Popular Nigerian film director, Ibidunni Oladayo’s television commercial for Unilever’s Vaseline emerged as a winner in five categories at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
A statement he shared with PUNCH Online on Sunday noted that the commercial, produced by Ama Psalmist Visuals, received one Gold award in the Social & Creator category and four Bronze awards in the Media, Health & Wellness, Brand Experience, and Social & Creator – Healthcare categories.
The campaign, which sought to challenge the long-standing “Nigerian Prince” scam stereotype while promoting the authentication of Vaseline products in Nigeria, was also recognised for its commercial success, generating more than 2.8 million organic views within 10 days and recording about 5,400 conversions during the same period.
Reflecting on how the project came about, Oladayo said the creative brief immediately stood out.
“It was the story. It was about rewriting the infamous ‘Nigerian Prince’ scam story and juxtaposing it with authenticating Vaseline products”, Oladayo stated.
According to the filmmaker, the simplicity of the message and the commitment of the production team were central to the campaign’s success.
He noted that the award-winning project was executed in partnership with Leo Burnett Singapore, MSL Singapore and Persuasion Communications London.
The latest achievement further strengthens Oladayo’s reputation as one of Nigeria’s leading television commercial directors.
His portfolio includes campaigns for several major local and international brands, including Samsung, MTN, Malta Guinness, DStv, MIVA University, Kellogg’s, Oraimo, Oppo and Goldberg, among others.
Speaking on the significance of the recognition, Oladayo said the five Cannes Lions reaffirm his belief in the global competitiveness of African storytelling.
“For Ibidunni, the five Cannes Lions are confirmation of something he has believed for a while: that African stories, told with enough honesty and craft, can compete anywhere in the world.”
He added that with Ama Psalmist Visuals continuing to build its reputation through both local and international productions, the Cannes recognition represents another important milestone in what promises to be a much longer creative journey.
“What started out as an attempt to rewrite a narrative and carve a new perception for a country and a brand has turned out to be a five-time Cannes Lions winner. But it’s nothing close to serendipity.”
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