Ninth CIM annual conference

Explore unconventional marketing strategies :

As the reverberation of the global economic meltdown continues, the demand for goods and services contracts around the world; traditional business models and strategies become outdated; budget cuts, organizational restructures and various rationalisation initiatives become trendy; the marketers’ role has now become more challenging than ever before; hence the theme for the Ninth annual conference of The Chartered Institute of Marketing Sri Lanka Region - “Unconventional Marketing Strategies to Survive Turbulent Times” - which is scheduled to be held on May 22 at the Cinnamon Grand.

For the seventh consecutive year Sri Lanka Telecom has joined hands with CIM Sri Lanka Region as the Strategic Partner of the Annual Conference in their endeavour to promote professionalism in the country.

The Annual Conference is one of the largest events in The Institute’s calendar as well as an important event for all the marketing professionals in the country. Every year, various genres of marketing of contemporary importance are explored at the CIM Annual Conference through the perspectives of speakers, both local and international.

This year’s conference will host six internationally and locally acclaimed experts who will critique the relevance of traditional marketing strategies in the current context and will discuss unconventional marketing strategies, their practicality and applicability in the Sri Lankan context. Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Palitha Kohona will be the Chief Guest.

The technical sessions will commence with a situational assessment - a moderated panel discussion with business leaders and senior marketers giving an overview to the context of the conference.

A historical perspective to the current problem and the lessons for survival from history will be discussed by Emeritus Prof. Michael J Baker, Prof. of Marketing, University of Strathclyde, UK and Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka Dr. Saman Kelegama.

Prof. Amitava Chattopadhyay, L’Or‚al Chaired Prof. of Marketing - Innovation and Creativity from INSEAD; Dr. Uditha Liyanage, Director, Postgraduate Institute of Management; Suren Amarasekera, Chief Executive Officer, Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd.; and Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) G. Y. de Silva will elaborate on different strategic approaches such as innovative strategies, creative strategies, military strategies that could be deployed during trubulent times.

The technical sessions will also be complemented with panel discussions led by eminent panellists and moderators.

Being in line with this year’s theme, the conference itself is planned to give a flavour of unconventional marketing. Having had a more pragmatic look at “norms” and the notion of “value”, several unconventional initiatives have been taken at this year’s Conference.

The Chartered Institute of Marketing is the world’s largest and most prestigious professional body for marketing in over 80 countries. CIM Sri Lanka Region is the first CIM International Region and largest CIM body outside UK.

For the forth consecutive year, CIM Sri Lanka Region was awarded the “Best Region Award” at the CIM International Chairmen’s Conference - 2008 in recognition of the excellent contribution towards creating value to its membership and local community.