May 31, 2024: Sri Lanka’s most innovative life insurer, Softlogic Life, brought a new meaning to Vesak celebrations in Sri Lanka this year with a cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) experience. Enhancing the traditional festivities with a blend of technology and spirituality, this unique effort was Sri Lanka’s first geo-located AR experience. Placed at the Softlogic Life roundabout in front of the Presidential Secretariat, the unique AR experience was made accessible through a QR code from 23rd May to 29th May 2024.
Once the QR code was scanned and smartphones were directed towards the Softlogic Life roundabout, the depiction of Lord Buddha’s birth came to life on the screens, showcasing the significance of this event using mesmerizing AR and crafting 3D images that artfully evoke natural beauty through Midjourney. As part of the experience, the Sal tree appeared alongside the cone within the roundabout along with the rest of the characters; Prince Siddhartha and Queen Mahamaya. Furthermore, when the smartphone is directed towards the sky, gods were seen to be showering flowers from heaven. Several other elements including the movements of characters have been added to make the experience livelier and mesmerizing. Along with this, a narration explained the significance of Lord Buddha’s birth, during which he proclaimed his promise of Buddhism to the world. All of this together gave an immersive experience to all sightseers and due to higher demand, the same experience was installed at the Gangarama Temple in Colombo.
Commenting on their latest creative and innovative effort, Head of Marketing, Softlogic Life Chamindri Pilimatalauwe said, “The birth of Lord Buddha during Vesak holds immense significance to Buddhists, symbolizing the power of a promise and how living up to that proclaimed promise has given the world “Buddhism” that stands strong even after 2500 years. As a brand we decided to connect with this concept of a promise because this is what Softlogic Life is all about, inspiring Sri Lankan’s to fearlessly pursue what they love “The Honda Leda” with the ultimate promise that we will be there to take care of them as the best health insurer. So, what’s better than a promise that is over 2500 years old and is timeless that it still lights up the lives of every Buddhist. But of course, we didn’t want to just do it the traditional way, instead we did it the Softlogic Life way, we used technology to be relevant and memorable. Augmented reality was combined with spiritual story-telling because we wanted to make the story more engaging and accessible for everyone, so that even the younger generations would want to rally their older generations to come experience it and especially for the younger generation to see it and be inspired by it”
Softlogic Life’s AR Vesak experience yet again affirms the company’s reputation as Sri Lanka’s most innovative insurance brand that blends tradition with modern technology. This creative interpretation of Lord Buddha’s birth is a first-of-its-kind initiative, offering a unique and immersive way to celebrate this sacred occasion. It also represents a collaborative effort between technology and the cultural nuances of Buddhists across the country, creating a rich, engaging experience that has never been seen before. This initiative underscores Softlogic Life’s commitment to being truly Sri Lankan and embracing innovation while honoring and enriching different cultural heritages of Sri Lanka.
Expressing his views on this concept, Softlogic Life’s Managing Director Iftikar Ahamed said, “This cultural connection to promises and the use of technology in this experience deeply resonates with the DNA of our company. Being 5th in the market 5 years back to now standing strong as the 2nd largest Life insurer in Sri Lanka has everything to do with us pushing all our boundaries so that we live up to our promise of protecting our customers no matter what, and in this journey technology and innovation has been instrumental for us. Even amidst some of the most challenging times, our priority has been about delivering our promises to our stakeholders. Today we protect the largest number of Sri Lankan lives in the industry which is above 1.3Mn and have secured the largest health insurance market share.”
As technology rapidly develops, the ways in which people experience and relate to life, experiences, brands and even products are evolving. With the AR experience, Softlogic Life has inspired and has opened a new door for Sri Lankans to engage with their cultural and religious heritage in an innovative manner that will sure be an unforgettable experience for anyone. This initiative serves as a cultural meeting point where the interests of both older and younger generations intersect, offering a unique and enriching experience for all but especially for a child learning their culture, religion and roots. Most importantly Softlogic Life sets an example on how as a country we should embrace technology to evolve and be relevant to the changing needs of people and the upcoming generations so that we as a nation recall our roots and carry those values through, as we step into the future with the promise of progress.