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Michael Lees-Rolfe

One of SA’s most highly-awarded Executive Creative Directors with 18 years experience across some of the country’s most loved brands. I believe in developing powerful, strategically-led creative ideas that deliver business results. This commitment is best exemplified by my winning the Loerie Integrated Grand Prix that also won Apex and Loerie Effectiveness Gold for the Ster-Kinekor brand. 

Brand Experience: Highly varied with deep experience in Financial, Alcohol and Automotive sectors.

Coronation, FNB, Volkswagen, Coca-Cola, Tiger Brands, Ster-Kinekor, BrandHouse, Drive Dry, Mediclinic, AB-Inbev, MWEB, Halls, SAMPRO Dairy, Cadbury, LIberty, Frank.net, 1Life, WWF.

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Awards and Accolades (1999-2019)

CREATIVE CIRCLE AD OF THE YEAR:

  • 2011 - Brandhouse Drive Dry: Digital 1st Place

  • 2011 – MWEB “spam filter” press : 2nd place

  • 2013 - Ad of the Year – Ster-Kinekor “Intersection” TVC : 2nd Place

  • 2017 – Ad of the Year/SK#OpenEyes Integrated: 1st Place 

  • 2017 – Ad of the Year/SK#OpenEyes Digital & Interactive: 1st Place 

  • 2017 – Ad of the Year/SK#OpenEyes TV, Film & Video Communications: 3rd Place 

  • 2019 - Ad of the Year/ NGK “Don’t Search, Discover” Press and Magazine: 2nd Place

LOERIE AWARDS:

  • 2009 – Volswagen Golf – “Lucky” - TV and cinema Gold

  • 2009 – Volswagen Toaureg – “thread” – OOH - Silver

  • 2009 – Volswagen Toaureg – “Perspectives” – OOH Campaign Silver

  • 2009 – Clorets eliminator – “Targets” – Instore Design - Bronze

  • 2010 – Stimorol Airush – “New Guy” - TV and Cinema Bronze

  • 2011 – Volkswagen Golf “Silent Movie Titles” – Campaign Silver

  • 2011 - Brandhouse (Love to meet you): Internet Mobile Interaction Communication - Gold 

  • 2011 - National Geographic Kids (8 Ink Media): Suburbia Can’t compete Print - Silver

  • 2011 - MWEB (Businesses look better online): Print Communication Newspaper - Bronze

  • 2011 - MWEB (Blocked Spam Filter): Print Communication Tactical use of Newspaper - Silver

  • 2011 - MWEB (Radio Spam): Radio Communication short format - Campaign Bronze

  • 2011 - Frank.Net (What isn’t Coming): Radio Communication short format- Campaign Gold 

  • 2011 - Frank.Net  (The Tshabalala Account): Television, Film& Video Communication- Bronze

  • 2011- Frank.Net (Life cover, Serious illness, Salary protection): Integrated Campaign- Campaign Silver

  • 2011- Brandhouse  (Love to meet you): Integrated Campaign- Campaign Silver

  • 2013 – Ster Kinekor (SWAT/Surprise): Newspaper Bronze

  • 2013 – Ster Kinekor (Intersection): Loeries TV & Cinema Gold

  • 2016 – Ster Kinekor (The Reign of the IT Guy): Radio: Campaign Bronze 

  • 2016 – Ster Kinekor (The Reign of the IT Guy): Radio: Campaign Craft Certificate 

  • 2016 – Ster Kinekor (#OpenEyes) PR: Campaign Gold

  • 2016 – Ster Kinekor (#OpenEyes) Branded Content Video: Gold

  • 2016 – Ster Kinekor (#OpenEyes) Integrated Campaign: Gold

  • 2016 – Ster Kinekor (#OpenEyes) Integrated Campaign: Grand Prix 

  • 2016 – Rediscover Dairy (Just Enough Eneergy for Teens: Pool) TV & Cinema: Silver 

