Irvin Weerackody

Background

Image 1: Irvin Weerackody Source: Ogilvy.lk

Irvin Weerackody is the Chairman of the Ogilvy Group of companies. Phoenix Ogilvy (Pvt) Ltd was founded by Irvin Weerackody in 1973. According to their website, the Ogilvy Group consists of six companies in related disciplines, namely, Phoenix Ogilvy, Ogilvy Media, Ogilvy PR, Neo@Ogilvy, Geometry Global, and RedWorks. Read more about Phoenix Ogilvy (Pvt) Ltd.

Irvin started his career as a journalist and started his own advertising agency in 1972, when he was in early 20s as a one-man agency. The first client of his agency is the Family Planning Association (FPA), in which he reportedly campaigned for popularising contraception using Buddhism based ideology. He remained the Key Strategist and the Creative Director for his agency for decades until its expansion to a larger company with shares held by its employees.

He is reported to be an enthusiast in agriculture and owns a multi-crop property. He is also reported to have interests in the environment, politics, music, art, and travel. He was reportedly invited by the British Conservative Party during its election campaign in early 1990s, “to observe and study parliamentary democracy at work”.  

Association with Sri Lankan Politics

• He is an affiliate of the United National Party (UNP), one of the main right-wing political parties in Sri Lanka, which had been in power several times. Some of the reported roles and responsibilities in the UNP were:
  • Chief organizer of Maharagama Electoral Division.
  • “Spearheaded several communication campaigns” of the UNP since 1977. The UNP won the 1977 elections and it led to many political and economic reforms in the country, including introduction of the open economy concepts and federal governance.
  • ”Played a key role” in President R. Premadasa’s political and development campaigns.
  • Irvin Weerackody’s name was included in the UNP’s national list for the Parliament in the 2015 general election.

Image 2: Irvin Weerackody as the UNP organizer for Maharagama division Source: Sunday Times

Positions Held in Government Institutions

• Member - President’s Commission on Non-Government Organizations (NGO) (1992).
• Chairman – Palwatte Sugar Company, the state enterprise manufacturing sugar (2002).
• Member - National Information Strategy Coordinating Committee
• Visiting Lecturer in journalism and mass communication – University of Colombo Sri Lanka
• Visiting Lecturer in writership and communications - University of Sri Jayawardanapura Sri Lanka.

Tobacco Related Activities

• Phoenix Ogilvy produced a video promoting flavoured cigarettes, which mentioned the Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC) as the client. The video was published in the X10 Productions YouTube Channel. X-10 Productions Private Limited is a production house and for more information about them, read Ceylon Tobacco advertising flavoured cigarettes For further information on Phoenix Ogilvy refer the following link Phoenix Ogilvy (Pvt) Ltd
• Ogilvy Global network has had links with the tobacco industry since the 1950s. Read more about their global connections with the tobacco industry in the Tobacco Tactics website.

Cooperate social investments highlighted in public media

• Guest of honor at the Colombo YMBA ’s (Young Men's Buddhist Association’s) annual Scholarship Awards ceremony in 2018. According to media, the funds for the Scholarship Awards came from different sources, including the Irvin Weerackody Trust Fund.
• Chief Guest of the White Cane Day Programme organized jointly by the Colombo YMBA and the Sri Lanka Foundation in December 2019. According to media, 300 white canes were distributed during the event.

Image 3: White Cane Safety Day at Colombo YMBA Source: Dailymirror

TobaccoUnmasked Resources

• Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC)
• Phoenix Ogilvy (Pvt) Ltd
• Ceylon Tobacco advertising flavoured cigarettes
• X10 Productions Private Limited

The local language translations