Mzoxolo Gcwabe

After founding Head Honcho, the biggest streetwear and lifestyle brand in South Africa at time (2008-2018) with Nick Koama my business partner, we took our nearly decade worth of business experience and marketing prowess and started an agency called 6th Ave. Our long-term activity in youth culture had us working with the likes of Distell, BAT and Sportscene. As Creative Director of 6th Ave, I headed the design team, art directed photo shoots, executed digital campaigns and came up with marketing strategies that helped ingrain our clients with their audiences. My work with Head honcho and 6th Ave took me to Woolworths as a graphic designer in the men’s clothing division. In 2019, I moved to Johannesburg to work for Motherboard as the Digital Creative Director, working on brands like Jose Cuevo, ABSA, Grants Whiskey, Fent, and Gleddich. As of 2021, I became a senior digital art director and later became Digital Creative at Brave Group. My journey in Digital is one I am passionate about; I spend a lot of time honing my craft and enjoying every bit of it 

Creative Director 6th Ave Group 2015-2018 

As Creative Director at 6th Ave Group, I developed digital strategies and produced events for companies like Sportscene and Hunter’s Extreme. I helped conceptualize digital campaigns, styled and art directed photoshoots, and created and produced Capsule Fest in collaboration with Sportscene in 2017. 

Achievements: Conceptualized and executed the Hunter’s Extreme Go Bold campaign with Quirk digital. Creative Directed and Styled 8 Sportscene shoots; Styled the Steers x The Plug #Respek series. Creative Directed The Capsule Fest digital Strat. The Capsule Fest generated more than R 2,5 million media coverage 

Creative Director And Co-founder Head Honcho 2008 - 2018 

Head Honcho started out as a clothing label in 2008, and quickly grew into one of South Africa’s biggest streetwear brands. We were stocked in Sportscene stores and Shesha nationwide. We worked with top brands including Miller Beer, Black Berry, Hunter’s Extreme, Jameson and Rapper AKA, while also hosting unique urban events like Stay Fresh and Birthday Bash. 

In the end we achieved an annual revenue of R4 million. 

Designer Woolworths 2017-2019 

As designer at woolworths, I used trends to build collections, design patterns and graphics for their mens wear division. 

Digital Creative Director Motherboard 2019-2020 

As Digital Creative Director of mother board, I was part of a small team that managed to turn even smaller budgets in impactful campaigns that achieved great results for our clients and gave us amazing radar scores. Achievements. Redesigned the C.I. of a ride hauling app. Won a Assagi award and a Creative circle award. Won 5 pitches in a year and helped the business retain millions, Including ABSA RBB. 

Senior Digital Art Director Brave Group 2020 - 2021 

As part of a much larger creative team we continue to build on our digital portfolio and gain industry recognition, my experience in digital has made me play an integral part in that. As senior digital art director I also play an important role in providing vauble counsel and direction when it comes to digital ideation. Winning an Assigai Leader Award and a Creative Circle Award too. 

Group Head /Art Director Brave Group 2021 - 2022 

As group head my scope of work included mentoring creatives and helping our creative directors deliver quality work in the bounds of client expectations 

Digital Creative Director Brave Group 2022 

As Creative Director, I have lead our team to numerous pitch wins as well as gaining the trust of clients to shoot compelling digital content. 

Vega School Cape Town 2007-2010 

BA, Brand Communication Specializing in Visual Communication. Majored in Art Direction 

CPUT Cape Town 2006 

Electrical Engineering Diploma (Incomplete) 

Rhodes High School Cape Town 2001-2005 

Matriculated 2005. Head Boy, Chairman of the Representative Council of Learners. Governing body Member. Captain of the Debating Team.