field across the entire industry.
The Association’s concerns come at a time when the automotive sector continues to operate under significant fiscal and regulatory pressures, with recent policy measures, including the introduction of a 50% surcharge on vehicles, adding further complexity to an already challenging market. While the CMTA recognises the Government’s need to manage foreign exchange, generate revenue and regulate vehicle imports responsibly, it believes that such measures must be structured in a manner that does not disproportionately disadvantage legitimate businesses or distort competition between different segments of the market.
At the centre of the Association’s concerns is the continued application of a blanket 15% depreciation on the Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) value of used vehicle imports for duty calculation purposes. The CMTA maintains that this mechanism creates an unintended advantage for certain used vehicle imports, particularly when vehicles entering Sri Lanka as used units can be virtually identical to brand-new vehicles in terms of model, specification and, in most cases, mileage.
The Association estimates that the existing depreciation mechanism resulted in approximately Rs. 40 billion in lost to government revenue in 2025 alone. Without corrective action, a similar level of revenue leakage could occur in 2026, representing a significant loss at a time when government revenue remains critical to strengthening public finances and supporting national development.
The issue, the CMTA emphasises, is not about restricting consumer choice or opposing the used vehicle market rather, it is about ensuring that vehicles entering the country are assessed fairly and consistently, based on their actual value and circumstances. When two substantially identical vehicles can attract different levels of taxation simply because one has been registered overseas before being imported, the Association believes the resulting disparity warrants policy reconsideration.
The CMTA argues that the same principle of fairness should also apply when considering the impact of newer fiscal measures, including the recent 50% surcharge. Such a substantial additional cost can have implications across the automotive value chain, affecting vehicle prices, consumer affordability, business viability and the broader ecosystem supporting vehicle sales and after-sales services.
Sampath Bank PLC announced the appointment of Dilip de S Wijeyeratne as Deputy Chairman, effective 10th September 2026, further strengthening the Bank’s leadership as it advances its strategic priorities and continues to evolve as a purpose-led, technology-enabled financial institution.
Wijeyeratne brings extensive experience across banking, finance, risk management and compliance, investment banking and treasury, complemented by a strong understanding of corporate governance, strategic planning and financial markets. His breadth of experience and forward-looking perspective will support Sampath Bank’s focus on translating purpose and strategy into sustainable growth, while advancing data-driven decision-making and the intelligent application of artificial intelligence across the organisation.
Wijeyeratne’s association with Sampath Bank spans nearly eight years. He joined the Bank as a Non-Independent, Non-Executive Director in November 2018 and was appointed an Independent Director in August 2019. He subsequently served as Senior Independent Director from May 2022 and continued as an Independent, Non-Executive Director from June 2026. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board Audit Committee and contributes to the Bank’s Sustainability, Human Resources and Remuneration, Treasury, Strategic Planning, Nominations and Governance, and Related Party Transactions Review committees.
A senior finance and banking professional and principal consultant,Wijeyeratne provides advisory services to organisations across the Middle East, Sri Lanka and Australia. His professional career includes senior roles with HSBC Group in Bahrain, where he held responsibility for finance and operations, global markets and treasury, corporate treasury sales and asset and liability management. He subsequently moved into entrepreneurship and advisory services, providing financial and strategic consultancy to private and public sector organisations.
In addition to his responsibilities at Sampath Bank, Wijeyeratne serves as Senior Independent Director of Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC and Hayleys Fibre PLC, and as an Independent, Non-Executive Director of Janashakthi Insurance PLC. His extensive governance experience across these institutions has provided him with broad exposure to financial oversight, risk, strategy and corporate governance.
Wijeyeratne is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, a Fellow Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK, and a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. His combination of financial expertise, governance experience and strategic insight positions him to make a significant contribution to Sampath Bank’s continued growth and transformation.
KOKO, Sri Lanka’s leading Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) platform, has partnered with Ceylinco General Insurance to introduce Sri Lanka’s first customised medical insurance offering designed exclusively around the needs of KOKO customers.
The partnership marks a first for Sri Lanka’s fintech and insurance sectors, bringing together Ceylinco General Insurance’s decades of expertise in health insurance with KOKO’s understanding of its customer community to create a medical protection solution built specifically for the digital lifestyle and financial needs of KOKO users.
Unlike a standard health insurance product adapted for a partner platform, this offering has been developed as a customised value package for KOKO customers, focusing on accessibility, affordability and ease of activation within the digital journey they already use. The policy provides medical insurance cover of up to USD 40,000, offering meaningful protection against hospitalisation, treatment costs and major medical expenses.
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