Making the announcement, Draftfcb South Africa Chief Creative Officer, Brett Morris, said the agency was fortunate to count Mashigo as one of its most ‘valuable assets’.



“As a creative, Neo has certainly come into his own over the past few years. Not only did he win South Africa’s first Gold Loerie for radio spots made in vernacular (Setswana), his performance at that awards ceremony saw him nab second spot on the Loerie Awards Creative Director ranking table for 2011.



“Neo is a brilliant creative to have sparking on your team adding so much in terms of really understanding the client’s business as well as the consumer that client needs to talk to. Announcing his promotion gave me such a buzz, and I know he’ll make a real difference on so many levels at the agency and on the business he works.”



Mashigo started making ads at home with his art director friend while studying for his B.Com. He then applied for the Creative Directors Forum Abakhethwa programme designed to give young people from previously disadvantaged backgrounds a chance to get into Advertising. From there, he joined Net#work BBDO, where he wrote his first radio award winners for SABC 1 and Metro FM. Before joining Draftfcb Johannesburg, he worked for Ogilvy Johannesburg on clients such as KFC, DSTV and SA Tourism.



Some of Mashigo’s work has become part of the colloquial language of South Africa: he penned the popular phrases ‘are you free or are you dom?’ and ‘we’ve been having it’, both part of campaigns for Vodacom. Mashigo is a member of the Creative Circle’s executive committee and a Loerie Awards committee member.