Nyengo Sambo
PORTFOLIO
Creative + Art Direction | Copywriting | Marketing + Design
A BIT ABOUT ME
I’m a creative professional with over 5 years transforming ideas into impactful campaigns. My journey has spanned from DHI Group, Beem Africa to Ogilvy Africa and The Foschini Group, honing my skills in marketing, design, creative and art direction in concept and on-set, digital strategy,creative management and leadership. I’m results-driven and always aiming to push boundaries.
"Make it simple, but significant."
- Don Draper
Education
High school
Attended Willowridge High from 2010 to 2014, matriculating with a bachelor’s pass.
Ongoing learning
I have attained professional certificates from Google Analytics Academy, Hubspot Academy & Microsoft in efforts to enhance my knowledge, and I’m not stopping there.
Higher education
Currently completing my BCom Marketing Management degree with MANCOSA.
Beem Africa
As an Account Manager at Beem Africa, I navigated clients to mobile marketing success, crafting bespoke strategies and out-of-the-box solutions that helped reach various targets.
Feb 2019 - Feb 2020
Ogilvy Africa [Malawi Partner]
As an art director and digital strategist in Malawi, I led creative teams to craft top-tier campaigns for brands like Airtel, FDH Bank, Multichoice, and Castel, ensuring captivating visuals and impactful digital strategies resonated with the local audience.
Feb 2020 - Oct 2022
The Foschini Group[The FIX]
As Creative Manager at The FIX, I orchestrated captivating nationwide campaigns, elevating brand presence across multiple platforms. I led a team of creatives in crafting visually striking content, seamlessly translating concepts into final products through my expertise in graphic design, video production, and creative direction.
Jun 2023 - Jan 2024
Hopefully your organization
As a creative professional and pupil of the world, I hope to contribute my creative vision and expertise to drive impactful campaigns that elevate YOUR brand's presence and resonate with YOUR audiences.
Present - Future
Work experience
Efficient
Culturally aware
Strategic thinker
Team player
Passionate storyteller
"Less is more."
- Mies van der Rohe
Skills and abilities
deep dive into my Skills & Expertise
Design
Technical
- Logo Design
- Brand Identity
- Poster Design
- Environmental Design
- Service Design
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Affinity Photo + Designer
- Final Cut Pro & Canva
Specialized
- Project Management
- Corporate Identity + Communication
- Team Leadership
- End-to-end creative management
- Supplier acquisition + Negotiation
- Strong Communication & Collaboration
- Creative Strategy + Direction
- Budget Management
- Market Research
Notable campaigns
“people will never forget how you made them feel."
- Maya Angelou
Airtel MoFaya
MoFaya: A Playful Campaign Harnessing Everyday Chaos
- Challenge: Transform everyday mishaps into relatable scenarios that showcase Airtel's product reliability.
- Solution: Developed a series of eye-catching print ads using humor and visual storytelling to highlight product benefits in unexpected situations.
- Client: Airtel
- Medium: Print
- Year: 2022
Brief:
Airtel's competitors[TNM] shook things up with a massive data price drop. But their network? Not so reliable. Airtel, with its superior speed and coverage, needed to highlight that it's not just about price – it's about a connection you can count on.
Approach:
We flipped the script, embracing life's little mishaps. Taxi breakdowns, tardy tailors, cringe-worthy proposals – all relatable frustrations for Malawians. We poked fun at these everyday calamities while positioning Airtel's MoFaya bundle as the one thing you can always rely on. It's not just data; it's peace of mind in a chaotic world.
Results:
Increased brand engagement and boosted product confidence among target audience.
Ufulu 525: Democratizing Digital in Malawi
- Challenge: Overcoming perceptions of digital banking as exclusive and intimidating in a predominantly cash-based society.
- Solution: Developed a vibrant, multi-channel campaign celebrating everyday Malawians using FDH's digital services, emphasizing accessibility and ease of use.
- Medium: Press, TVC, OOH, Social Media
- Client: FDH Bank Plc.
- Year: 2021
FDH Ufulu 525
Brief:
Reposition a USSD-based digital banking product, previously perceived as exclusive, to appeal to the masses.
