My story
My years inside the world of insurance
In 2014 I made the move from 10 years in design and advertising to corporate. An opportunity to open an in-house agency was presented and implementing a new brand refresh for a insurance company. I worked closely with the head of marketing and newly appointed traffic manager to start providing in-house services to the business and work closely with external suppliers to bring the brand to life.
One of my proudest achievements was being involved in the development of the brand campaign for Highway Heroes. This reward and recognition program for the Commercial Vehicles division acknowledges the significant contribution made by South African truck drivers and fleet owners to the economic growth of the country.
As lead creative, I played a critical role in the creation of the program's creative elements, including the overall creative direction for videographers and photographers, and working closely with our head of marketing, copywriters and our business partners.
The Highway Heroes awards program recognises truck drivers who demonstrate exceptional driving skills, safety, and overall excellence in the trucking industry. It was an honor to be a part of such an impactful initiative that celebrates the hard work and dedication of these unsung heroes.
This project allowed me to showcase my skills in creative direction and collaboration, and it's an example of the kind of work that I'm passionate about. I strive to create meaningful designs that not only look good but also make a positive impact on society.
In 2017, I joined the internal Studio at Hollard Insurance after Regent was acquired. As a key member of the team, I played a significant role in the rebranding of not only Highway Heroes but also assisting the business transition over the brand from Regent to Hollard.
12 months to inspire
I still remember the first time I heard that I was going to work on the Hollard Group corporate calendar project. At first, I thought, "a calendar? How exciting can that be?" But it wasn't going to be your typical boring financial diary and calendar range.
At Hollard, we treated the calendar project as our passion project every year. We believed that even a corporate calendar could be fun and innovative, and we strived to make it happen. We were given carte blanche to interpret the brief to how we saw it would fit the brand.
Working with amazing and talented artists, we played and experimented with new technologies like AR to create content and activities that told stories, entertained, and surprised our users. And the best part? We turned the content we created into marketing tools for the business, giving back a return on investment.
Every year, we challenged ourselves to expand on how to further elevate the mundane calendar into a fun piece that got people talking. Our goal was to remain on brand and on point while still pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation.
Recognising the people
I had the pleasure of creating the identity for the Hoscars -Hollard's Annual Appreciation Awards, a glamorous evening that recognises individuals who have gone above and beyond to build successful businesses. It was a great honour to be nominated twice, alongside my teams. The event takes place every year at the Lyric Theatre in Johannesuburg.
Creating the biggest billboard in Africa
Hollard was approached by Relativ media with a unique opportunity to brand a building in downtown Jozi. We had just finalised a new pattern design for the newly formed business unit, Hollard Life Solutions. The pattern is afro-conscious and reflective of South Africa’s rich and diverse cultures and people. We collaborated with talented Cape Town illustrator, Russel Abrahams (YayAbe), to create this piece of work. This artwork was the perfect starting point for the building creative.
With a height of 82 meters, a total printed artwork length of 2,5km, 57,000 eyelets, and a brave team of abseilers, the installation and production process took a month to complete.
Before corporate
Before I joined in-house corporate I worked for different creative agencies, and the last 8 years I spent with Apula, I was exposed to many different brands. Music was one of them and I had the pleasure of working with several record labels, including Just Music, Ministry of Sound, Hed Kandi, EMI, and Universal, to create traditional print album cover designs. Although the art form has lost its appeal, it holds a special place in my heart and I hope for a retro revival one day.
Other clients included large international entertainment companies, tobacco, telecommunications, optometry and retail. Learning to deal with corporates internally is where my interest grew in costumer relations and interest in the general agency client experience, which would later lead me to accept taking the in-house role.
Understanding your client, how they work and their customers is just as important as great quality design work.
And lastly, it's all about teamwork
While I may be credited for the work shown here, the truth is that I am nothing without my strong team. Collaboration is key to my success, and I have been fortunate to work with wonderful teams over the years, as well as partner with incredible creative talent to deliver exceptional work.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to teamwork.
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
- African Proverb
Thank you
Click on Portfolio to view more of my latest work with case studies on some of the highlights shown here.