MANILA, PHILIPPINES – When Ria Ocampo first stepped into advertising, she was drawn not just by craft, but also by the promise of influence.
“I discovered advertising and art direction and found a place where creativity works with brands to influence and become part of pop culture,” Ria recalled exclusively to adobo Magazine. “It seemed like a fun, thriving industry.”
That instinct — to fuse creativity with culture — has shaped her journey ever since. From Manila to Singapore, and now London, every move has been a deliberate push to widen her perspective and sharpen her voice.
After graduating from the University of Asia and the Pacific in 2007, Ria joined Ogilvy Manila as a junior art director and rose to art director within a year, shaping beauty and wellness campaigns for global brands like Unilever and Vaseline. She later moved to Publicis Manila as senior art director, refining her storytelling for household names including Nestlé and Procter & Gamble.
But the real turning point came when she crossed borders, accepting a role at JWT Singapore. Nearly two years later, she returned to the Ogilvy fold — this time in Singapore — reuniting with the agency that launched her career, but now on a larger stage with bigger, more demanding accounts.
“Creativity grows when you step out of your comfort zone,” Ria said. “Moving between places is challenging, but it makes you more adaptable, curious, and intentional in how you connect with people. The more you understand experiences and connections beyond your own world, the more it can fuel creative thinking.”
Over the next nine years at Ogilvy Singapore, she rose steadily — from senior art director to head of art, and today, associate creative director. Each role deepened her belief that the best ideas are born from genuine connection.
Her philosophy remains clear and compelling: connection drives creativity. “We can get people to resonate with what we want to say through universal truths, while also celebrating what makes us different,” she reflected — a lesson that continues to guide the work she shapes and the teams she leads.
Vaseline Verified: From chaos to culture
Among the standout winners at Cannes Lions 2025 was “Vaseline Verified,” a campaign that transformed the internet’s obsession with beauty hacks into a platform for credibility and trust. Rooted in the discovery that over 3.5 million social posts featured Vaseline Jelly in everyday tips and tricks, the brand chose not to ignore or silence the conversation, but to embrace it.
Partnering with over 450 creators worldwide, Vaseline worked hand-in-hand with its R&D scientists to test the most popular hacks, from making perfume last longer to protecting skin during hair dyeing. Only those that passed rigorous lab testing earned the official “Vaseline Verified” seal, while myths were debunked in real time.
The social-first campaign struck a rare balance between entertainment and authority, garnering over 136 million views and 63 million interactions with overwhelmingly positive sentiment.Its impact extended to the awards stage, where it claimed two Grand Prix in Health & Wellness and Social & Creator, multiple Golds, and the coveted Titanium Lion — Singapore’s first.
By bridging science with culture and creators, “Vaseline Verified” not only reignited relevance for a heritage brand, but also demonstrated how myth-busting and transparency can become powerful creative strategies in the age of misinformation.
From brief to breakthrough
This year, Ria and her team at Ogilvy made Cannes Lions history with “Vaseline Verified,” which won Southeast Asia’s first-ever Titanium Lion. Titanium is more than a trophy. It’s a signal of work that changes how brands, audiences, and even the industry itself think.
“To win what could be the highest honor you can get in this industry, it’s really hard to put what it’s like into words,” Ria admitted. “But for me, it represents the journey of an agency and a client who shared an impossible ambition.”
That ambition was years in the making. Ogilvy had been building Vaseline’s creative reputation since 2019, steadily pushing for bolder work. The payoff came after years of trial, error, and persistence.
“Each year, through trials, errors, and shortlists, we only became more determined. And in the sixth year, we did it,” she noted, cheekily adding that the year before they clinched the Titanium, they also won the Grand Prix in Glass Lions with the “Vaseline Transition Body Lotion” campaign.
The lesson here for marketers is both sobering and inspiring: breakthrough creativity rarely arrives fully formed. It demands a long-term vision, a client brave enough to champion bold thinking, and a team resilient enough to keep pushing after every near-miss.
“Titanium” moments aren’t accidents of genius — they’re the product of persistence, partnership, and the courage to fail forward.
Southeast Asia steps up
The Titanium win is historic not just for Ogilvy or Vaseline, but for an entire region often underestimated in the global creative conversation.
“With a bold CMO, Southeast Asian creatives can do anything,” Ria stressed. “This win shows that it can be done — and that our region has the talent, the ideas, and the drive to lead on the global stage.”
Her own Filipino background, she said, plays into her creative instincts, even unconsciously. “Us Pinoys, we know struggle, we’re great problem solvers, and we’re very good at bringing out emotions.We’re very empathetic and we also love our sense of humour. These are natural traits that just come out.”
It’s a reminder that cultural identity isn’t baggage in advertising — it’s an asset. For brands, leaning into authentic perspectives can unlock universal resonance while still standing out in a crowded global market.
The future of beauty, the future of brands
With over a decade in beauty, Ria views the category as a microcosm of the broader challenges facing brands today. In a marketplace saturated with legacy players and disruptive newcomers, differentiation is no longer about who has the most polished campaign — it’s about who can connect authentically.
“So many new and inspiring brands are out there,” she reflected, “the challenge is finding that unique space for the brands I work with, and selling that with conviction.”
But the more pressing challenge, she argued, lies in representation. Despite inclusivity being a buzzword across marketing decks, the reality in Asia remains stark: beauty ideals are still tethered to narrow, often unattainable archetypes. The hesitation of global giants to truly redefine standards on this side of the world, despite their influence, exposes the gap between brand rhetoric and brand action.
Interestingly, the real progress is coming from smaller, independent brands. By championing diverse skin tones, body types, and local narratives, these challengers are shifting culture from the ground up.
“I have to applaud the smaller local brands today who are committed and slowly making that real change versus mainstream brands that are too scared to take that leap,” Ria added. “Local brands are shaping how we see beauty better only for bigger players to jump in much later seeing it can be profitable”
For major players, the takeaway is clear: inclusivity can no longer be treated as a campaign theme or seasonal message — it must be embedded into brand DNA.
Next chapter, same principles
Ria’s next stop is VML London, where she hopes to carry the same creative fire into new markets.
“People say I finished [the] boss level of advertising, I could quit and do something else,” she said with a grin. “But the move to the UK is going to be exciting for me. If I could try to replicate the same success and keep going at it, as long as it stays fun, with a win or without. Just keep doing good, creative work I’ll be proud of.”
Her creative mantra, however, remains grounded: “You have to trust that all your experiences have prepared you to be where you are. Pursue the way you believe it can be done — not by simply following others.”
Lessons for the next generation
Asked what she’d tell young creatives and marketers, Ria didn’t hesitate: “Surround yourself with the right people — the ones who share your drive and passion for craft. If you want to create meaningful work that stands out, being on a team without that same ambition will only hold you back. No one does this alone.”
In other words, creativity is never a solo act. It’s a team sport, fueled by trust and shared values. And in Ria’s case, it’s proof that when talent, bold ideas, and a damn good client, the result can be Titanium.
