VML South Africa heads into Loeries Creative Week 2026 with 31 finalists across four clients and a broad spread of categories, reflecting the agency’s creative strength across digital, design, film, social, radio, live experience, strategy and craft.
The finalists include work for Vaseline, Standard Bank, Dove and The Coca-Cola Company, with Vaseline’s Mntana ka Gogo once again standing out as one to watch after a strong awards run both locally and internationally.
Reaching finalist stage across this range of work is a meaningful recognition of the thinking, care and craft that went into each campaign.
Work across the board
VML’s finalist work includes Vaseline’s Mntana ka Gogo, which has been shortlisted across nine categories, including Design for Digital, OOH, Digital, Creative Strategy and Integrated Campaign. The campaign, which began as a Heritage Day social post, has resonated far beyond South Africa, becoming a much-loved example of culturally rooted, human-first storytelling.
Also shortlisted for Vaseline is Love Hurts, a campaign film inspired by Mntana ka Gogo. Directed by BAFTA-winning filmmaker Savanah Leaf of Park Pictures, the film brings to life the loving, vigorous skincare rituals passed down through families and across generations.
Standard Bank’s Fraud Gallery has been named a finalist in Live Crafts, Digital – Use of AI, and Digital Crafts – Use of Technology. The work transformed fraud awareness into an immersive experience, helping employees understand how ordinary and unsuspicious fraud can appear in an age of identity theft and emerging technology.
For Dove, Real TLC has been recognised in Graphic Design – Package Design and Design – Mixed-Media Campaign. Created in association with CANSA, the campaign used habit stacking to connect daily moisturising with breast self-examination, turning an everyday self-care ritual into a tool for early detection.
The Coca-Cola Company also earned multiple finalist spots for Share a Poster and Returnables Spaza Missions. Share a Poster reimagined the long-running “Share a Coke” platform through a gallery of illustrated posters featuring South African names, while Returnables Spaza Missions used radio to turn the act of returning empty Coke bottles into a set of heroic everyday adventures.
A strong showing across clients
VML South Africa says the breadth of the shortlists is what makes this year’s Loeries particularly encouraging.
“We have had a concerted focus this last year on creativity at VML”, said Jarred Cinman, VML CEO. “Under the leadership of Theo Ferreira and Nhlanhla Ngcobo we have fundamentally refocused on our creative product and I think these Loeries results are a testament to that. The fact that we have such a wide range of clients represented here shows that this is a culture we are growing in the agency”.
The agency also paid tribute to its client partners, noting that strong creative work is only possible when clients are willing to trust the idea, back the thinking and help make the work real.
“These shortlists belong as much to our clients as they do to our teams,” says Cinman. “We’re grateful to work with partners who understand the value of work that is culturally relevant, useful and beautifully made. Now we wait for the awards ceremony, where the work will have to speak for itself.”
VML South Africa’s Loeries 2026 Finalists
Vaseline – Mntana ka Gogo
Design – Design for Digital
Design Crafts – Photography
OOH – Outdoor Media
OOH Crafts – Photography
Digital – Social Media Campaign
Digital Crafts – Social Media Design
Digital Crafts – Writing
Creative Strategy
Integrated Campaign
Vaseline – Love Hurts
Film – TV & Cinema Commercials, up to 90s
Film Crafts – Direction
Standard Bank – Fraud Gallery
Live Crafts
Digital – Use of AI
Digital Crafts – Use of Technology
Dove – Real TLC
Graphic Design – Package Design
Design – Mixed-Media Campaign
The Coca-Cola Company – Share a Poster
Design Crafts – Illustration: Akim
Design Crafts – Illustration: Koko
Design Crafts – Illustration: Nokuthula
Design Crafts – Illustration: Pinky
Design Crafts – Illustration: Wandile
Live Events
The Coca-Cola Company – Coca-Cola Returnables: Spaza Missions
Radio Crafts – Performance: Danger
Radio Crafts – Performance: Magriza
Radio Crafts – Performance: Summertime
Radio Crafts – SA Non-English Performance: Danger
Radio Crafts – SA Non-English Performance: Magriza
Radio Station Commercials: Summertime
SA Non-English Radio Station Commercials: Danger
SA Non-English Radio Station Commercials: Magriza
SA Non-English Radio Station Commercials: Summertime
View all the VML finalist work https://www.vml.com/campaign/vml-at-the-loeries-2026