Approach:
Partnered with a beloved local artist Namadingo as brand ambassador to lead a multi-platform campaign celebrating the product's accessibility. The campaign featured the artist in print ads and a TVC embodying everyday Malawians using the product, along with a catchy jingle and music video featuring other popular artists. The campaign's message, "Osamangika" (Don't be held up/restricted), resonated with the target audience, driving unprecedented customer acquisition growth.
TVC: https://vimeo.com/949413521?share=copy
Result: The campaign quickly gained popularity, leading to the highest growth in customer acquisition on the platform for the year.
08
FDH Koleza Moto:
Fueling National Pride through Football:
- Medium: Social Media
- Client: FDH
- Year: 2021
Koleza Moto fueled a nationwide fervor for football, uniting Malawians in a shared celebration of national pride. This FDH-led social media campaign tapped into the unifying power of sport, forging a passionate community and amplifying the roar of Malawi's football spirit during the AFCON.
- Brief: FDH Bank, sponsor of Malawi's national football team, sought to reignite national pride and rally support as the team returned to the AFCON 2021 competition after an 11-year hiatus.
- Creative Concept: We tapped into the unwavering loyalty of Malawian football fans, empowering them to become the driving force behind the team's success. The Koleza Moto (Fan the Flame) campaign harnessed the collective voice of the nation, using fan imagery, social media engagement, and a call to wear national team jerseys on Fridays to fuel the team's spirit. A heartfelt video featuring messages of support from FDH staff and customers further amplified the campaign's impact.
- Results: The campaign ignited a nationwide wave of enthusiasm, uniting Malawians in their unwavering support for the Flames. This groundswell of national pride propelled the team to their best-ever AFCON performance, solidifying Koleza Moto as a symbol of unity and sporting passion.
A Showcase of my Ideas, Unbound by Brief
"Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it."
- Salvador Dali
Ad concepts
"There's a beauty in imperfection."
- Virgil Abloh
"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong." - Joseph Chilton Pearce
"If you can design one thing, you can design everything."
- Massimo Vignelli
Storyboard concept
"Creativity is just connecting things."
- Steve Jobs
Photoshoots
"It is more important to click with people than to click the shutter."
- Alfred Eisenstaedt
All directed and put together by Nyengo Sambo
As Creative Manager at TFG’s brand - The FIX, with the "DNM OR NTHN" campaign, we challenged conventions by immersing streetwear denim in an unexpected setting: a rugged quarry. This juxtaposition of urban style against a raw, industrial backdrop created a visually arresting narrative, highlighting the versatility and edgy spirit of the collection.
Experience the unexpected: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cx-NUc_MBXy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D
Tool: Sony Alpha
Software: Adobe Lightroom + Adobe Photoshop
The FIX "DNM OR NTHN" 2023: Denim Redefined
The FIX “Freshmen” 2024, Playful Preppy
The "Freshmen" campaign, a visual refresh reflecting the brand's playful, preppy evolution. We captured vibrant imagery that embodies the new direction and resonates with the target audience.
See the results here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3UfxIotRvO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D
Tool: Sony Alpha
Software: Adobe Lightroom + Adobe Photoshop
The FIX "Fan Me Off I'm Hot" 2023: A Poolside Fashion Fantasy
Taking inspiration from Beyoncé's "HEATED," we plunged The FIX's latest collection into an unexpected setting: a sun-drenched poolside scene. This bold creative direction, juxtaposing high fashion with everyday leisure, resonated with our audience and showcased the collection's versatility in a refreshingly playful way.
See the sizzle here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3UfxIotRvO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Tools: Sony Alpha, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop
The FIX "New SZN Drip" 2023: A Generative AI Fashion Fusion
For The FIX's "New SZN Drip" campaign, we harnessed the power of generative AI to showcase the collection's fresh energy. In a bold move, we embraced the limitations of a small backdrop, transforming it into a visually stunning landscape through AI-powered image manipulation. This innovative approach allowed us to seamlessly integrate our hot products into a captivating virtual world, ensuring a flawless final product that captured the essence of the new season's style.
See the AI-enhanced vision: https://www.instagram.com/p/C16fTl0s-Fb/
Tools: Sony Alpha, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Generative AI
ThankS for scrolling by
keen to work with you
nyengosambo@gmail.com
Mobile
071 589 3423
Location
Pretoria, South Africa
Sometimes Johannesburg
"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships."
- Michael Jordan