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HELLO!

I'M DEANNE.

CREATIVE   WRITER   STRATEGIST   SPEAKER   TRAINER   STORYTELLER

D

COPYWRITER, ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND CREATIVE STRATEGIST ARE SOME OF THE TITLES THAT HAVE APPEARED ON DEANNE’S CV OVER THE 13 YEARS SHE’S SPENT IN AD AND TECH LAND. SHE’S CURRENTLY A CREATIVE AGENCY PARTNER FOR AGENCIES ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA.

HERE ARE 5 THINGS DEANNE LOVES DOING:

  1. COMING UP WITH BIG (SOMETIMES HUGE) IDEAS

  2. CREATING STRONG STRATEGIES

  3. WRITING ABOUT BIG IDEAS AND STRONG STRATEGIES

  4. TALKING ABOUT HERSELF IN THE THIRD PERSON

  5. WRITING LISTS
     

IT'S WHAT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR

WELCOME TO
MY PORTFOLIO

I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING...

WHERE HAVE I BEEN

ALL YOUR LIFE?

2021-NOW

TIKTOK DUBAI

Creative Agency Partner, MEA

Creative Strategy Lead, ZA and PK

Associate Creative Director, Creative Lab
I started the latest chapter of my creative career in 2021 by joining the fastest growing social platform, and I've been learning at break-neck speed every day since. I get to use all the skills I acquired in my years in creative agencies to build region-wide creative marketing strategies, produce innovative creative campaigns, and work with my fellow agency creatives to push the creative bounds further than ever before on the ever-advancing platform. 

2019-2021

RAPP DUBAI

Associate Creative Director

Creative Studio Lead
I started at RAPP Dubai as a Senior Copywriter, working on MetLife Insurance, MG Motor and Emirates Group brands. We won two pitches in the Upfield portfolio during the 2020 lockdown.

In 2021, I was promoted to Associate Creative Director, leading the full creative studio oerseeing both pitch and day-to-day TTL campaigns, including our agency's very first TikTok campaign pitch: a sign for times to come.  

2018-2019

HAVAS MENA

Senior Copywriter

On my first day at Havas I joined the pitch team for Fox+ and National Geographic Abu Dhabi, which we were thrilled to win. I also kept busy on quite a few others including 

First Abu Dhabi Bank, Veet, Durex, Mortein, and Peugeot.

2017-2018

WUNDERMAN THOMPSON MENA

Senior Copywriter
Wunderman was my introduction to the wonderful sandpit, I mean, Middle East. I was shipped over the pond from South Africa to work on Microsoft, but also got to work on Dubai Tourism, Panadol, Sunsilk, and Nana.

2013-2017

M&C SAATCHI ABEL CAPE TOWN

Copywriter
I spent almost 5 years at good ol' M&C, being inspired by incredible people and working on exciting brands. These included MWEB (telecommunications), 10X (finance and investment), Superbalist.com and Takealot.com (e-comm), Yardley (beauty), Virgin Active, and a number of NGO projects.

2011-2012

JUPITER DRAWING ROOM
(UTOPIA) CAPE TOWN

Copywriter

I spent my first year in the big bad world of advertising as one of the eight 'bright young things' chosen by Jupiter Drawing Room founder Graham Warsop. It is a fresh-talent creative development agency where I worked alongside some amazing minds on a variety of NGOs.

2010

OGILVY & MATHER CAPE TOWN

Copywriter Intern
I spent a wonderful month at the biggest agency in

Cape Town in awe of some of the best talent in the country, learning more than I had in my entire post-graduate copywriting course and making coffee for the Traffic Manager.

PORTFOLIO
EXPERIENCEO
AWARDS

AWARDS:

2 X CANNES LIONS SHORTLIST 2021

2 X BRONZE DUBAI LYNX AWARDS 2021

2 X ONE SHOW ASIA AWARDS 2021

1 X SILVER CRESTA AWARD 2020

1 X SILVER LISBON AD FESTIVAL AWARD 2020

1 X BRONZE LISBON AD FESTIVAL AWARD 2020

1 X CRYSTAL AD STAR AWARD 2020

2 X BRONZE BOOKMARK AWARDS 2019

3 X MARK LIVES AD OF THE WEEK 2016, 2017, 2018

1 X SILVER CREATIVE CIRCLE AWARD 2018

2 X BRONZE PIXEL AWARDS 2018

2 X GOLD ASSEGAI AWARDS 2017

CONTACT
ENOUGH ABOUT ME

Tell me about you:

deannehofhuis@gmail.com

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Compliments, suggestions, cheese deliveries welcome. 

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