Vaseline Verified
Unilever · 2025
6 awards: Cannes · London International Awards · ANDY Awards · Clio Awards · +2 more
Strategic insight
Specialists win through communication specificity, not better products. Rather than fight the internet's unverified hacks, Vaseline became the credible voice validating them, converting 3.5 million organic posts into thousands of science-backed specialist use cases from a single product.
The Format
The verification badge—a borrowed social media checkmark—is the core mechanic. It transforms organic community behavior into endorsed specialist authority without product change. Creators compete to earn it; competition becomes the engagement engine driving 12,300 pieces of consistent, coherent content at scale.
Business Result
Sales growth accelerated 85% from 7.3% (FY24) to 13.5% (FY25) at flat investment—6.4× Unilever's Beauty & Wellbeing average. US added 730,088 new households with 61.7% repeat rate; Thailand penetration broke an 18-month plateau at 7.1%; South Africa volume-per-buyer reversed from −1.82% to +4.5%.
