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Yo, I'm Shazad

I tell stories for a living, sometimes they’re 30 second films (or even random 10 second videos), sometimes they’re three-month campaigns, and sometimes they’re pep talks to my team. My roots are in writing, but these days I’m a Creative Director who knows when to push, when to play, and when to let the team run with the ball.
 

I’ve launched beer brands, made people fall in love with biscuits, and even survived being the “telco guy”. What I enjoy most is working with people, helping younger creatives grow (I’m still young too), and growing alongside them.

Where I've been and what I've done

Creative Director | Popkorn (Magic Mango Group)
Feb 2025 – Present

  • Head of all things creative for Carlsberg, Guinness, Somersby in Sri Lanka (and other category leading brands in country).

  • Mentor, guide, and occasional hype man for Group Heads and hungry young creatives.

  • Taker of the final creative decisions on ATL, digital, and activation campaigns

Associate Creative Director | Popkorn (Magic Mango Group)

Sep 2023 – Feb 2025

  • Lead creative across Sri Lanka for brands like Carlsberg, Guinness, and Somersby (and Lion Beer, Sri Lanka’s largest beer manufacturer)

  • Rewired the creative department to empower young talent with brand leadership

  • Worked across ATL, digital-first storytelling, and integrated campaigns

  • Served as President of ManCom - the internal strategy and culture board

Creative Group Head | Magic Mango

Jan 2020 – Sep 2023

  • Learned to keep the creative engine running across big campaigns and key clients.

  • Ran weekly sessions on storytelling, ideation and exposing the teams to creativity outside of advertising.

  • Figured out that leading people means adjusting to personalities, not the other way around.

Senior Copywriter | Magic Mango

Feb 2017 – Dec 2019

  • Worked on scripting and conceptual writing for major brand campaigns

  • Juggled bilingual campaigns (English + Sinhala) across TV, digital, and print.

  • Started learning how to not just write campaigns, but steer them from idea to launch.

Copywriter | J. Walter Thompson (Wunderman Thompson)

Feb 2016 – Nov 2016

  • Worked concepts and campaigns for global and local brands

  • Learned to understand local work with international brand standards

  • Got my first taste of how a big network agency runs

Junior Copywriter | Response Marketing (Currently Dentsu Grants) Sep 2013 – Jan 2016

  • Handled copy and campaign work for FMCG, telco, and insurance brands

  • Worked across English and Sinhala copy

  • Also managed client-facing communication in hybrid servicing-creative role

Film & Events | Various Roles · 2011 – 2013

  • Worked under Bradford Young (DOP: Arrival) and Stojan Petrov (1st AD: Darjeeling Limited) on international film productions

  • Worked on several events and activations for local and international brands as an event coordinator

  • Learned fast-paced problem-solving as well as working with different people in high stress work spaces like events.

Some of the brands I've worked on

Carlsberg
Red Bull
Guinness
Somersby
Ponds
Airtel
Anchor Newdale
Dialog
Keells
Heineken
HSBC
Maggi
Union Assurance
Munchee
CBL
Elephant House
Commercial Bank
Unilever

Awards and recognitions

  • Gold – Effie Awards Sri Lanka (2025)

  • Bronze – Effie Awards Sri Lanka (2025)

  • Bronze – DIGIS Sri Lanka (2024)

  • Best New Market Launch - Somersby      Sri Lanka - Carlsberg Group Awards

  • Silver – Epica Sri Lanka (2020)

  • Silver – 4A’s Creative Awards Sri Lanka (2024)

  • Bronze – 4A’s Creative Awards Sri Lanka (2024)

  • Finalist – Effie Awards Sri Lanka (2024)

  • Finalist – Effie Awards Sri Lanka (2022)

  • Bronze – Effie Awards Sri Lanka (2019)

  • Team Member – Campaign Asia Agency of the Year Gold (Popkorn, 2023)

  • Team Member – Campaign Asia Agency of the Year Silver (2019, 2021)

  • Team Member – Campaign Asia Agency of the Year Bronze (2020)

  • 1st Runner Up – Young Lions Sri Lanka, Film (2019)

  • 2nd Runner Up – Young Lotus Integrated Sri Lanka (2014)

Things I did that no one asked me to
(but things I'm good at)

  • Proactive briefs to the whole agency - That has led to multiple creative awards

  • Hosted internal Speakeasy sessions - giving team members a platform to talk about advertising (and everything outside it too), while inviting industry professionals and guest artists to join the conversation.

  • Training sessions for young creatives entering competitions like Young Lions, Lotus and Spikes - We’ve won 4 times since and been placed twice.

  • Random creative breaks - from origami sessions to doodle competitions, helping the team (and the company) switch off from work for a while.

Side quests and freelance

  • Origami artist

  • Wedding planner/coordinator

  • Vocalist/Singer

  • Voice actor

  • Stage actor

  • Movie nerd

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