Shell South Africa Launches ‘You Can Always Count on Shell’ Brand Campaign with VML

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New long-term platform celebrates trust, community and 120 years of powering South African journeys

For more than 120 years, Shell has been part of South African life. Now, the energy company is introducing a new long-term brand platform designed to strengthen its connection with consumers beyond the fuel pump.

Created by VML, You Can Always Count on Shell shifts the conversation away from products and towards the people and communities the brand has supported for generations.

Rather than focusing on awareness, the campaign centres on trust, reliability and Shell’s continued role in helping South Africans move forward every day.

Building a stronger emotional connection

According to the latest Havas Meaningful Brands™ research, 78% of brands could disappear without consumers caring. That statistic highlights the growing importance of brands creating genuine emotional connections instead of simply promoting products.

For Shell South Africa, the opportunity was clear. The company wanted to remind consumers that it remains a dependable part of everyday life.

“Awareness has never been Shell’s challenge,” says Monica Sithole, Marketing Manager at Shell South Africa. “The opportunity was to deepen relevance and connection in a way that is meaningful to South Africans today.”

She explains that the new platform allows Shell to move beyond product-focused messaging and instead showcase how it supports communities, enables progress and powers everyday journeys.

Turning a business challenge into a brand platform

VML was tasked with solving a business challenge rather than creating another advertising campaign.

“The original brief wasn’t about driving fuel sales,” says Nyiko Mahange, Creative Director at VML. “It was about rebuilding emotional closeness.”

The agency discovered a simple but powerful insight. Brands do not earn trust through advertising alone. They earn it by consistently showing up for people over time.

This thinking became the foundation for You Can Always Count on Shell, positioning the company as a trusted neighbour that remains visible, dependable and committed to South Africa’s future.

A campaign built on authentic storytelling

Once the strategy was defined, the creative team was given the freedom to develop the campaign without a predetermined storyboard.

The breakthrough came during the writing of the campaign manifesto, which became the creative foundation for every element of the production.

Instead of looking back at Shell’s history, the team decided to tell a story about its future and the role it will continue to play in South African lives.

“We realised we weren’t making a film about Shell’s heritage,” says Mahange. “We were making a film about Shell’s future.”

Bringing the vision to life

VML partnered with director Dean Blomberg and production house Massif to create a cinematic campaign that celebrates both Shell’s heritage and its future.

Authenticity was central to the production.

The campaign features real South African faces instead of traditional commercial models, creating a story that feels genuine and relatable.

Visually, the production introduces Amber Beacon, a bespoke cinematic treatment inspired by Shell’s long-standing association with warmth and light.

“The through-line across 120 years is light itself,” explains the campaign director. “From a single flame to the glow of a forecourt canopy on a dark night.”

Most scenes were filmed practically, with visual effects only used where necessary to support the storytelling.

More than a campaign

You Can Always Count on Shell is designed to become a long-term storytelling platform rather than a once-off marketing campaign.

It gives Shell the opportunity to continue sharing stories of resilience, community, innovation and progress while reinforcing its commitment to supporting South Africans for generations to come.

After more than a century in South Africa, the campaign marks the next chapter in Shell’s journey — one built on trust, consistency and the promise that South Africans can always count on Shell.

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