Machete Creative is an integrated brand communications agency established in 2002 by award-winning copywriter and creative director, Nicholas D R Shepherd.
Our premises are in Observatory, Cape Town, but we service clients throughout South Africa. We align ourselves with the progressive transformation of our country and are certified as a fully compliant Level 1 (100%+) BEE contributor.
From a powerful base in the area of property development marketing, we are currently diversifying our portfolio, deliberately seeking both commercial and cause-related clients whose values we admire, and who admire the value of creativity.
Nicholas D. R. Shepherd
Managing and Creative Director
Having completed an MA cum laude at UCT, Nicholas worked in education, theatre and film, before cutting his teeth in advertising as a copywriter with Young & Rubicam on brands like Caltex, Gabriel Shock Absorbers, Musica, Unifruco, and Metropolitan Life. Four years later he moved to J. Walter Thompson, which was followed by his appointment as Senior Writer and Copy Chief at Addison Want Stroebel Goren JWT. Here he formed part of the pitch-winning Nike creative team and worked on brands such as Jose Cuervo, Gilbey’s London Dry, Safmarine, Hi-Tec Shoes, Tiger Wheel & Tyre, Frasers International, Halls, Chiclets, Dentyne, Clorets, Vita C, Schick, and Listerine.
In 1997 Nicholas moved to Admakers as Creative Director. Here, in addition to managing the existing brands such as Porsche, The Cancer Association, Grundig, and the Cape Technikon, he was responsible for pitch-winning work on Master Currency, DSat, Gray Security, Prudential, KWV International, Daewoo Motors, Samsung Monitors and Tarsus Technologies.
In 2002, pursuing his vision of a creatively-led, socially committed and joyful agency, he founded Machete Creative, where he is currently wearing two pith helmets, acting as both Managing and Creative Director.
Nicholas has won a number of significant creative awards, including the Grand Award for Creative Excellence at the New York Festival of Advertising, arguably the most prestigious award in world advertising.
Richard Bates
Senior Art Director
After matriculating from the Johannesburg School of Art, Music and Ballet, Richard was employed by Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg, where he learned the art and craft of advertising under legendary creative director, Robin Putter. During the next eight years with the agency, Richard went on create advertising that won a number of prestigious awards, including the much-loved ‘Staffie’ TV commercial for Dunlop Tyres, which not only won a Loerie, but was voted South Africa’s ‘best loved ad of the year.’
In 1990 Richard moved to Ogilvy & Mather Cape Town, where he worked with Roger Makin and Brian Searle-Tripp, before going on to Young & Rubicam, The White House, DDB and Network. Having worked at most of the blue-chip agencies in the country, Richard spent two years lecturing at the AAA School of Advertising, before teaming up with Nicholas Shepherd to form Machete Creative in 2002.
Richard’s awards cabinet – which includes two Loeries, two Plums, one Cat and one New York finalist – speaks volumes about his passion for original thinking and creativity. In addition to these qualities however, clients who have worked with him have come to value his strategic insight and vast experience in brand communications just as highly.
Lynette Sieberts
Senior Graphic Designer
After graduating from Pretoria University with a BA in Information Design, Lynette worked for various top design companies and advertising agencies both in Cape Town (Janice Ashby, Rose Dendy Young, J Walter Thompson and The White House) and in Johannesburg (Pentagraph and Trademark).
After leaving Trademark to travel abroad, Lynette freelanced successfully for a number of years in Cape Town, during which time she also lectured in Graphic Design at The Ruth Prowse Art College in Cape Town for a number of years.
Her awards include Loeries for Perrier Mineral Water, a New York Clio gold award for Gill Liquid Soap package design, and a London Creativity award for corporate identity design.
GRANT JOHNSON
Art Director/Graphic Designer
Grant studied graphic design at Art Directors Workshop. He worked on brands such as Porsche, Paradigm and DSat at Admakers and Studio 1 before joining Machete. He has art directed and designed all work for major clients such as Aquacor and AFDA.
LUANNE MELLETT
New Media Designer
Luanne completed an intensive three-year Multimedia Design course at City Varsity in 2004. From there she went on to work for international online financial solutions company, DataCash, as their in-house graphic and web designer.
She joined Machete Creative in May 2007 as New Media Designer, and has designed and built websites for some of the agency’s major clients, including Rabie Property Group, AFDA School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance, and the Aquacor Group.
Luanne belongs to that rare breed of designer who combines aesthetic finesse with robust coding and back-end skills, allowing her to create websites that not only look good, but function perfectly to achieve each clients’ online marketing objectives. Amongst other skills, she is proficient in Flash, HTML and advanced SEO techniques.
| CREATIVE | |
| Copywriters: | Nicholas Shepherd |
| Art Directors: | Richard Bates |
| Grant Johnson | |
| Graphic Design: | Lynette Siebert |
| New Media: | Luanne Mellett |
| STRATEGY | |
| Strategic Planning: | Braam van Reenen |
| CLIENT SERVICE | |
| Client Liaison: | Deweza Botya |
| PRODUCTION | |
| Production Manager: | Patti Williams |
| FINANCE | |
| Financial Manager: | Heather Webb |
