In honour of Women’s Month, an all-female creative team at McCann Joburg, in partnership with L’Oréal Paris South Africa, embarked on an inspiring journey, to create a content series that delves deeper into the concept of self-worth, as viewed through the lens of South African women.
The content series features five popular South African female personalities – namely Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Dr Ayanda Motau, Leanne Manas, Bonang Matheba and Natasha Joubert – who each shared their unique and personal views on self-worth. Key themes explored included the following: “Imperfectly perfect“; “The brighter I shine, the more I spark someone else’s fire to be great“; “What is meant for you will accept you just the way you are“; “True worth isn’t superficial“; and “As you grow older and bolder, you should trust yourself, love yourself and praise yourself“.
These themes were born out of numerous brainstorms and collaboration sessions between the creative team at McCann Joburg and the five incredible women, who poured their hearts into this campaign. Each theme was carefully shaped, to reflect their personal journeys of self-worth that all South African women can relate to. It’s about real experiences, shared challenges and the pursuit of authenticity, all coming together to create something truly meaningful for women across the nation.
“This Women’s Month, we wanted to go beyond just celebrating women – we wanted to spark a conversation about the ever-evolving journey of self-worth,” says Ayanda Mackay, L’Oréal Paris Brand Business Leader. “This powerful content series, brought to life by the talented team at McCann Joburg, truly captures the essence of what it means to embrace your true self and find your voice as a South African woman. We believe these stories will resonate deeply and inspire women across the country on their own unique journeys of self-discovery and empowerment.”
“From the start, we knew that this campaign had the potential to be something special, and that’s what we aimed to achieve. As Creative Director, my focus was on fostering an environment where creativity could thrive, where everyone’s voice was heard, and each person felt empowered to contribute. It was truly a collaborative effort, with our team bringing their unique perspectives and passion to the project. The end result is a campaign that reflects our shared vision”, adds Toni Hughes, Creative Director at McCann Joburg.
Matshidiso Khasake, Copywriter at McCann Joburg, touches on how the campaign holds a special place in her heart, “…it pushed me to deeply reflect on my own understanding and belief of self-worth. I needed to discover what it truly means to me and why it is so important. As a black woman, I made it my mission to approach this project with wholeness, vulnerability and a deep appreciation for the woman I am – imperfectly perfect and constantly evolving.”
“Working on a predominantly female-lead production, has taught me the value of diverse perspectives and collaboration. Witnessing the collective strength and power in the spokeswomen we worked with, highlighted how inclusivity drives a powerful message. Each person, from cast to production, brought their own uniqueness to the project, which only proved that true worth lies in the power of shared voices,” says Sherilynn van Neethling, Art Director at McCann Joburg.
This project highlights the incredible power of working together, embracing our differences and staying true to ourselves. It’s not just about celebrating women’s paths to self-worth, but also inspiring others along the way. The series reminds us that self-worth is an ongoing journey of growth and acceptance, because we all deserve to recognise our value and embrace who we are.
The campaign can be viewed on Empowering Women.
