My love for literature and languages led me to study English and French at UCT. But by the time I’d completed an MA cum laude, I was sick of academia. I wanted to do, and I wasn’t ready to write, so I worked in dance, theatre and film, and got my hands dirty as a clapper loader and grip.
Director General
I’m Nicholas Shepherd,
Creative & Managing Director
Work Experience
In the mid 80’s however, changes to the tax regime nearly sunk the South African film industry, just when I needed to start bringing home the bacon on a regular basis for my young family. So it was time for a real job with regular salary. One copy test and one interview later and I had my own office as a copywriter at Young and Rubicam. My 30 year journey into ad land had begun…
After cutting my teeth on brands like Caltex, Gabriel Shock Absorbers, Musica and Metropolitan Life, I moved to J. Walter Thompson and, after a complicated three-way merger, became Copy Chief of Addison Want JWT, where I formed part of the pitch-winning Nike creative team in 1995.
In 2002, after a stint as Creative Director at AdMakers, then at Amperzand, it was time to pursue my vision of an agency in which creatives were motivated by a love for what they do, and I founded Machete. Fifteen years later I’m still wearing two pith helmets, acting as both Managing and Creative Director.
I’m fortunate to have won a number of significant creative awards, including the Grand Award for Creative Excellence at the New York Festival of Advertising.
When I’m not working
- Love reading and mountain-biking and walking the dogs
- My wife and I have just taken up Latin dancing classes
- Despite being a pescetarian, I love braaing at home with the family
- Followed by dancing on the stoep!
What I love about what I do
- That Aha! moment when a concept cracks open to reveal the kernel of an idea
- Getting to know a client’s business as well as your own
- Watching Google conversions happen in real-time
- Knowing your ideas have helped a business grow
