Andy Dippenaar.
I’m a Zimbabwean-born, South African copywriter and creative director living in the UK.
Schooled in three of South Africa’s biggest and top-ranked global agencies, I co-founded an independent creative studio now in its 26th successful year.
I’ve worked on the world’s best known brands, on feisty challenger brands and have helped maverick start-up brands get going.
I’ve contributed to work that’s had success on the international awards stage and that’s also shown its worth at the cash register.
I’m on a mission the prove the power of creativity in business.
Intelligent creativity makes brands distinctive, creates enduring connections and makes budgets work harder. It’s how you outwit your competition and succeed more quickly.
For ambitious brands, creativity is an indispensable tool. It’s a business advantage, not a luxury.
Brand strategy. Creative platforms. Advertising concepts. Creative direction.
I’m an explorer.
I hunt for strategic advantage. It’s the only thing that leads to relevant, distinctive and enduring ideas. These are the kind that drive change.
I build powerful creative platforms; the crucial bridge between strategy and execution.
I conceive, write and guide integrated advertising campaigns and work across all platforms and disciplines.
I help brands find their place in the world and win the fame they deserve.
On working with focus.
I think of creativity as the sharp end of the arrow.
It’s the bit that sticks.
But an arrow only gets where it’s going if it’s straight and balanced.
That’s strategy. If the strategy is not singular and clear, the work won’t be either.
A good creative will make awesome stuff.
A good creative director will ensure the awesome stuff works.
Let’s get things done.
It’s exciting having ideas. Like it’s exciting having soapy water and a little stick with a round thing on the end.
But they’re pretty useless if you don’t know what to do next. You need to know how and where to apply pressure.
Part of my usefulness as a creative director is not just having and recognising good ideas, but also knowing how to get them done.
It’s about discovering the best talent, finding the right resources, solving practical problems and then simply leading everyone to do their best.
“Big ideas are usually simple ideas.”
David Ogilvy
Creativity is the spark that helps brands grow sronger.
You can’t inform people into loving you.
It’s creativity that gives you this power. Creativity helps you stand out.
It gives you an advantage.
As a creative director with an abundance of well-earned grey hair on my head, I’ve learnt how to distil loads of information and quickly discover the fascinating, often-missed, useful bits that make better work.
Because better work works better.