  • 2017 – Ster Kinekor (#Openeyes) Creative Effectiveness: Gold 

  • 2018 – National Geographic Magazine ‘Life Beyond the Logo’: Puma, Red Bull, Angry Birds: Silver

  • 2018 – Ster Kinekor ‘Reign of Ian Film’: Film Craft Certificate

  • 2019 -  NGK “Don’t Search, Discover” Press and Magazine: Campaign Gold

  • 2019 -  Mediclinic ER24 “Save the Number” Innovative media -  Campaign Bronze

BOOKMARKS

  • 2011 – Drive Dry (Silver)

  • 2017 – Ster Kinekor Open Eyes Content Strategy – Gold 

  • 2017 – Ster Kinekor Open Eyes Digital Campaign – Silver

  • 2017 – Ster Kinekor Open Eyes Branded Content – Silver 

  • 2017 – Ster Kinekor Open Eyes Social Media Campaign – Silver 

  • 2018 – Ster-Kinekor Van Der Merwe Content Strategy – Bronze 

  • 2019 -  Mediclinic ER24 “Save the Number” Use of Social -  Campaign Bronze

CANNES:

  • 2009 – Volswagen Golf – “Lucky” - TV and cinema Shortlist

  • 2010 – Stimorol Airush – “New Guy” - TV and Cinema _ Shortlist

  • 2011 – Volkswagen Golf “Silent Movie Titles” – Print Shortlist

  • 2013 - Frank.net “What isn’t coming”- Radio campaign:  Bronze

  • 2013 – Ster Kinekor (Intersection): Shortlist

  • 2014 - National Geographic Kids: “Suburbia Can’t compete” - Magazine Campaign: Shortlist

  • 2017 – Ster-Kinekor Bearded Icarus Radio: Shortlist 

ONE SHOW:

  • 2011 – Volkswagen Golf “Silent Movie Titles” – Merit

  • 2017 – Ster Kinekor #OpenEyes: Public Relations: Bronze

  • 2017 – Ster Kinekor #OpenEyes: Branded Entertainment: Merit 

D&AD

  • 2009 – Volswagen Toaureg – “Perspectives” – OOH - In-book Award

  • 2012: Frank.Net (What isn’t Coming) Radio: In-book Award

CLIOS:

  • 2009 – Volswagen Golf – “Lucky” - TV and cinema Shortlist

  • 2011 - National Geographic Kids (8 Ink Media): Magazine Campaign Bronze

  • 2011 - MWEB: Newspaper “ SPAM FILTER” Bronze

APEX:

  • 2012 – Frank.Net Launch - Gold 

  • 2012 – Brandhouse Drive Dry: Bronze

  • 2014 – Ster Kinekor Great Moments at their Grestest : Gold 

  • 2015 – Ster Kinekor FOMO: Silver

  • 2017 – Ster Kinekor Open Eyes: Silver (Change Category) 

  • 2019 - Sanlan Indiefin “Responsible Yet Selfish”  - Bronze (Change Category)

DIAGEO AWARDS:

  • 2011 - Diageo Marketing Brilliance Awards Africa Winner, Best Responsible Drinking Campaign

  • 2012 - Diageo Marketing Brilliance Awards International Winner, Best Responsible Drinking Campaign

  • 2012 - Diageo Marketing Brilliance Awards Africa Winner, Best Responsible Drinking Campaign

  • 2013 - Diageo Marketing Brilliance Awards – Best CSR campaign

DENTSU GLOBAL INNOVATION AWARDS:

  • 2017 - Open Eyes Campaign in the Breakthrough ideas category – Silver 

  • 2017 - Open Eyes Campaign in the Building new Brand Fame & Scale category – Silver 

  • 2018 – Indiefin Mullet Campaign:  Proving Marketing Effectiveness  – Gold

  • 2018 – Indiefin Mullet Campaign: Winning in the World of Content - Silver

EPICA AWARDS:

  • 2018 – National Geographic Kids Life Beyond the Logo / Angry Birds Print:  Grand Prix