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Johannesburg offers nest to creative talent
Gareth Lessing and Niki Cinnamon have created The Nest, an advertising agency based in Johannesburg, that offers a place to nurture creative talent. Both from DDB SA, with 16 and 10 years respectively in the business, Lessing and Cinnamon believe they can spot raw talent and encourage its development.
Lessing has worked for top agencies such as TBWA Hunt Lascaris and Lowe Bull and was voted as one of the top 10 creative directors in South Africa for the last three years. He has won one of the five Cannes Grand Prixs in SA as well as five Gold Lions, two Gold Clios, a Gold Pencil, a Black Eagle and ten Gold Eagles, three Loerie Grand Prixs and 16 Golds and a Gold Apex amongst other awards.
Cinnamon has managed clients at JWT Johannesburg, King James Cape Town, Black River FC and DDB SA. In the course of her career, she has risen from account exec to manager and then to director in a through-the-line capacity, working on varied clients from liquor and research to fashion and insurance.
For Lessing, the way for brands to truly shine and find a way into consumers' hearts is through ideas. "Great advertising comes from insightful ideas, not ads, but ideas that people connect with, recognise and accept as a part of their lives," he says.
