Bonolo Modise

Bonolo Modise Creative Director | Film & Content Director CV | 2023 -| - | Johannesburg, South Africa OVERVIEW Bonolo is a constantly evolving creative force. Her role depends on which hat she is required to wear ranging from Executive Creative Director, Creative Director, Senior Copywriter, Content Creator and more recently, TV & Film Director. Over the last 16 months, Bonolo has been expanding her repertoire as a director collaborating with show marketing agencies like Thackwell & Whittaker (T+W). She has directed multiple promos and high-performing commercials for brands like DStv and KOO. As an award-winning media specialist, Bonolo believes there is no challenge that creativity cannot resolve. She is an all-rounder and overall solutionist who births ideas that answer clients’ business objectives and sets their brands apart from competitors. She has been labeled "a creative with an exceptional strategic mind”. Earmarked among "leaders to watch" in advertising and marketing; her approach has anchored brands as an integral part of people’s daily lives. This solution-driven mindset has earned her the nickname "Creative Fixer". Bonolo is often a juror at numerous creative awards including the Loeries, AD STARS, AdFocus, Creative Circle as well as the Pendorings. She has worked for industry giants including FCB Joburg, Metropolitan Republic and McCann Worldgroup where she was said to be a "client whisperer". In addition to over 10 years in advertising, Bonolo also comes with a wealth of experience from the media and publishing industry where she excelled as a Senior Journalist at titles including FinWeek, NewsNow and DRUM magazine for over 5 years. Bonolo is looking to take on more work as a Film & Content Director as she wants to continue sharpening this part of her creative arsenal. She is also open to taking on roles that allow her to cross pollinate her wide range of skills. Bonolo is currently available to collaborate on short-term projects or on a freelance basis. -| - | Johannesburg, South Africa Bonolo Modise | Twenty 23 CV | PAGE 02 EDUCATION, TRAINING & INDUSTRY CONFERENCES AREAS OF EXPERTISE • Creative direction • Copywriting • TV & film directing • Scriptwriting • Presentation skills • Content creation • Content strategy • Research and analysis • Team management • Mentorship • Stakeholder management 2022 | Masterclass | Filmmaking & Directing 2019 | EQ Training | GIBS Next Manager Training 2018 | Agile Systems Training | Interpersonal relations training 2017 | Linda Leadership Training 2016 | Edcon Client Retail Training 2015 | Nedbank Digital Edge 2015 | Seta Presentation skills 2014 | Nedbank Digital Edge 2013 | Media24 Content Management Systems, Multimedia Production and Web Management 2012 | Sanlam Summer School for Financial Journalists 2010 | Media24 Journalism Academy 2008 | MAPPSETA and SAQA National Certificate Journalism 2006/8 | University of Johannesburg and Boston Media House Media Studies Diploma 2005 Southern African Printing College Desk Top Publishing | 2000/4 | -| - | Johannesburg, South Africa Kwadedangendlale High School National Senior Certificate Bonolo Modise | Twenty 23 CV | PAGE 03 ACHIEVEMENTS 16 AWARDS JUDGE FOUNDER NEW YORK FESTIVAL’S MIDAS AWARDS 2019 VARIOUS INDUSTRY AWARDS #SHOTLEFT TRAVEL CHAT ON TWITTER IN 2013 1 GOLD, 11 SILVERS & 4 CRAFT CERTIFICATES • Loeries 2020 | 2021 | 2022 • Former host • Absa Swiiish • Pendoring Awards 2018 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 • Absa Law for You • AD STARS 2021 • Absa Africanacity • FM AdFocus 2020 • Absa Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign • Creative Circle December 2020 APEX AWARDS 2019 NAHANA GROUP/FCB FINMEDIA24 BRONZE AWARD PEOPLE'S CHAMPION AWARD 2020 HAND-PICKED TO JOIN THE TEAM IN 2011 • Absa Swiiish Campaign • Voted for by colleagues as the person who fights for employee rights and wellness in the company • By former Editor-in-Chief David McKay TWO-TIME FOUNDER GRADUATED LOERIES FINALIST THE HAPPINESS COMMITTEE AT FCB JOBURG 2018 FINANCIAL JOURNALIST SEPTEMBER 2010 Campaigns entered in 2018 & 2019 • Ensuring employees are taken care of Mentally, Emotionally and Physically. • Sanlam Summer School For Financial Journalists NEWSNOW HAND-PICKED TO JOIN THE TEAM IN 2011 • By former Editor Waldimer Pelser • Absa Swiiish • Absa ChatBanking THREE-TIME IPG GROUP/FCB DEPUTY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL MEDIA24 JOURNALISM ACADEMY • Member of the Junior Management that was being groomed to lead the organisation TOP 32 CANDIDATES FROM ACROSS SOUTH AFRICA • Accepted into the academy beating thousands of other hopefuls in 2010 THE BOOKMARK AWARDS FINALIST 2019 • Absa ChatBanking FOUNDER THE CURVE REVOLUTION IN 2017 • A platform that celebrates creative black women and shines the spotlight on their excellence DRUM | YOU | HUISGENOOT HAND-PICKED TO JOIN THE TEAM IN 2012 INFLUENCER • By former Editor in Chief Lizelle Venter NAMED BY DRUM MAGAZINE • Setting hair trends that other African women follow -| - | Johannesburg, South Africa Bonolo Modise | Twenty 23 CV | PAGE 04 COLLABORATED WITH -| - | Johannesburg, South Africa Bonolo Modise | Twenty 23 CV | PAGE 05 CLUSTER LEAD & CREATIVE DIRECTOR PREVIOUS OCCUPATION @ FCB Joburg DURATION: 1 YEAR 6 MONTHS REASON FOR LEAVING: After nearly 5 years at FCB, Bonolo decided to take a break from working and prioritised her mental and physical health. RESPONSIBILITIES • Led a cluster that comprised 8 brands including KOO, All Gold, Black Cat, Tastic, Mrs Ball’s Chutney, Ingram's, Easy Waves and Sunlight RSA. • Identified award-winning opportunities and ensured entry to the correct categories for best results. • Consistently drove creative excellence and championed award-winning ideas for the agency that made the brands famous & increased sales. • Immersed herself in industry and digital trends. • Led the development of brand-appropriate, strategically correct and compelling creative work for all assigned clients consistently. • Understood the clients’ challenges, objectives, industry; business model, key performance indicators and success factors. • Oversaw creative consultations with account leadership to ensure appropriate creative strategies, adequacy/accuracy of input, schedules, budgets, production support, necessary reviews and client presentations. • Forged senior-level relationships with clients’ management and their internal departments. • Led everyday briefs as well as proactive thinking. • Guided, inspired, and curated the ideas for the creative department against client briefs. • Ensured the sale and production of creative work answered clients’ business problems and effected positive change. • Contributed to the strategic and creative development of the agency's marketing and new business development. • Grew and nurtured the creative department through skill training, set high standards and a culture of excellence. • Ensured knowledge sharing within the team and foster a spirit of teamwork and camaraderie. • Set goals for team members and oversaw the day-to-day operations of the creative team within the designated cluster. • Attended company and industry functions to positively represent the agency and bolster staff morale. • Kept abreast with international and local awards and knowledge of award category and submission requirements. • Presented cohesive and persuasive rationales for campaign approaches. • Led the process for strategy, concept, design, production, and post-production until the final material was dispatched at the highest quality. • Positively represented the company as an ambassador for the agency and its brands. -| - | Johannesburg, South Africa Bonolo Modise | Twenty 23 CV | PAGE 06 CREATIVE DIRECTOR & SENIOR COPYWRITER PREVIOUS OCCUPATION @ FCB Joburg DURATION: 3 YEARS REASON FOR LEAVING: Bonolo took over the Tiger Brands portfolio at FCB. RESPONSIBILITIES • Worked on the Absa portfolio as an associate Creative Director and Senior Copywriter. • Consistently drove creative excellence and championed award-winning ideas for the agency that made the bank famous and increased sales. • Identified award-winning opportunities and ensured entry to the correct categories for best results. • Immersed herself in industry and digital trends. • Led the development of brand-appropriate, strategically correct and compelling creative work for all assigned briefs consistently. • Contributed to the strategic and creative development of the agency's marketing and new business development. • Understood Absa's challenges, objectives, industry; business model, key performance indicators and success factors. • Grew and nurtured the creative department through skill training, set high standards and a culture of excellence. • Oversaw creative consultations with account leadership to ensure appropriate creative strategies, adequacy/accuracy of input, schedules, budgets, production support, necessary reviews and client presentations. • Ensured knowledge sharing within the team and foster a spirit of teamwork and camaraderie. • Forged senior-level relationships with clients’ management and their internal departments. • Led everyday briefs as well as proactive thinking. • Guided, inspired, and curated the ideas for the creative department against client briefs. • Ensured the sale and production of creative work answering clients’ business problems and effected positive change. • Set goals for team members and oversaw the day-to-day operations of the creative team within the designated cluster. • Attended company and industry functions to positively represent the agency and bolster staff morale. • Kept abreast with international and local awards and knowledge of award category and submission requirements. • Presented cohesive and persuasive rationales for campaign approaches. • Led the process for strategy, concept, design, production, and post-production until the final material was dispatched at the highest quality. • Positively represented the company as an ambassador for the agency and its brands. -| - | Johannesburg, South