"I'm very fortunate to have received an opportunity to join one of the best agencies in the US right now – David The Agency in Miami. This is thanks to a lot of people, mostly my ‘creative mom’, Mariana O’Kelly, executive creative director at Ogilvy Johannesburg. This has always been my dream; to spread my wings, see the world, take what the South African creative industry taught me to the world, learn from this journey, then come back home and pass on my learnings," says Mhlungu.

"I’m nervous, but it's mixed with excitement. I’m going to a city I don’t know, I’m going to work at an agency I don’t know, with people that I don’t know. The only thing that I do know is that I’ve got some ideas, and for now, that’s the only thing that’s keeping me sane," he adds.

Izelle Venter, chairperson of the Pendoring board and channel head at VIA, says, "Pendoring is extremely proud of Melusi (and all the other creatives who do South Africa proud) and wishes him well in his new and exciting endeavour in Miami. For Pendoring, this is just the start of rewarding creatives in South Africa’ s vernacular languages – other than Afrikaans."

Besides winning the Pendoring’s Umpetha Award as joint overall winner for the best vernacular advertising in 2016, Mhlungu has also received other awards. These include Cannes Bronze and five shortlists, five Clio shortlists, a One Show shortlist (both New York-based awards), Gold, Silver, and Bronze Loeries, three Pendoring Golds, three Silvers, and two runners up awards for Ad of the Year. He was also an RAB Brave Radio competition winner.

Mhlungu was also named South African Young Creative of the Year in 2015, which took him to Cannes where he competed against other young creatives from across the world.

"Awards certainly are not the most important possessions one can ever have, and I don’t run my life on awards, but they do prepare you for the moment somebody recognises you. They kind of put you on the front line and give you that extra creative edge," he says.

While studying advertising at Vega, one of Mhlungu's dreams was to work for one of the biggest ad agencies in South Africa.

“This I managed to do when I was appointed copywriter at FCB, and subsequently at Ogilvy. My next goal was to be awarded South African Young Creative of the Year, which I achieved in 2015. My next dream was to work in ad land in the US, and now that’s finally happening. This is not the ultimate dream. One day I want to have my own agency,” he says.

Mhlungu says that he is proud of his mother and her five sisters, all of whom he considers his mothers. "One of them (Nomsa) worked at Leo Burnett and that was how I learnt about advertising. By telling me about her job, she ignited the advertising flame in me. And by watching hours and hours of bad ads on TV as a kid, my interest in advertising steadily increased. Not for one moment have I ever regretted joining the advertising world."

Besides O’Kelly, Mhlungu says that Brett Morris (FCB Africa CEO) and Neo Mashigo (creative partner, M&C Saatchi Group) have been his mentors. "At different stages of my creative life, they not only pushed me but allowed me to push myself. They all played different parts and endlessly contributed to a fulfilling creative journey," Mhlungu concludes. "This is only the beginning – South African creatives are coming for the world."

For more information, visit www.pendoring.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook.