Comedian and actor Mpho Popps partner with Sanlam for financial literacy marketing campaign 

Sanlam just launched a marketing campaign like no other, disguising financial education as a hilarious stand-up comedy show. The F-Show, featuring comedian of the year Mpho ‘Popps’ Modikoane, was a bold and unexpected move to spark conversations about a topic most South Africans shy away from—finances.

Held over three sold-out nights in Johannesburg, this campaign turned financial literacy into entertainment, delivering key money lessons without the usual stigma.

Mariska Oosthuizen, chief marketing officer at Sanlam, says, “This campaign is rooted in the insight that South Africans don’t want to talk about money. However, research reveals that regularly talking about finances results in better mental wellbeing, improved relationships, and financial outcomes. Sanlam’s north star is to empower people to live with financial confidence, security and prosperity. So, The F-Show is our creative catalyst to normalise these kinds of conversations. As a nation, we’re very good at laughing at ourselves. So, comedy is a clever medium to help people to move past their inhibitions and engage with a traditionally ‘taboo topic’.

“Popps, along with supporting acts, Vafa Naraghi and Khanyisa Bunu, got the vision immediately and kept it raw and hilarious to bring home the message from our Dirtiest Word campaign: Money talk matters.”