Africa Bonolo Modise | Twenty 23 CV | PAGE 07 TEAM LEAD: COPYWRITER & DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER PREVIOUS OCCUPATION @ Metropolitan Republic DURATION: 1 YEAR 1 MONTH REASON FOR LEAVING: Bonolo decided to find a new challenge, at a bigger agency, that would allow her to work on a wide range of brands. RESPONSIBILITIES • Lead writer on LEGiT in charge of crafting the brand’s language and maintaining tone of voice. • Thought strategically when conceptualising ideas for the client in order to come up with creative concepts that solved business problems. • Executed ideas that helped the client’s brand grow and shine across above the line and the digital landscape taking the brand's digital ecosystem into consideration. • Decoded client briefs and executed copy that best sold the brand to the consumer. • Collaborated with an art director to conceptualise and execute groundbreaking ideas. • Worked exceptionally well with the Chief Creative Officer and offered guidance and support to junior creative staff. • Critical thinker that kept up with international & local industry trends in order to have a finger on the pulse of African fashion and urban culture. • Confidently presented /pitched work to clients to acquire new business and grow accounts. • Guided clients and advised them on which new social media channels the brands need to be enlisted on in order to take advantage of the developments. • Compiled social media strategies by researching and analysing the brand, its competitors and the category landscape as a whole to ensure clients had the best possible strategies to implement & execute. • Mentored junior community manager ensuring that as part of the team she learnt and grew into her role. • Ensured that the clients' online reputation was managed correctly and mitigated any crisis before it occurred and contained when there were issues. • Produced digital reports including social media analytics and Google analytics. • Liaised with clients to build excellent relationships. • Managed social media channels to ensure that the brands thrived online. • Collaborated with photographers, directors, stylists and make-up artists to ensure that creative concepts came to life. • Custodian of the content that came out of the studio ensuring that the creative and copy was in line with the client’s content strategy. • Conceptualised and executed ideas that helped clients' brands grow and shine across the digital landscape looking at the brand's digital ecosystem. • Came up with concepts that ensured that Above The Line campaigns are translated into digital and executed to the highest possible standard. • Wrote content for clients including LEGiT, MTN VU and Castle Milk Stout. • Oversaw the content team and briefed on new content and creative requirements as needed by clients ensuring the deliverables were executed in a timely manner. -| - | Johannesburg, South Africa Bonolo Modise | Twenty 23 CV | PAGE 08 SENIOR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER PREVIOUS OCCUPATION @ McCann Worldgroup SA SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER & COPYWRITER PREVIOUS OCCUPATION @ Gloo Digital Design RESPONSIBILITIES RESPONSIBILITIES • Ensured clients got the best possible social media strategy and community management. • Gloo's social media team lead ensuring all clients got the best possible social strategy. • Managed social media pages for KAUAI, Bidvest Waltons and Nestlé BAR-ONE cereal. • Founded and hosted the #Shotleft Chat on Twitter. • First point of contact for customers who engaged with the brands online. • Managed social media pages for South African Tourism Domestic including Sho't Left, Vaya Mzansi and Etela South Africa. Also managed South African Tourism's Africa segment including Safari South Africa and Zuula South Africa • Provided online customer care handling queries or compliments for the respective brands. • Assessed clients’ needs on a day-to-day basis and developed social media strategy to ensure the brand reached and engaged its audience effectively with maximum impact. • Facilitated communication between customers and the brands while ensuring the relationship between the two was always in good standing. • Created monthly content plans taking into consideration key industry events, public holidays, entertainment and social events and the message around the theme of the month that the client wished to communicate to the audience. • Liaised with clients to develop content and social media strategy that was relevant helping the brands to grow. • Oversaw peers who were part of the social media team ensuring delivery of quality work and service to clients. • Actively monitored, listened and responded to users in a timely manner giving detailed feedback with a personalised touch. • Oversaw all designs for social media and ensured only the best creative was used. • Developed content for the various social media channels and managed the respective brands’ online communities. • Was a key player that