Mike Schalit honoured at Creative Circle awards

Schalit follows in the footsteps of South Africa's greatest creative minds, such as Willie Sonnenberg, John Hunt, Robyn Putter and Roger Makin.

Four nominated potential award recipients were put to the vote by their peers. This is the eighth time that the Creative Circle has made this award.

"This is a great honour and I like to think I might be making some difference in the creative industry in this country, but hey, I'm just getting started," says Schalit.

Schalit says he never set out to win accolades, but has always instinctively looked to original ideas to break away from what he calls - "the wall of consumer indifference and the wallpaper of mediocrity". His creative thought leadership comes at a crucial time - when smart marketers are realising the financial benefit of breakthrough creativity.

Schalit began his career as a budding rock musician and then turned to advertising. He started with J. Walter Thompson (JWT) as a trainee copywriter and later moved on to become deputy creative director to John Hunt at TBWA Hunt Lascaris. He took the plunge on the eve of SA's first democratic elections in 1994 to co-start his own agency, which is now in its 11th year of existence. Net#work BBDO is currently ranked as the most creative advertising agency in South Africa, has won Ad Agency of the Year repeatedly and has been voted Best Advertising Agency to Work For by Deloittes three years in succession. It is currently the 10th best overall company to work for in South Africa.