Colombo, 7th June 2023: Sri Lanka’s 2nd largest life insurer Softlogic Life launched Sri Lanka’s first artificial intelligence (AI) TV commercial, recreating four of the most iconic music legends of the country; H.R.Jothipala, Milton Mallawarachchi, Clarence Wijewardena and Sunil Perera using “deepfake” technology. The creative campaign, which shows the four artists performing Softlogic Life’s iconic ‘Leda Leda’ tune, is currently making waves across Sri Lanka.
Brands across the globe have recognised the potential of deepfake technology—an AI-based technique that synthesizes media—to create engaging and immersive experiences for their audiences. In such a context, Softlogic Life, who has been known to disrupt with consistent innovations such as introducing health insurance to the life insurance industry, initiating one-day claim payments, launching “Leda leda” a positive means of insurance marketing vs. the usual fear mongering methods and much more – has once again taken a bold step to use the latest in technology. The Company which has achieved a 5year growth rate of 25% versus market growth of 14% has risen to becoming market 2nd from number 5 in just 5 years, reaching the LKR 23 Bn GWP mark by end 2022. The Company has proven that this innovation led approach is indeed successful. As the first company in Sri Lanka to produce a deepfake commercial, Softlogic Life wishes to inspire other brands in the country to also explore the possibilities of this technology in their marketing strategies but do so with meticulous adherence to legal and ethical requirements.
Commenting on this unique concept, Softlogic Life Managing Director Iftikar Ahamed said, “At Softlogic Life, we understand the vital importance of life insurance in securing the financial future of individuals and their loved ones and now more than ever that fact has become relevant in the face of increasing household expenses especially in terms of cost of medicine and related services. We recognize that effective communication plays a significant role in conveying the value and relevance of life insurance to the public. The legends appearing in our commercial are loved and respected by millions of Sri Lankans, whose music will live on and on. They remain alive in our hearts for pursuing their passions and bringing joy to everyday households across the length and breadth of Sri Lanka. At Softlogic Life we have thought of the need for insurance very deeply and felt that our message to protect could be best conveyed through these legends. We have always been receptive to embracing technological advancements that enhance our ability to serve our customers better. While this commercial showcases our willingness to push boundaries, explore new avenues, and continuously evolve to better serve our customers’ needs keeping in step with the latest technology, we hope that all our viewers will see the context and and take on board the message which we feel is very important.”
In the commercial, the legendary musicians are expressing empathy and understanding for the difficulties people are going through presently, emphasizing that life insurance provides a safety net and peace of mind during uncertain times. Softlogic Life conveys a message of support and reassurance creatively, letting viewers know that they are not alone in navigating these challenging times.
Kavi Rajapaksha, Chief Marketing Officer of Softlogic Life, said, “We approached this project with utmost care as the four legends being featured are national treasures. We were sensitive to carefully craft means of honoring them despite the lack of laws with regards to AI yet and approached each and every family to discuss and understand their feedback. We are extremely thankful to all four legends’ families who have been an integral part of this project going above and beyond to provide us with good quality pictures and sometimes even costume references that helped us get as close as we could to the likeness and voice of the legends.
My warmest gratitude for the conceptualizing agency MullenLowe Sri Lanka and Lowe Tech for achieving the impossible, Thirdshift, Digibrush, New Media Solutions and Ad Factors for their meticulous execution of this campaign that’s so close to our hearts. We are beyond thrilled to introduce Sri Lanka’s first TV commercial powered by deepfake technology, showcasing some of the biggest music legends Sri Lanka has ever seen. We hope this will be the first step of a very successful journey embracing technology for all industries across Sri Lanka”
MullenLowe Sri Lanka Group Chief Creative Officer Dilshara Jayamanna who led the project said, “This commercial represents a transformative moment not only for Softlogic Life but for the entire advertising landscape. The MullenLowe-Softlogic Life partnership has always aimed to challenge conventions and disrupt the status quo, and that starts with a client who does not fear innovation and dares to be different. This time it’s through the use of bleeding edge tech in combination with delightful creativity. Together, we are proud to be reshaping the industry for the better. We are writing a new chapter in the history of brand communications, and I couldn’t be more excited about the future we are creating.”
“Our bold approach in creating this commercial is testament to MullenLowe’s commitment to disrupt marketing communications. Extensive research went into this project—from concept development to training then ultimately running the deepfake algorithms in post-production — computers worked more than 200 hours to create the final 30s masterpiece you saw. Today, we have challenged traditional advertising norms and opened up new avenues for creative expression.” Commented Dr. Sohan Dharmarajah, Director of MarTech, LoweTech Sri Lanka