Harsha De Silva General Election Campaign- Case Study

How We Helped Dr. Harsha De Silva Win in one of Sri Lanka’s Toughest Elections for the Opposition

In 2024, Sri Lanka faced one of its most difficult general election cycles. Public sentiment was overwhelmingly negative toward all established parties (minus the NPP). It was a tough climate for any candidate to stand out let alone succeed.

This is where our journey with Dr. Harsha De Silva began. We approached his team with a clear vision: to transform his digital presence, position him as a thought leader, and build trust with voters. Our proposal emphasized a strategy that blended education, engagement, and creativity to connect with a disillusioned electorate. A concept we call “Edu-tainement”.

His team saw the potential, and together, we embarked on an ambitious campaign to help him secure his parliamentary seat.

Setting the Stage - Using the Presidential Campaign as a Foundation

Our work began during the presidential election period a critical time for testing creative approaches and laying the groundwork for the general elections. While Dr. Harsha wasn’t running for president, this was an opportunity to establish his voice and presence in the public sphere.

We focused on consistent content creation, posting once every 2 days, on his official platforms. This phase allowed us to refine our messaging and understand how best to engage his audience. By the time the general elections approached, we were ready to scale with confidence.

Our Multi-Layered TikTok Fan Page Strategy

To maximize reach and resonance, we developed a network of TikTok fan pages, each with a specific focus. This ecosystem enabled us to target diverse audience segments effectively.

HarshaHQ

Designed for younger, English-speaking audiences, this page combined relatable content with impactful messaging. Through creative edits, simplified policy explanations, and trend-driven posts, we positioned Dr. Harsha as a leader who understood the aspirations of Gen Z voters.

Results = Grew to over 1,300 followers in under two months, with multiple videos going viral- completely organically

Dr. Harsha Fans

Aimed at Sinhala-speaking audiences, this page focused on providing news updates, press releases, and community-focused content. It served as a hub for voters seeking information about Dr. Harsha’s work and contributions.

Results = Grew to over 2,400 followers in under two months. Zero Ad spend again.

lankan_visionaries

This page emphasized Dr. Harsha’s community engagement and grassroots initiatives. Through Sinhala-language edits and localized stories, we highlighted his direct impact on the lives of his constituents.

Ceylon Economic Compass

This policy-driven page showcased SJB’s economic strategies through animated, faceless videos. By breaking down complex topics into digestible visuals, we emphasized how these policies aligned with Dr. Harsha’s vision for Sri Lanka’s future.

Extension = On Twitter, this page focused on concise written content for a professional, policy-oriented audience.

Results = Not the most successful. This page only ran for 2 weeks before elections happened so we could not grow it as much as we liked.

Each page was crafted with a specific audience and goal in mind, ensuring Dr. Harsha’s message reached across demographic and interest groups.

Scaling Content to Drive Engagement

As the general elections drew closer, we ramped up content production significantly. On his official platforms alone, we increased posting frequency to SEVEN times daily, ensuring constant visibility and engagement.

Content formats included

• 3D visuals and animations to simplify complex ideas.

• Localized stories to build personal connections.

• Policy breakdowns that resonated with both mass audiences and niche voter bases.

• Memes

• Story-telling + more

The result? A consistent, data-driven campaign that kept Dr. Harsha’s voice at the forefront of the conversation.

Results How We Achieved Success

Despite the challenges, the campaign delivered remarkable outcomes:

1. Unprecedented Voter Growth

   Dr. Harsha’s voter base increased by 18% —a rare achievement in an election cycle where most candidates experienced significant declines (every other opposition member, including Sajith Premadasa himself had a percentage DECREASE of over 35%-50% in their voter base this election. Dr Harsha was the only one with an increase. He secured approximately 88,000 votes, ranking as the second-highest SJB candidate after Sajith Premadasa.

2. Fan Page Impact

   The TikTok fan pages collectively drove hundreds of thousands of views. HarshaHQ stood out as a major success, resonating strongly with younger audiences and proving the power of creative, audience-specific content.

3. Soaring Social Media Metrics

   Comparing the 2 months before our involvement to the 2 months leading up to the election

FACEBOOK STATS

INSTAGRAM STATS

TIKTOK STATS

Lessons Learned > Why the Strategy Worked

Reflecting on this campaign, several factors contributed to its success:

• Targeted Messaging - By tailoring content to specific demographics through fan pages, we ensured every segment of the audience felt represented and engaged.

• Consistency and Volume - Maintaining a high posting frequency across platforms kept Dr. Harsha consistently visible to voters.

• Creative Execution - From animated videos to relatable edits, the diversity of content formats kept the campaign dynamic and impactful.

A Campaign to Remember

Helping Dr. Harsha De Silva secure his seat in parliament wasn’t just a victory for him it was also a massive victory for us. It was a testament to what’s possible when creativity, strategy, and execution come together.

This campaign wasn’t about throwing content at the wall to see what sticks. It was about building trust, delivering value, and connecting with people in a way that felt real. And the results speak for themselves.

Link to 5 out of 400+ videos we did for Dr Harsha’s official page: Click on me