Daniel Bothma, Creative Director and founder of Pheniks

Yes, I may look serious, but that tea towel undercoat reveals my whimsey!

The Story Behind The Phoenix

Twenty-odd years of writing, building, and setting things on fire — in a good way.

I'm Daniel Bothma — copywriter, art director, and web developer, and the one-man studio behind Pheniks. Here's the short version of a long, occasionally chaotic, occasionally award-winning career.

Where It Started

Raised in agencies. Rogue by choice.

I cut my teeth in old-school advertising agencies and TV land — writing copy, directing shoots, and chasing deadlines for broadcasters and brands most people would recognise instantly. Along the way I picked up creative director titles across three continents, wrote campaigns for the likes of Audi, Coca-Cola, Discovery, Johnnie Walker, and Bacardi, and helped a small UK travel startup go viral in 48 hours and beat Booking.com at their own game.

Somewhere in there, I went rogue. I stopped chasing agency ladders and started building things directly for the people who needed them most — small business owners, first-time entrepreneurs, and brands with big ideas and modest budgets. That's the work I care about now, and it's the whole reason Pheniks exists.

Be good. Be Grand.

Pheniks isn't a faceless hosting company. It's two decades of agency-grade creative firepower, repointed at lone-wolf entrepreneurs who deserve a website and a shop as sharp as anything the big brands get — without the big brand price tag.

The Long Version

Two decades, several continents, one credo

2019 – Present

Executive Creative Director, Czava Global

Full-service creative digital solutions for startups, entrepreneurs, and brands across South Africa and abroad — digital media, video, social, and software development.

2015 – 2017

Executive Creative Director / Senior Copywriter, Fresh Start Marketing

Creative direction, copywriting, graphic design, website development, SEO, and branding for a full-service agency in Cape Town.

2010 – 2012

Freelance Copywriter, Creative Director & Web Developer

Independent work for tourism and travel brands — including the campaign that would go on to beat Expedia, TUI, Red Bull, and Booking.com for a UK travel startup.

2008 – 2010

Executive Creative Director / Producer, DStv, Multichoice, M-Net, SuperSport

Creative copy and concepts for TV shows, radio spots, and brand campaigns for Disney, NatGeo, History, Discovery, Miller, Johnnie Walker, Audi, Visa, Coca-Cola, and major Hollywood studios.

2006 – 2008

Creative Director / Senior Copywriter, Dubai, UAE

Launched a creative department from scratch and led a multi-cultural team of 19, delivering advertising, event production, and creative direction for Audi, VW, Nokia, MTV Arabia, and Dubai Holdings.

2026

Founder, Pheniks

Taking everything learned across agencies, broadcasters, and continents and putting it to work for South African entrepreneurs who need a website or shop built right — at a price that makes sense.

Proof, Not Just Bragging

Awards & recognition

The work that put Pheniks-level creative thinking on an international stage.

Headline Campaign

The Flash Pack — "Jesus Selfie" Campaign, Rio

An inbound marketing campaign built around a single viral moment — grown from nothing to a global media story in 48 hours, and picked up by newsrooms worldwide.

100M+impressions worldwide
2Mvisitors to the client site
+600%subscriber database growth
+1500%customer base growth

Picked up by Time Magazine, Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, BBC, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and CNN.

Winner

Best Viral Campaign

UK Social Media Awards, 2014

Won five awards in total, beating Expedia, TUI, Red Bull, and Booking.com for the same campaign.

Platinum Winner

Travel Marketing Awards

Travel Marketing Awards, 2015

The only Platinum Award winner of the year across the entire travel marketing industry.

Gold Honour

Best Use of Meme

Shorty Awards, 2015

Recognised among the best social media content of the year, worldwide.

Winner

Best Use of Photography in Social Media

Shorty Awards, 2015

A second Shorty win for the same campaign, this time for visual storytelling.

Winner

Best Use of Marketing

Smarta100 Awards, 2014

Recognised for overall marketing excellence in a competitive small-business awards field.

Winner

Best PR Tactical

Smarta100 Awards, 2014

A second Smarta100 win, for tactical public relations execution.

In Their Words

What past clients say

"Daniel added real punch and vigor to our website rebuild and our blog, written in his own distinctive, entertaining style."

Justin Ashley, Owner — The KnowHow Hub

"Daniel's commercial savvy and knack for beautiful, fast-turnaround copy helped our PR campaign go viral and grow a loyal following."

Radha Vyas & Lee Thompson, Founders — The Flash Pack

"His style, wit, and professionalism make him a genuine joy to work with. I highly recommend him."

Adam Howard, Owner — Howard Music

"His sales copy is always on the mark — my go-to person whenever I need help, with a genuinely holistic approach to the work."

Mary Cummings, Owner — Work Your Way
Ready When You Are

Let's build something worth bragging about.

Whether it's a website, an online shop, or just professional email — I'll build it myself, the same way I've built for brands twenty times the size.

Get Started