Ricoffy Proud Words

In South Africa, what women wear in public is often policed not by law, but by language. Many don’t dress the way they want to for fear of being harassed, judged or called names. As a brand that lives in South African homes, NESCAFÉ RICOFFY wanted to help shift the culture from insulting to inspirational.

industry

retail

services

digital

purpose

We went back to the 50th anniversary platform based on South African words that are uniquely ours. Because if language can wound, it can also heal and empower. During Women’s Month, we launched Proud Words, a social campaign inviting women to reclaim the conversation by sharing the names, phrases and compliments that make them feel proud to show up as themselves.

RICOFFY highlighted the reality of verbal harassment, then contrasted it with uplifting alternatives, modelling language that builds women up instead of breaking them down. User-generated submissions were showcased across RICOFFY’s social channels, turning the brand’s platforms into walls of affirmation.

Women responded in their thousands, and what began as a Women’s Month idea grew into a movement that challenged negative language and celebrated women in ways that stir pride.