Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

It began as a tender message about love, parenting, and understanding.

A series of three short films – each rooted in Sri Lankan family life – told simple but profound stories: a father learning to appreciate his son’s individuality, a mother balancing care and ambition, and a household bridging generations with mutual respect.

The idea was clear – don’t box people in. Let children dream, let families evolve, and let tradition and modernity coexist.

But within days, this message of acceptance was hijacked, twisted, and turned into one of the most vicious online controversies of the year. The speed of the outrage, the language used, and the synchronised timing of the posts suggest something far more deliberate – a planned, politically motivated attack disguised as public backlash.

Act One: The calm before the chaos

The campaign launched quietly.

On the first two days, engagement was minimal but overwhelmingly positive. Comments praised the storytelling and authenticity – ‘heartwarming,’ ‘inspiring,’ ‘finally a local brand talking about real family values.’

This was exactly what the creative team intended – emotional resonance with modern Sri Lankan families navigating change.

But beneath the calm surface, something was shifting. By the third day, a handful of unfamiliar profiles began commenting with subtle disapproval. They didn’t follow the brand, they had almost no posting history, and their accounts had been created or reactivated within the same week.

At first glance, it looked like harmless opinion. But soon, a pattern began to emerge.

Act Two: The sudden eruption

Within 24 hours, the tone online changed dramatically.

From fewer than 10 comments a day, the discussion ballooned to hundreds. Then, overnight, to nearly a thousand. The words were eerily identical – accusations of ‘destroying culture,’ ‘promoting an agenda,’ ‘corrupting children.’

Tracing these posts revealed multiple politically themed pages sharing the same screenshots, the same hashtags, and the same captions – sometimes even the same spelling mistakes. Several of these pages were openly affiliated with political movements on both sides of Sri Lanka’s spectrum.

It wasn’t a coincidence. It was coordination.

The strategy was textbook digital manipulation: hijack a popular piece of content, inject a moral panic, and drive engagement through anger. It was the same playbook used in global disinformation wars – repackaged for local politics.

Act Three: When morality meets politics

Once the fake outrage gained traction, political opportunists joined the chorus. Influencers and activists began reframing the conversation – from a parenting story to a moral debate about ‘foreign influence’ and ‘liberal corruption.’

Suddenly, a tea commercial became a cultural battlefield.

Comment threads turned into ideological wars. People who hadn’t even seen the video began sharing opinions based on doctored screenshots and cropped edits.

The brand’s inclusive message – about empathy and individuality – was now being portrayed as a threat to national values.

The orchestrators had achieved their goal: they had successfully weaponised emotion.

Act Four: The engineered amplification

Data patterns from independent tracking confirm the unnatural growth curve.

Mentions spiked exponentially in a matter of hours, not days. The accounts that initiated the attack often posted across multiple political discussions simultaneously, switching between unrelated topics but using the same tone and structure.

This kind of velocity is not achievable through organic conversation.

It requires planning – content scheduling, page coordination, and sometimes even paid distribution.

By this point, the issue had escaped the brand’s control. What began as digital vandalism turned into media amplification. Some mainstream outlets, unaware of the origins, began reporting on the ‘public backlash,’ unintentionally legitimising the false narrative.

Act Five: The retreat

Under pressure, the brand eventually took down the main post – a move that erased the original context and left behind only fragments of negativity. The deletion was likely meant to stop the bleeding, but it also played into the attackers’ hands.

By removing the asset, the brand inadvertently silenced the authentic voices that were defending it. It became a case study in how retreating under pressure can amplify misinformation rather than contain it.

Meanwhile, the orchestrated outrage had already achieved its true purpose – not to challenge the ad’s content, but to showcase political influence and digital muscle.

Anatomy of a digital ambush

Disinformation researchers identify four recurring stages in such online operations: In this case, every stage was executed with precision.

The moral outrage served as camouflage – beneath it lay a coordinated attempt to manipulate public sentiment and project political narratives through the vehicle of a commercial brand.

Beyond Watawala: A broader warning

The incident raises urgent questions about the state of digital ethics and freedom of expression in Sri Lanka.

If a brand promoting kindness can be dragged through political mud overnight, what does that mean for the next campaign that dares to speak about inclusion, empathy, or diversity?

Social media has become the new public square – but also the new battleground. The algorithms reward outrage, not understanding. The more divisive a post, the wider it spreads. And that’s exactly what political strategists exploit: emotional manipulation at scale.

Brands now find themselves on the frontlines of ideological wars they never volunteered for.

The real lesson

The lesson from this episode is not about whether a tea ad should show a boy who likes dance over cricket.

The lesson is that manufactured outrage has become a political tool – and the line between social conversation and social engineering is vanishing.

Marketers must learn to see disinformation not as a PR crisis, but as a deliberate tactic. They need to anticipate not just consumer reactions, but politically motivated distortions.

And audiences, too, must ask: Who benefits from my outrage?

Because the truth is – what happened to one tea brand could happen to any business, any individual, any idea that dares to preach empathy in a divided digital world.

In the end, the campaign’s message stands taller than the noise it provoked:

Don’t box people in – not your children, not your beliefs, not even your brands.

What Sri Lanka witnessed wasn’t a storm in a teacup.

It was a storm that was brewed – deliberately, politically, and with purpose.

Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe yesterday gave a strong signal about the Government’s improving fiscal performance with key indicators expected to exceed expectations as never before.

‘The Government’s fiscal performance is exceeding expectations, with stronger revenue and tighter spending producing a lower deficit, marking the first time in decades that fiscal targets have been surpassed,’ Dr. Weerasinghe said. He said the outcome reflects a rare display of discipline that has strengthened debt dynamics.

Speaking at a presentation on the CBSL’s Financial Stability Review 2025 Dr. Weerasinghe said the Government’s fiscal performance this year is more positive than projected, noting that the primary surplus and revenue ratios are expected to surpass budget targets.

‘Revenue targets of 15.3% of GDP will be exceeded and the primary surplus, estimated at 2.3%, will also be higher than expected,’ he said.

Expenditure is broadly in line with projections, leading to a lower-than-anticipated fiscal deficit. ‘This means debt dynamics are now better than what was expected earlier,’ he added, describing it as the first time in decades that actual fiscal results may outperform budget forecasts.

On credit conditions, the Governor said financial intermediation and private sector credit remain below pre-crisis levels but are gradually strengthening in line with the ongoing economic recovery. He said the shift in lending from the public to the private sector was a positive development.

‘The share of public sector credit is coming down, creating more space for private credit growth. Private sector credit is still below pre-pandemic levels, but this is consistent with a recovery that is steady rather than overheated,’ he said.

Dr. Weerasinghe dismissed concerns about systemic risks in the credit market, explaining that the widening credit gap reflected a rebalancing of credit flows rather than instability.

‘Financial intermediation remains below previous levels, but the ongoing shift is part of a sustainable credit recovery,’ he said, adding that the Central Bank continues to monitor sectoral exposure closely.

He said inflation is expected to stabilise at the 5% target by next year and that financial stability indicators have improved considerably. ‘The economy is now growing around 5%, a healthy pace following the contraction in 2022 and 2023, and we project 4% to 5% growth next year,’ he said.

Dr. Weerasinghe also noted that the Government’s strong revenue collection this year was partly due to a temporary surge in vehicle imports following the easing of restrictions (see box story).

Commenting on financial system developments, he said banks’ margin trading exposure remains small, with total margin loans increasing from Rs. 14 billion in January to Rs. 60 billion by end-August. He also said that most finance company lending continues to be concentrated in vehicle leasing, while mortgage-backed lending remains limited.

Dr. Weerasinghe said the Central Bank continues to work with banks to reduce intermediation costs and interest margins through transparency, competition, and improved asset quality. ‘Net interest margins are still above 4% but are expected to narrow as the financial sector stabilises,’ he said.

The Governor concluded that overall macroeconomic and financial conditions are improving steadily. ‘We see stability returning across the fiscal, monetary, and financial fronts. The key task now is to sustain these gains through disciplined fiscal management and continued confidence in the financial system,’ he said.

From left: Bayt Altawabel CEO – New Concepts Rizni Faizer, Founder and Chairman Prince Waleed bin Nasser Al-Saud, Chocoholics Co-Founders and Directors Wazni Wazeer and Fayaz Nizam, following the signing of expansion agreement

Chocoholics, dessert café brand renowned for its Belgian chocolate creations, yesterday announced its first international expansion with plans to open outlets in Saudi Arabia, marking the beginning of a broader global journey.

The announcement follows the visit of Bayt Altawabel Founder and Chairman Prince Waleed bin Nasser Al-Saud, and CEO – New Concepts Rizni Faizer to the Chocoholics’ Colombo outlets.

His recognition of the brand underscores the growing interest in lifestyle and hospitality ventures that align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

‘Experiencing Chocoholics in Colombo gave me a strong sense of the brand’s potential to succeed in Saudi Arabia, where café culture continues to evolve in exciting ways,’ said Prince Waleed bin Nasser Al-Saud. ‘Their dedication to quality and innovation reflects the type of international partnerships that complement Vision 2030. This collaboration is about more than business, it is about introducing new experiences that enrich lifestyle, hospitality, and cultural exchange in the Kingdom and beyond.’

‘Our journey has always been about passion, innovation, and delivering unforgettable experiences,’ said Chocoholics Co-Founder and Director Wazni Wazeer. ‘Launching in Saudi Arabia is just the start. This partnership represents the foundation of Chocoholics’ global expansion, taking our culture of chocolate-inspired experiences to audiences worldwide.’

Chocoholics Co-Founder and Director Fayaz Nizam said: ‘Welcoming Prince Waleed was a meaningful milestone for us and a sign that Sri Lankan entrepreneurship can be recognised on a global scale. His support underscores our readiness to contribute to Saudi Arabia’s vibrant café culture while preparing to extend Chocoholics’ footprint across the Middle East and further afield.’ Since opening in Colombo seven years ago, Chocoholics has grown to four outlets across the city, becoming a beloved destination for café-goers who value the blend of authentic Belgian chocolate with innovative creations. With its expansion into Saudi Arabia, Chocoholics is setting the stage for a new wave of Sri Lankan born brands making their mark on the world.

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon was formally presented the Global Finance ‘Best Bank in Sri Lanka’ award recently, at the magazine’s annual awards ceremony held, as customary, during the IMF/World Bank annual meetings in Washington DC. This was the 23rd year that Commercial Bank received this prestigious international accolade from Global Finance.