Obsidian has officially launched as an independent creative studio, evolving from the creative foundations established through Roar Global’s former creative arm, Roar Media.

The launch of Obsidian marks a sharpened mandate for strategic brand building solutions in traditional, digital and emerging media that cater to increasingly complex and rapidly evolving markets. Obsidian builds on over a decade of experience in storytelling, publishing and high quality film production, now consolidated under a distinct identity and well-defined strategic focus. The studio positions itself at the intersection of insight, creativity and commercial accountability, working with organisations that require disciplined brand thinking and measurable impact.

Industry veteran Aman Ashraff has taken over as the Chief Creative Officer of Obsidian, bringing extensive experience in leading creative mandates across industries and delivering impactful work that balances craft with commercial outcomes. “Creative today must do more than capture attention,” said Ashraff. “As marketing ecosystems mature, the importance of authenticity in the creative medium and its relevance to brands, their products and services is more paramount now than ever before. Obsidian is shaped to operate within that reality.

Over the years, Roar Global has evolved into a venture builder operating across platform ecosystems and AI driven marketing technology, with its core mandate increasingly centered on building and scaling mar-tech ventures. This evolution ultimately led to the establishment of Obsidian as a separately positioned, and independently operating creative studio, with its own leadership, team, and strategic direction.

Commenting on the move, Prash Balakrishnan, Chief Commercial Officer at Roar Global said, “The transition of our creative arm to Obsidian reflects the natural evolution of the creative work built by Roar over the past decade. As Roar Global goes deeper with our focus within the platform led, AI driven mar-tech space, it becomes strategically important for its creative practice to move forward with its own defined identity and leadership.” 

Further details about Obsidian’s services are available at www.obsidian.asia.

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Roar Media is proud to announce that two of its rising creative talents, Verandhi Wadugodapitiya and Ayesha Weerarathne, will represent both Sri Lanka and Roar Media at the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025. The duo will compete in the Young Lions Digital Competition, taking place from 14th to 22nd June in Cannes, France.

This marks a milestone moment for Roar Media as it’s the company’s first time sending a team to an international advertising competition, securing a national win on the very first attempt, an achievement that underscores the potency of Sri Lanka’s emerging creative industry.

Verandhi, Senior Creative Associate, and Ayesha, Creative Designer, clinched their spot after winning the local Young Lions Digital category competition, organised by Metal Factor and 4A’s Sri Lanka early this year.

“We’re honestly buzzing to be the first ever team from Roar Media heading to Cannes. It’s crazy and a little surreal to represent Sri Lanka on the global stage,“ said Verandhi. Sharing her personal journey, she added, “I walked into this industry with zero experience. Everything I’ve learned, I’ve learned at Roar. Winning this was nothing short of unforgettable.”

Reflecting on the experience, Ayesha remarked, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for young creatives like us, to represent not just our company, but our country. Roar Media has been a university of creativity for us, with a leadership team that genuinely champions its people.” She extended gratitude to her superiors Prash Balakrishnan, Vandana Hiranand, Kris Thomas, Jamie Alphonsus, and Mustafa Kassim of Roar Global for their unwavering support.

The duo’s award-winning campaign at the local contest, ‘FasterThanFake’, was a timely response to the issue of misinformation. The concept turned fake news busting into a gamified, voter-education tool. “Fake news spreads fast, but what if we could be faster?” explained Verandhi. The idea rewarded users for spotting misinformation online, combining interactive learning with practical civic engagement.

Ayesha elaborated, “We focused on a visual-first approach – clear illustrations and interactive design made the learning process engaging and accessible. Verandhi played a crucial role in concept development, which made my job bringing it to life visually much easier.”

The team further commended the insights gained during training sessions organised by 4A’s Sri Lanka ahead of the international competition, where industry veterans impressed the importance of bold, brave ideas rooted in human-truth to the contestants.

This year’s Young Lions competition also carries additional significance, as Sri Lanka fields an all-female delegation across categories for the first time, a powerful testimony on the country’s evolving creative landscape.

Roar Media is honoured to stand alongside these talented professionals, flying the flag for both the company and Sri Lanka on one of the most influential creative stages in the world.

Roar Media 

Roar Media is a full-fledged content production studio under the Roar Global group, specialising in creating compelling, high-impact content and creative concepts tailored for today’s dynamic, platform-driven audiences.

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