I'm Taariq Jappie, a Certified Creative Director with 8+ years of experience in digital media, advertising and film production. I am a licensed freelance professional with twofour54 and the Creative Media Authority in Abu Dhabi, available for immediate contract, freelance, or permanent roles. I have a proven track record of delivering high-quality creative assets on tight deadlines and I bring both technical expertise and a strong creative vision to production houses and media agencies in Abu Dhabi. I lead integrated campaigns from concept to execution, building scalable brand systems and directing on-set production. My work blends authentic, human-centered visual direction with AI-powered workflows to keep campaigns visually compelling, strategically grounded, and future-ready.…

Taariq Jappie

I'm Taariq Jappie, a Certified Creative Director with 8+ years of experience in digital media, advertising and film production. I am a licensed freelance professional with twofour54 and the Creative Media Authority in Abu Dhabi, available for immediate contract, freelance, or permanent roles. I have a proven track record of delivering high-quality creative assets on tight deadlines and I bring both technical expertise and a strong creative vision to production houses and media agencies in Abu Dhabi. I lead integrated campaigns from concept to execution, building scalable brand systems and directing on-set production. My work blends authentic, human-centered visual direction with AI-powered workflows to keep campaigns visually compelling, strategically grounded, and future-ready.…

Available to hire

I’m Taariq Jappie, a Certified Creative Director with 8+ years of experience in digital media, advertising and film production. I am a licensed freelance professional with twofour54 and the Creative Media Authority in Abu Dhabi, available for immediate contract, freelance, or permanent roles. I have a proven track record of delivering high-quality creative assets on tight deadlines and I bring both technical expertise and a strong creative vision to production houses and media agencies in Abu Dhabi.

I lead integrated campaigns from concept to execution, building scalable brand systems and directing on-set production. My work blends authentic, human-centered visual direction with AI-powered workflows to keep campaigns visually compelling, strategically grounded, and future-ready.

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Work Experience

Creative Director at twofour54 Abu Dhabi - Media and Entertainment Hub
March 1, 2026 - Present
Lead creative direction for integrated campaigns from concept through on-set production, building scalable brand systems and guiding on-set production. Specialize in portraiture, product and street culture photography; act as art director and creator of the full visual direction. Proficient in Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud; integrate AI tools to accelerate concepting, pre-visualization and post-production.
Graphic Designer, Marketing and Social Media Coordinator & Photographer/Videographer at The Developing Child Centre
January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025
Developed and implemented social media marketing strategies to increase brand awareness and engagement, resulting in a 20% increase in followers and a 15% increase in website traffic. Created compelling visual content through graphic design, photography and videography for social platforms, leading to a 25% rise in overall engagement and 30% growth in online sales and conversions.
Digital Designer & Art Director at 99c Advertising
January 1, 2023 - January 1, 2025
Led design teams for major retailers in South Africa, developing creative digital concepts and visual assets for campaigns, ensuring brand consistency and high-quality execution. Directed still and video shoots and collaborated with production and copy teams to communicate design ideas and meet client expectations. Utilised Figma & Adobe Creative Cloud to create innovative digital designs that resonated with target audiences.
Multimedia Graphic Designer at Bright Brown Design
January 1, 2018 - January 1, 2022
Responsible for creating innovative and visually striking graphic designs for various multimedia projects, including websites, mobile apps, and marketing materials. Collaborated with clients to understand design needs and provided creative solutions that met objectives. Used a range of design tools to deliver high-quality graphics on tight deadlines.

Education

Bachelor's Degree at Cape Peninsula University of Technology
January 11, 2030 - June 10, 2026

Qualifications

Freelance Visa CMA / twofour54
January 11, 2030 - June 10, 2026
Freelance Permit – Creative Media Authority, Abu Dhabi
January 11, 2030 - June 10, 2026
twofour54 Freelance License
January 11, 2030 - June 10, 2026

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Professional Services
    Café at Home Coffee Campaign – Make Every Sip Better

    The Problem I Was Solving:
    The client wanted to bridge the gap between the growing café culture and at-home coffee consumption. Their challenge was to encourage customers to use the brand’s full ecosystem of products coffee beans, mugs, almond milk, rusks, a frother, a French press etc. to replicate a premium, barista-style café experience at home, all while staying within a budget. The risk was that “at-home” could feel ordinary or low-quality compared to a real café.

    Why It Worked:
    I led the campaign from concept to execution creating the storyboard, shot list, and directing both still and video shoots. My core insight was that affordability didn’t have to sacrifice feeling premium. By focusing on warm, intentional visuals that highlighted ritual and comfort, I transformed everyday products into a cohesive, aspirational lifestyle. The art direction made the brand feel elevated yet accessible, and the client was blown away because the final content didn’t just sell products, it sold a feeling: bringing the café home, beautifully and affordably.

    Creative Direction, Storyboard, Shot-list. Directed and executed all deliverables.

    Coffee Campaign Videos: 1 overall campaign video & 3 recipe videos.

    • Make Every Sip Better with Premium Coffees | Checkers South Africa - (Campaign Video)

    • Marula Cream Chai Latte Recipe | Checkers South Africa: (Recipe 1)

    • Lindt Coco Mocha Recipe | Checkers South Africa: (Recipe 2) -

    • Ice Coffee Bliss Recipe | Checkers South Africa: (Recipe 3) -