In this week’s Our Take: some dodgy characters sell travel insurance, a Lagos photographer captures the world’s attention, the Japanese seamstresses setting global styles, and an Italian granddad’s legacy, designed.
Hard-working insurance message
South Africa’s Nedbank has a bold new campaign that might convince even the most frugal travellers to buy travel insurance. The campaign, ‘Hard-Working Professionals’, introduces us to some charming characters – a chef in Barcelona, a waitress in Koh Samui, and a photographer in Paris – who all turn out to be masters of deception: professional pickpockets and con artists who target unwary tourists.
Delivered across social, print, and radio, the campaign reminds you that not everyone you meet on holiday is what they seem. The message lands with a mix of humour and hard truth – because while travel is about fun and freedom, being prepared is non-negotiable.
With its cheeky line, “You work hard for your money. They work hard for your money too,” Nedbank turns a scary topic into a memorable nudge. It feels more like a mini Netflix series than a bank ad – and that’s why it works.
local vision, global audience
Sanjo Lawal is a Nigerian photographer who captures the vibrance of Yoruba culture in photos full of colour, texture, and energy. His secret isn’t a magical Insta filter, but the bold colours and contrasts he uses to capture everyday scenes – workers in the middle of their grind, models in traditional attire, expressions of joy, despair, or pure hope.
On Instagram and TikTok he’s become a sensation not just because his images are so captivating, but because of his process. He shoots outdoors with his iPhone, using the people of Lagos as subjects, and the city’s walls as backdrops (and some skillful post-production). Yet his images look like tightly composed studio shots of professional models.
It feels groundbreaking. By marrying Yoruba culture with fearless colour and composition, Sanjo creates work that’s both deeply rooted and startlingly fresh – a local language of photography with a global audience.
From Threads to Trends
From Lagos to Japan, it’s striking how local traditions are setting the pace of global style. Just as Nigerian photographers are reframing visual culture through a lens of place, a group of women in Otsuchi Town are doing the same with needle and thread.
Meet the Sashiko Gals – 15 craftswomen who first came together after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, using traditional Sashiko stitching to repair clothes and rebuild community. What began as resilience has evolved into a creative movement. Their hand-stitched sneakers – Nike Air Rifts, New Balances, even Salomon Speedcross – have gone viral, each pair taking up to 30 hours and emerging as completely unique.
Their recent collaboration with Italian label C.P. Company transforms military-inspired archive pieces into one-of-a-kind luxury garments, sold exclusively in Japan at prices nudging €10,000.
What resonates isn’t just the fashion, but the philosophy: “giving new value to old things.” Sashiko proves that the most enduring trends begin with local hands.
Maybe it’s time for those Aran-knit Nikes.
premium oil gets grandad branded
Andrea Ricciarini’s grandfather was a man of many names, or perhaps simply a man whose name was written differently over the decades. When they named the family farm’s premium olive oil in his honour, Giovan Battista’s grandchildren chose the simple and affectionate Giobatta, settling the matter once and for all.
The Ricciarini farm lies on the rolling Tuscan hills near Arezzo. The steep terrain makes modern mechanical harvesting impossible. Every olive is picked by hand. The unique combination of land and aspect results in a very high quality product that’s worth the effort. The challenge? Communicating that quality to customers.
The brand packaging nails it: sharp Art Deco typography that touches on both nostalgia and quality, vertical lines that recall traditional wooden crates and a vibrant green accent that reflects the luminous hue of freshly pressed oil.
Through these thoughtful design choices, Giobatta has been elevated to sit alongside fine wines, where consumers accept higher prices in exchange for craftsmanship and authenticity.
Squisito!