functioned as part of a multi-disciplined team that achieved campaign objectives and ensured the brand shone online. • The key focus was on client satisfaction and ensuring the brands thrived online. • Compiled monthly reports that provided insights regarding community engagement and growth detailing where the brand needed to expand its online reach next. • Always thought on her feet and found solutions to any unforeseen challenges. • Recognising that social media strategy could not exist on its own, it's always best to integrate it into part of the bigger picture of the brand including Public Relations, Marketing and Advertising. DURATION: 1 YEAR 4 MONTHS DURATION: 8 MONTHS REASON FOR LEAVING: Bonolo sought to branch out into new avenues. She needed to be in a company where there was room for growth and career development. REASON FOR LEAVING: Bonolo was invited to join McCann Digital that was assembled from scratch as a new division at McCann Worldgroup. -| - | Johannesburg, South Africa Bonolo Modise | Twenty 23 CV | PAGE 09 SENIOR JOURNALIST, ONLINE CONTENT EDITOR & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER PREVIOUS OCCUPATION @ DRUM Magazine RESPONSIBILITIES • Managed content for the website, DRUM mobile and the publication’s social networks including Twitter and Facebook. • Wrote celebrity news, hard news stories and cover features that are newsy, exciting, informative and entertaining for the target audience • Managed and wrote content for an additional three pages on international celebrities and events • One of only two mid-senior journalists at DRUM that wrote all categories from hard news to entertainment, fashion and entrepreneurship. • Attended social events in order to update the little black book with contacts ranging from entertainment celebs to sports stars, government officials and businessmen getting scoops for the magazine • Project managed the Win A Dream White Wedding Competition with DRUM and White Star from the selection phase of the couple and ensured that the wedding hosted in Richmond, KZN, was a stunning success DURATION: 1 YEAR 1 MONTH REASON FOR LEAVING: Bonolo wanted to branch out into a different part of the media industry and this was her opportunity to get into advertising and digital marketing. • During the Wedding Project, she was the brand liaison for DRUM managing sponsor expectations and satisfaction while ensuring that the Winners’ dream wedding came true. • Organised, scheduled and managed photo shoots • Interviewed subjects to get riveting news for stories -| - | Johannesburg, South Africa Bonolo Modise | Twenty 23 CV | PAGE 10 PERSONALITY & INTERESTS I’m the firstborn at home. This has anchored my ability to lead and nurture those around me. In most spaces, I’m seen as the “older sister”, and I am often the person who resolves problems. I’m passionate about people and their well-being, so I always do my best to make sure everyone around me is taken care of. My first instinct in any conflict is to keep calm and find a constructive resolution. Kindness is my superpower and it’s proven to be contagious. Over the years I have mentored, trained and coached a lot of young people in and out of the advertising industry. I believe my biggest purpose in life is to serve others and make the world around me a better place for all who come into contact with me. I’m crazy about fashion because it helps me express my personality. Over the years I’ve developed a particular sense of style and my hair is usually a big attraction wherever I go. I’m anything but conventional. I’m also a big sports fan! I support athletes like Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, and teams like FC Barcelona. Ever since I visited India in 2013, I’ve been determined to travel and explore more cultures. I’ve since been to other countries, including Japan and Hong Kong, and this has fueled my desire to tour the African continent and to see more of the world. I want to experience different cultures and rid myself of any ignorance or prejudice I may have. I currently run and own The Curve Revolution; a company that partly focuses on celebrating creative Black women who are setting a great example for others by excelling in their respective worlds. I’m interested in gender equality and women empowerment. I could say that I’m a feminist, but this term has sadly been contorted to mean something else. So, for me, it’s important to be a Human Being who is well and does good. Finally, I am on a journey to increase the representation of Black people in spaces that traditionally lack diversity. Hopefully this will culminate in a non-governmental organisation that fosters fair access to education and career opportunities for youths from underprivileged backgrounds. GET IN TOUCH BONOLO MODISE Creative Director & Senior Copywriter-- JOHANNESBURG | SOUTH AFRICA GENDER Female PRONOUNS She/Her FLUENT IN 1. English 2. Setswana 3. Sesotho 4. IsiZulu 5. IsiXhosa LOCATION Johannesburg, South Africa REMUNERATION Project based DRIVER’S LICENSE Code 10