INTRODUCTION
Hi. I'm Nic Kinghorn and I'm a Creative Director with more than 18 years of real industry experience. I've been pursuing my career in advertising and design since 1993 and along the way I've gotten to work at larger corporate agencies with global affiliations, as well as some medium and smaller sized independents, in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. I've also had the experience of founding and building up an agency from scratch.
I've been successfully fulfilling creative leadership roles in various agencies since 2002 and If I had to pitch what I think sets me apart from the broader creative crowd, I'd say it's the extent to which I can bring strategic thinking to creative output. By that I mean that whilst I'm a free-thinking visual artist, I still tend to motivate my creative choices with logic and reason. I have a strong appreciation and aptitude for the appeal of visual aesthetics, but I'm always striving to combine them with the thorough consideration that ensures relevance is maintained and communication requirements are met.
I like to think it's in my blood to some extent... I'm the son of a military Brigadier General (father) and a High School Art Teacher (mother), who instilled in me a sense of both structured discipline and creative expression, respectively.
QUALIFICATION
I have an Honours Degree from the University of Pretoria.
BA (Fine Arts) Information Design
1994 - 1997 (Top Student 3rd & 4th year)
Again, I think that what sets this course apart is right there in the name (not just Graphic Design, but Information Design). It establishes that messages need to be conveyed clearly through design; that being articulate is just as important as being artistic. The degree placed a real emphasis on rationale and made it compulsory to justify the choices made during the creative process of any given project. It taught me that while subjectivity always plays a role in the scrutiny of creative, it's fine to have a subjective opinion as long as you can articulate it effectively and motivate your reasons convincingly.
EXPERIENCE
1998 - 2000 (2,5yrs)
Grapplegroup 141 (Jhb)
Art Director / Designer
Strategic Concepting and Creative execution of design and BTL campaigning.
Brands: Microsoft, British American Tobacco, Eskom, SAP computing, Citibank, Land Rover, Ernst&Young, First Paper House etc.
2000 - 2001 (1,5 years)
The Group Design Consultants (Jhb)
Designer
Strategic and Creative Brand Design.
Brands: loveLife, Aqua Online, Multisat, Black Velvet, Phoenix beer etc.
2002 - 2005 (3,5yrs)
TEQUILA\ Durban
Assistant Creative Director: Jan’02 – Mar’03
Creative Director: Apr’03 – May'05
Also fulfilled a 3month stint as a stand-in Creative Director of TEQUILA\ Cape Town during this time.
Strategic Concepting and Creative execution of design, ATL and BTL campaigning.
Brands: SABMiller, Accantia, Sara Lee, Unifoods, Durban Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Telkom, V&A Waterfront etc.
2005 - 2013 (8yrs)
PUBLIC ADDRESS Advertising & Design
Creative Director & Founding Partner
Strategic Concepting and Creative execution of design, ATL and BTL campaigning.
Brands: Bearing Man Group, SABMiller, Illovo, Suncoast Casino, Wonderbra, Bio-Strath, Echinaforce, Corner Bakery, Nature's Garden etc.
2013 - 2015
O'DONOGHUE & ASSOCIATES Advertising
Creative Director
Strategic Concepting and Creative execution of design, ATL and BTL campaigning.
Brands: Unilever Food Solutions, Knorr, Marvello, Nolands, Dunlop etc
2016 -
G1K1
Freelance Creative Direction
Yup. You guessed it: Strategic Concepting and Creative execution of design, ATL and BTL campaigning.
This time however it's just me. All the experience and know-how of an agency Creative Director, without any of the overheads.