Cannes Lions Grand Prix Spotlight: Vaseline took on TikTok pseudoscience, and won big at Cannes

The 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity roared to life this week, and it didn't waste any time handing out its highest honours.

Among the early winners: a quiet petroleum jelly with a century-old legacy and a newfound Gen Z edge. That's right - Vaseline scooped up the Grand Prix in the Health & Wellness category for a campaign that did more than just sell a skincare staple. It made science go viral.

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Idea

The campaign, aptly titled "Vaseline Verified", came from Ogilvy Singapore and was built around a simple, wildly relevant insight: the internet is full of skincare "hacks" - and not all of them are safe, smart, or even remotely sane.

If you've spent more than ten minutes on TikTok or YouTube Shorts, you've probably seen it: people using Vaseline in ways that range from genius to "please don't try this at home."

Execution

Rather than ignore or fear the flood of DIY advice, Vaseline did something bold - it embraced the chaos and brought science into the conversation.

In a move that blurred the lines between health authority and content creator, the brand began testing viral beauty hacks in its own labs. The good ones? They got a green check. The dangerous or misleading ones? A red flag and a calm, credible explanation as to why they were more hazard than help.

But this wasn't just another brand jumping on the "debunking TikTok trends" bandwagon. Vaseline Verified turned into a full-blown educational movement.

Verified hacks in the campaign spanned a wide spectrum of clever and practical uses. From stopping hair dye stains on skin, taming frizzy flyaways, loosening tight rings or bangles, and protecting leather goods, to even quirky fixes like preventing lip burn before devouring spicy food.

The global rollout began on April 7, with influencer-led content driving buzz in key markets like the UK and South Africa, and eye-catching OOH/DOOH ads lighting up busy London streets.

Numbers

The numbers told their own story. The campaign hit 63.3 million social interactions, saw 43% sales increase, and managed to rack up 7.1 million organic views - all while maintaining a whopping 87% positive sentiment rate. For a legacy brand, that's a digital mic drop.

By encouraging users to share their own tips using hashtags like #vaselineverified and #itsavaselineworld across TikTok and YouTube, Vaseline turned passive viewers into active participants.

In a festival where ideas are judged on effectiveness, bravery, and cultural traction, Vaseline Verified stood out by doing something most health-related brands struggle with: it spoke Gen Z's language without dumbing down the science.

So next time you're tempted to slather petroleum jelly on your eyelashes because someone on the internet said it would make them grow overnight, remember: check if it's Vaseline Verified. Because, Cannes already did.

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