As part of these efforts, a team of senior representatives from the MarCom Collective met the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, S. R. Attygalle, recently.
They apprised him on the significant contribution the sector has made to the national economy which has largely gone unrecognised.
A study undertaken by Ernst & Young notes that the MarCom sector generates Rs.151 billion in annual net revenue and employs over 100,000 people directly and indirectly, with about another 200,000 people depending on it.
The sector also contributes 1% to the country’s GDP and it therefore requires immediate and serious attention before the crippling effects of COVID-19 take its toll on the industry and the economy.
The revenue yield from the sector as estimated by Ernst & Young is Rs.1.510 million per employee.
Thesignificance and relevance of this is accentuated when juxtaposed with the per employee yield from other key sectors such as Tea - Rs.232,000, Textile and Garments - Rs.444,444, Rubber - Rs.452,308 and Tourism - Rs.1.068 million.
The MarCom Collective also facilitated a discussion with members from within the industry.
Ernst & Young Sri Lanka presented their findings and recommended proposals to help complement the government’s effort to accelerate the recovery of the sector and the economy.
Taking note of the policy framework shared at the forum, representatives from the eight constituent industry associations confirmed that they would be incorporated into the final proposal to be presented to the government in the coming weeks.
Image Captions
1.) From left - Rohan Rajaratnam, Convener, MarCom Collective; Santhush Weeraman, President, Video and Film Production Association (VAFPA); Thayalan Bartlett, Convener, MarCom Collective; S. R. Attygalle, Secretary - Ministry of Finance; Arjuna Herath, Senior Partner and Head of Consulting, Ernst & Young, Sri Lanka and Maldives; Sulaiman Nishtar, Partner - Tax Services, Ernst & Young, Sri Lanka; and Thanuja Perera, Tax Policy Advisor, Department of Fiscal Policy, Ministry of Finance.
2.) From left - Delan Silva, President, Sri Lanka Association of Printers (SLAP); Laksiri Wickramage, Secretary - Broadcasters' Association of Sri Lanka; Roshan Wijeyaratne, President - Event Management Association of Sri Lanka; Roshani Fernando, President – Market Research Society of Sri Lanka; Arjuna Herath, Senior Partner and Head of Consulting, Ernst & Young, Sri Lanka and Maldives; Sulaiman Nishtar, Partner - Tax Services, Ernst & Young, Sri Lanka; Tharaka Ranwala, President – International Advertising Association (IAA), Sri Lanka Chapter; Sugibun Sathiyamoorthi, President - Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (4As), Sri Lankan Chapter; Santhush Weeraman, President, Video and Film Production Association (VAFPA) and Mario Nesaduray, President - Association for Outdoor Advertising Agencies (AOAA). Absent in the picture – Udesh Gunatunga, Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka.
3.) Members of the Marketing Communications industry at the discussion.