May, 2026.- In the 2026 advertising landscape, the most potent creativity is that which dares to touch the most sensitive fibers of culture to solve critical business problems. Asheen Naidu leads this shift with a campaign for Vaseline that is as risky as it is brilliant: utilizing the “Nigerian Prince” stereotype to combat the dangerous counterfeit beauty market. By partnering with a real prince and actor, Chris Okagbue, the agency achieved more than just high-level entertainment; they implemented a free WhatsApp authentication tool that is already saving the skin of thousands. For Naidu, this project proves that brands have a responsibility to guide consumers toward the truth, transforming functional verification into a platform of trust and national pride.
In this exclusive interview with Roastbrief, Asheen Naidu breaks down the cultural sensitivity process that led the team to consult directly with their colleagues in Nigeria to ensure the tone was empowering rather than offensive. Naidu reflects on the effectiveness of using everyday platforms like WhatsApp to change behaviors without friction and shares alarming data: 7 out of 10 scanned products turn out to be fake. Discover how Vaseline is using its global scale to bring visibility to a hidden problem, proving that the best advertising doesn’t just sell a product, but actively protects its community while reclaiming its place in the cultural narrative.
1. Reclaiming the “Nigerian Prince” Narrative: The campaign turns the tired “Nigerian prince” scam stereotype into a tongue-in-cheek PSA. How did you approach this creative risk? What conversations did you have about sensitivity and tone, and how did you ensure it landed as clever rather than offensive?
That immediately came up because the last thing we wanted to do was offend Nigerians. Our first port of call was our office in Nigeria, where we socialised the idea with our colleagues. We wanted to get a sense check as to whether it would land the way we intended. The Nigerian Prince stereotype has been sitting in culture for 30+ years. What we got from them was that while globally it’s a punchline, in Nigeria, it’s a real frustration and stereotype that follows Nigerians everywhere they go. So reclaiming that narrative was something they saw as a positive and a source of pride.
2. From Category Problem to Brand Platform: Counterfeit skincare is a real consumer safety issue, not just a brand reputation problem. How did you identify that turning a functional solution (product verification) into a creative platform could also solve a deeper trust problem for Vaseline?
In Nigeria Vaseline is a household name, trusted for generations. But the counterfeit market has threatened that trust. Vaseline takes that trust and responsibility very seriously. There’s a duty of care that comes with making products that people put on their skin. The counterfeit problem isn’t something consumers can nor should solve on their own. Vaseline wanted to make it easier for them to know for certain whether the product they were buying was real Vaseline or not. And so the Whatsapp authentication tool was critical to rebuilding that trust.
3. The WhatsApp Authenticator: The Vaseline Authenticator is a free WhatsApp-based verification tool. Why WhatsApp, and how does meeting consumers in their everyday messaging environment change the effectiveness of the campaign compared to a traditional website or app?
Shazan, our client, was the one who pushed for WhatsApp specifically because it’s already the most used platform in Nigeria so we weren’t asking consumers to download anything or change their behaviour. They were already there. And judging by the number of interactions we’ve received in such a short amount of time, it’s definitely working.
4. Working with a Real Prince: You partnered with Prince Chris Okagbue, a real Nigerian prince. What was it like working with him, and how did his involvement add authenticity and legitimacy to a campaign that could have otherwise felt gimmicky?
Finding Prince Chris Okagbue was the breakthrough. He’s the son of the late H.R.H. Obi Ofala Okechukwu Okagbue of the Onitsha Kingdom — so yes, a real Prince, with documented lineage we could point any sceptic to. But royalty alone wasn’t enough. We needed someone who could carry a joke without losing the weight underneath it, which is where being an actor in addition to being royalty, mattered. Chris has range, he could hold the comedic setup of the Nigerian Prince trope and then turn, in the same breath, into the authority figure telling you what’s actually real. Chris was a dream and not just because he was comfortable in front of the camera. What made the collaboration really click was that he genuinely believed in what the campaign was standing for. Counterfeit skincare isn’t a hypothetical problem in Nigeria; it’s a real issue with real consequences for people’s skin and health. Chris understood that, and he brought that conviction to every take.
5. Lessons for the Era of Counterfeit Beauty: Counterfeit products are rising across beauty and skincare, eroding consumer confidence. What lessons does this campaign offer to other brands facing similar challenges? Is verification the answer, or is there a broader creative opportunity?
As a brand, if you have the platform, you should be using it to point people toward the truth, not just toward your shelf. The counterfeit problem isn’t something consumers can solve on their own. People shouldn’t need to turn detective every time they buy a product. Brands have the resources and the reach to make the real thing easier to find than the fake. That’s the work. Vaseline is doing it. And we think more brands should be doing it too.
6. Measurable Impact Beyond Awareness: Beyond the creative idea, how are you measuring success for Vaseline? Is it about verification scans, consumer trust metrics, or something else? What would tell you that this campaign has genuinely changed behavior?
It was first about making sure consumers had something to reach for in that moment of doubt. That moment when you’re standing in a shop or if you have a bottle already and you’re just not sure. Before this, there was nothing.
So in a way, launching the tool itself was already a win. We found a way to put the power directly in people’s hands and made it as simple as we could — share photos of the bottle, get an answer, move on with your day.
The other piece was scale. Before this, there was no real way to measure how big the counterfeit problem actually was, because these products move through unregulated channels, undercover. The tool gave us a window into that for the first time.
In terms of results, it’s been about 1 month and we’re still seeing an average of 30 Vaseline Body Oil bottles scanned per day, and 7 in 10 are coming back as fake. That’s 7 in 10 people spared from putting untested ingredients on their skin. And every one of those scans is also a data point telling us just how widespread this is.
That, to us, is what success looks like right now, protection in the moment, and visibility into a problem that’s been invisible for too long.
