Keells Supermarkets, in partnership with creative agency Enfection, has clinched the top honour for ‘Best of Innovation & Generative AI in Reels’ at the Meta Reels Impact Awards for the South East Asia region, outshining entries from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, and other emerging markets. Facilitated locally by Roar AdX, the win firmly positions Sri Lankan creativity on the global stage.
The recognition was earned through a campaign that transformed a moment of national disruption into a cultural phenomenon. When a nationwide power outage swept across Sri Lanka—sparked by a now-iconic, meme-fuelled incident involving monkeys and a transformer—Keells and Enfection chose not to go silent.
Instead, within just 48 hours, the teams launched ‘Gizmo Gone Bananas’, a fully AI-generated Reel introducing Gizmo, a cheeky chimp mascot who “caused chaos” in pursuit of Keells’ new artisanal doughnuts. One of Sri Lanka’s first fully generative AI brand videos, the Reel blended surreal visuals, AI-generated lyrics, and humour, turning a national crisis into a pop culture moment.
The impact was immediate and measurable. The campaign drove a 44.72% increase in doughnut sales and boosted the broader Prepared Food category by 25%, demonstrating that AI-powered creativity can deliver tangible commercial results.
Commenting on the win, Niresh Muthuratnanandan, Head of Omni Commerce, Digital and Loyalty at Keells, said:
“The success of our Meta Reels has been incredible, showing us how powerful it can be when creativity and technology work hand in hand. We’re genuinely happy to partner with Enfection, whose AI-driven innovation and fresh thinking continue to elevate Keells. Together, we’re not just creating great content—we’re shaping the future of how we inspire, engage, and connect with our customers.”
For Enfection, the award highlights the value of moving at the speed of culture and embracing experimentation when the moment demands it.
“At Enfection, it has always been about doing novel things while staying rooted in the brand’s objectives and being genuinely attractive to the intended audience. With this video, we didn’t use AI just for the sake of using it—we used it because it was relevant to the context and added real value. This recognition is a testament to that approach,” said Azard Ameen, Associate Director of the Client Success Team at Enfection.
With this achievement, Keells and Enfection have set a new benchmark for Sri Lankan brands, demonstrating how bold storytelling, cultural relevance, and breakthrough technology can shape the future of content and marketing on a global platform.