Ntshenekane Nikki Ntsoane

Creative Director & Founder

Johannesburg, South Africa
BA Degree in Graphic Design (Greenside Design Center); Diploma in Visual Art and Design (Central Johannesburg College) and InDesign CC Advanced and Illustrator CC Advanced Course Certificate (Morning Star Design).

Ntshenekane Nikki Ntsoane is a multidisciplinary Art Director and Graphic Designer, currently working as a Creative Director and founder of Pheladi Studios. She has over 16 years communication experience in the industry. She is ambitious and passionate about everything creative.

Work Experience:
Worked in BTL, ATL and TTL agencies such as Joe Lowe Bull Cape Town, CDP Graphics, Mohlaleng Media, The - Collective, Design and Branding and founder of Pheladi Studios servicing various clients and advertising agencies as Joe Public and Ogilvy Johannesburg.

Brand Experience:
Creatively lead internal and external communication brand campaigns and strategy for local and internationally renowned brands - Unilever (SA, Zam, Zim, Moz, Bots, Malawi & Kenya), Pernod Ricard (Zam, Zim, Moz & Bots), Alliance Insurance (Lesotho), Eskom, MetropolitanLife, ACSA, SAA, Multichoice, BP SA, Joy of Jazz, FNB, Telkom, Department of Human Settlement, Redds, Estee Lauder, AvroyShlain, Swissgarge, Revlon, Bobby Brown, Jo Malone, LaMer, Clinique, Mpact, Dunlop Industrial Africa, and many more.

Work Experience

Mohlaleng Media

Lead Senior Art Director & Studio Manager

Lead creative on the following brands:
Eskom, ACSA, Dunlop Industrial Africa, LIMMS, Oudtshooring Municipality, SAMSA, SABC Motsweding FM Radio, The Department of Human Settlements, Absolut Vodka, Nandoʼs, M-net Movies (DSTV) and OʼGradyʼs Paint.

Key responsibilities
Support with Art Direction and cost-effective methods of designing and manage the workflow in the studio.
Conceptualize, visualize and design user experiences.
Responsible for generating creative and innovative graphic artwork for a wide range of campaigns, publications and advertising for the company.
Provide creative direction and overseeing several projects from the initial stage to the final production stage projects, keeping to deadlines, and signing off on these projects before they are presented.
Provide support and manage photoshoots.
Coordinate with the ECD to evaluate the requirement of software and hardware requirement.
Generate detail specifications for printing and other related works.
Attend meetings, conferences, exhibitions and Indabas etc.
Mentoring and inspire the creative team.
Hiring and managing the creative team
September 2011 - August 2014 South Africa

CDP Graphics

Graphic Designer

Primary portfolio accounts:
Avroy Shlain, Swissgarge, Revlon, Estee Lauder, Bobby Brown, Jo Malone, LaMer, Clinique.
Others: Africa Sales(JLo Fragrances, Davioff Coolwater, Maybelline, Dunhill, Pacco Robanne, Hugo Boss, BlackUp), Clarins (Thierry Mugler, Multi Active and Everlasting Foundation), Luxco, Cross, L’Oréal, Aramis and DKNY.

Key Responsibilities:
Work with copywriters and creative director to produce final design.
Study design briefs and determine requirements.
Schedule projects and define budget constraints.
Conceptualize visuals based on requirements.
Prepare rough drafts and present ideas.
Providing support and undertaking of creative photoshoots.
Develop illustrations, logos and other designs using software or by hand.
Use the appropriate colours and layouts for each graphic.
Test graphics across various media.
Amend designs after feedback.
Ensure final graphics and layouts are visually appealing and on-brand
September 2009 - August 2011 South Africa

Brandinc Creative Group

Graphic Designer

Through the Line agency
• Primary portfolio accounts: Vodacom, Sail, Scatterlings Velocity, Circa Hospitality, and Uti Pharma.
December 2008 - March 2009 Johannesburg, South Africa

Lowe And Partners

Art Director

TTL Advertising agency

Primary portfolio accounts:
Metropolitan Account, which includes Retail, Internal Coms, Corporate, Life and Assets Managers and Redds (SAB). Others: Maizen Gold (SAB), Sarita (SAB), Hansa (SAB), Play energy drink and SA Rugby

Key Responsibilities:
Work with copywriters and creative director to produce final design.
Study design briefs and determine requirements.
Schedule projects and define budget constraints.
Conceptualize visuals based on requirements.
Prepare rough drafts and present ideas.
Providing support and undertaking of creative photoshoots.
Develop illustrations, logos and other designs using software or by hand.
Use the appropriate colours and layouts for each graphic.
Test graphics across various media.
Amend designs after feedback.
Ensure final graphics and layouts are visually appealing and on-brand.
April 2008 - November 2008 South Africa

The Collective - Branding And Design

Junior Graphic Designer

• TTL agency
• Primary portfolio accounts: Heinz Food, Deli Biscotti, Café Fino, News Café, Global Wrapps, AA Bread and John West food.
January 2008 - March 2008 Johannesburg, South Africa

Pheladi Studios

Freelance Creative Director / Art Director / Owner

Clients worked with:
Ogilvy Johannesburg - Dstv and Mondelez International.
Avon and Justine - Justine
Joe Public - Mercedes Benz, Unilever and Anglo Gold.
Tworoads - Paltech, Groupline, Integrity NDT Projects, PSC Integrity, AWT, Mokoena Holdings and NDT Projects.
Cut2Black - RAF.
MKT Media - BPSA and Lesotho Alliance Insurance.
Lospepes Ibizo - Unilever, Pernord Ricard, P&G, Kimberley-Clark, Standard Bank, GSK, L'Oréal and Plascon.
Manini Consulting - The Macallan.

Key Responsibilities:
Collaborate with clients to develop key messaging and branding for company networks.
Creates a creative environment for the whole team.
Develops ideas for advertising or promotional campaigns.
Customise design launch plans.
Working closely with clients to keep them up to date on project progression.
Oversee multiple projects from the start, keep to deadlines, and sign off on projects before they’re presented.
Develop design concepts.
Storyboarding and translating ideas for the creative team.

Skills:
• Ability to understand, lead and inspire the creative team to give their best.
• Strong conceptual thinker.
• Resilience under pressure and against deadlines
• Prioritise and juggle multiple projects well.
• Awareness of current trends in advertising and design.
• Knowledge of design disciplines include layout, typography, imagery and colour.
• Strong proof of concept, rapid prototyping and storyboarding and technical skills.
• Knowledge of industry standard tools involved in the creative process.
September 2014 - South Africa

Education

Greenside Design Center College Of Design

Bachelor in Graphic Design

Student
January 2005 - December 2007 Johannesburg, South Africa

Central Johannesburg - Parktown

Diploma in Visual Art and Design

January 2002 - December 2004 Johannesburg, South Africa

Languages

English (Fluent),

Skills

Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Creative Suite, Advertising, Branding, Campaigns, Illustration, Keynote , Packaging, Photoshoot, Point Of Sale, Powerpoint, Presentation Design, Presenting, Social Media, Strategy,