Enfection is a Sri Lankan Digital Marketing Transformation Powerhouse that is driving the success of global as well as local enterprise brands. In the words of American author and marketer Seth Godin, “Marketing has evolved to be no longer about the products you sell, but instead about the stories you tell”. Come 2021, there isn’t a story that cannot be told online.
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Accordingly, digital marketing has become an art that’s closely intertwined with science. Several marketing firms from around the world have tried mastering the art through various methods. But the story of Enfection from Sri Lanka stands out among the many. They have helped organisations across APAC to achieve their marketing goals through their unique micro moment based Lean Test Marketing approach, combined with a unique perspective to agile creativity and a stack of Marketing Tech (MarTech) solutions.
An International Marketing Powerhouse
Enfection was founded in 2017 by seasoned marketers Saliya Withana and Lahiru Halkewela, both of whom possess experience working for some of the biggest brands in the region. Fast forward to 2021, what began as an entirely self-funded entity now stands out in the region as one of the most advanced ‘bootstrapped’ startups to emerge from the island of Sri Lanka. Over the years, the company has grown into a team of 40+, creating a global reputation for itself not only in your traditional digital marketing space but also in extremely rare/niche verticals such as Technology Marketing, Energy Marketing, Pharma Marketing, Investor Marketing to name a few. Enfection brings science to the field of marketing through their proprietary lean testing methodologies, behavioural economics-based understanding of personas for creative transformation and conversion focused approach as well as the use of MarTech. They have also introduced reputation management through their most recent venture, Enfluence where they provide specialised services in social listening and brand response strategy. By understanding micro moments of consumers, be it B2C or B2B, Enfection provides an opportunity for brands and organisations to be in front of those moments creating a cost-efficient marketing strategy that speaks through the numbers with the best conversion rates.
A Multifaceted Company Making a Difference in Sri Lanka
To the team at Enfection, clients do not exist. Instead, they have built up what is known as their very own ‘Belief Network’, comprising both B2B and B2C organizations within and beyond the country to achieve new goals for their respective brands.
Names such as MAS, MIT, Keells, JKH, Rocell, and HNB are part of the company’s portfolio, alongside several Fortune 500 companies like Honeywell, Petronas, Novartis, MSD Pharma, and booking.com. Enfection through their parent company Momentro have also powered some of the digital strategies of large regional ad networks such as Dentsu Singapore, McCann Erickson Malaysia, TBWA, Allison + Partners and Weber Shandwick, thus becoming an important cog in the modern wheel of admen in the region.
In doing so, Enfection has generated an inflow of foreign currency to the country in aid of its economy by being a leader for marketing services in the region.
Furthermore, Enfection believes in recreating its drive for learning and education within the Sri Lankan community. As such, the ‘enfectors’ actively collaborate with multiple universities and higher education institutes, such as the University of Colombo, the University of Moratuwa, and NSBM by conducting lectures and offering paid internships to create higher-quality digital marketing professionals in the country.
The Enfector Cult: A Learning and Lifestyle Focused Global Career Path
The culture for learning and continuous improvement can be seen in all aspects at Enfection. As part of an enfector’s growth, overseas training programs are provided along with the opportunity to be part of and learn from international marketing companies. Furthermore, weekly internal ‘enfecting’ sessions are hosted so that knowledge on the latest development is collectively shared amongst the team.
The enfectors are inclusive by default and pride on being a lifestyle focused meritocracy. Moreover, with over 40% of leaders being women on their team, the company ensures that the right attitude, skill, and competence form the sole criteria for all their teams, leaving no room for biases. To create a circular ethos of learning with their belief network, global partner training sessions are carried out for the achievement of their common goals through Chemistry Sessions.
All enfectors are also provided with mandatory holidays where the entire company goes offline to rest and recharge, which sometimes includes paid vacations around the country or region. In addition to this, a new initiative at Enfection pays staff bonuses in USD, enabling them to save in foreign currency while also further encouraging more forex into the country. To encourage the growth of its employees, the company hopes to re-start its rotation programs, which had taken a temporary backseat due to the pandemic and the inability to travel, where enfectors take turns working with its global offices and clients for exposure and experience.
An Enfectious Future Awaits.
Along its journey, Enfection has been the recipient of multiple awards from the SLT ZeroOne, SLIM Digis 2.0, PRCA SEA Awards, and the BestWeb Awards. They are also the only Sri Lankan two-time nominee for the international DRUM Awards 2021, which recognizes the best practices, companies, and people of marketing and communications from across the globe. Together with this, Enfection was the only Sri Lankan company to be a digital coverage partner for one of the world’s largest sporting events – the Asian Games in 2018.
Having set up the office of their parent company Momentro in Petaling Jaya Malaysia in 2019, exponential growth is to be expected from Enfection in the upcoming years. While the development of their own MarTech stack is currently underway, Enfection’s products are already in use in over 14 countries in the region. As such, the next phase of its expansion will usher the company into the EU, UK, and Australia-New Zealand regions to create impact at a global level. We wish the company all the best as they continue to break boundaries and get the world ‘enfected’ with their new-age marketing.
