Ceylon Newspapers: The world's first mosquito repellent newspaper

This case study describes how Ceylon Newspapers' three-year old publication Mawbima established a presence in a crowded Sri Lankan market by a novel education campaign about Dengue disease using the paper as a mosquito repellent.

Ceylon Newspapers: The world's first mosquito repellent newspaper

Leo Burnett Solutions

What were the objectives for the creative work?

Background to the industry: A crowded category facing a decline

The newspaper industry in Sri Lanka is highly cluttered, with over 200 registered publications reaching 18 million readers (National Media Survey 2014). The highest readership is enjoyed by the well-established Lankadeepa, reaching almost half the adult population. Sixteen other Sinhalese dailies compete directly with Mawbima. (National Media Survey 2014)

Moreover, out of the total adult population, only 57% are newspaper readers. And the category is shrinking fast, recording a...

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