When advertising tries to say everything, it ends up saying nothing. The work that sticks conveys a truth that resonates. That requires trust between teams and the confidence to leave an idea untouched when it already works.
The Mntana Ka Gogo piece for Vaseline was exactly that. A single image of a grandmother applying Vaseline to a child’s face was enough to spark recognition. People saw themselves in it.
Kenosi Matsebatlela, Head of Marketing for Vaseline, trusted the idea and let her agency team create a piece that connected with people from across the globe.
“It was anchored in real insight. I trusted the team even before seeing the creative.”
That trust comes from a strong client-agency relationship, not just process, but from time spent building shared understanding.
Tumi Moutlana, Creative Director at VML, adds:
“The greatest and most iconic pieces that we’ve seen are often the simplest ones.”
The work resonated because it held up a familiar ritual with honesty. The nostalgia sat in the detail, not the explanation.
Conversation highlights
• Why cultural memory can outperform elaborate storytelling
• The value of instinct when shaping quick-turnaround ideas
• Social images as modern print work
• How timing shapes emotional response on key cultural days
• What brands gain when they trust creative teams fully
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The Lead Creative presents this conversation in collaboration with MarkLives, where it appears in their Ad of the Year feature. Find out more about the thinking and collaboration that led to this great piece.
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Our podcast audio editing and audio production are done by: Maishe Rakgoale.