Mathew Schafer

At StudioX — the in-house creative agency within ShopriteX — I have the privilege of leading an exceptional team of designers, art directors, and visual thinkers. Together, we bring creative life to some of South Africa’s most-loved retail brands, including Checkers, Shoprite, Sixty60, Xtra Savings and Rainmaker Media, our internal ad sales moguls who could outsell the products themselves. Our team thrives in a high-speed, high-volume environment — delivering everything from tactical communications to full-scale campaign work. My role is to guide, support, and elevate the team so they can do their best work — work that connects, converts, and creates value for millions of customers. What We Do Together: - Craft end-to-end campaigns across platforms — from customer comms to seasonal brand rollouts - Build and evolve design systems that keep our brands fresh, responsive, and relevant - Respond to retail moments in real time, delivering fast, impactful creative at scale - Collaborate with internal partners across marketing, UX, loyalty, and data to keep creative aligned and effective - Foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, and continuous learning — where ideas move fast and everyone has a voice There’s a rhythm to how we work — ideas pass hands, bounce between minds, and grow stronger with every collaboration. Good creative is a team sport — and this team plays to win.

StudioX is the in-house agency within ShopriteX — the digital and innovation division of the Shoprite Group. ShopriteX drives the logistics and tech behind Sixty60, manages the Xtra Savings loyalty program, and houses key internal data, analytics, digital & sales departments. As part of StudioX, I worked as a senior designer across multiple touchpoints, crafting digital-first creative for South Africa’s leading retail brands — including Checkers, Shoprite, Sixty60, and Xtra Savings. - Created day-to-day brand and category artwork for the Sixty60 app - Contributed to seasonal campaign rollouts and promotional competitions - Designed customer journey mailers for Xtra Savings across Checkers and Shoprite - Developed targeted deal layouts, promotional banners, and personalised comms - Built landing pages & roll-outs for new services, product benefits, and loyalty campaigns - Collaborated with content writers, KAM & marketing teams to ensure aligned execution across channels

Joined the Shoprite Digital team, where I worked on full-funnel retail campaigns while transitioning into a more senior role. I took on more ownership across projects, leading client presentations and overseeing high-impact seasonal and tactical work. Key Responsibilities: Rolled out integrated digital campaigns across: - Paid media (static and animated formats) - Social media platforms - Website assets and promotional landing pages - Led design for major seasonal campaigns and handled day-to-day tactical briefs - Presented creative work to internal leads and Shoprite clients - Supported junior designers and helped guide creative process - Ensured consistency across all assets while driving strong visual engagement

Transitioned into the Checkers Digital team where I focused on adapting ATL campaign concepts for digital platforms, helping maintain visual consistency while optimizing for performance and user engagement. Rolled out digital campaign assets across: - Web banners and homepage takeovers - Social media content and animations - Digital screens and paid media - Worked with developers and channel managers to ensure seamless execution and delivery

Started in the Checkers Above-The-Line (ATL) team at 99c, where I focused on crafting high-impact print campaigns and in-store visuals that brought seasonal and brand campaigns to life at national scale. Designed ATL collateral including: - National campaign visuals - Promotional theme posters - Store memos and internal comms - Press ads and print layouts

Tigoma Digital brought bold tech ideas to life — turning app concepts into living, breathing brands. I joined a tight-knit global team that transformed raw startup visions into beautifully crafted, user-ready digital experiences. - Designed full digital brand identities, including logos, CI, and on-screen systems - Developed UI mockups and interactive flows for app interfaces across multiple industries - Built pitch decks and launch visuals for app store rollouts and investor presentations - Created scalable digital design systems to support rapid product development - Collaborated remotely with a California-based founder and distributed dev teams

Arts Alternative redefined outdoor advertising by reviving the lost art of hand-painted billboards. Rejecting mass-printed formats, the company delivered large-scale, photo-realistic murals that combined artistic craft with commercial impact — a unique fusion of public art and brand storytelling inspired by the golden era of 1940s sign painting. As Art Direction Lead, I was responsible for concept development and design execution — translating campaign ideas into striking billboard visuals. I managed the end-to-end creative process: designing and refining artwork through client approval, then directing the on-site painting team to ensure precise, high-impact delivery. The role demanded a balance of design discipline, artistic instinct, and production oversight.

GDHSA delivered premium print and packaging solutions for some of South Africa’s most recognizable lifestyle and luxury brands. From full-scale retail campaigns to bespoke packaging, the agency crafted high-impact creative for names like Jack Daniel’s, Johnnie Walker, SKYY Vodka, and Foschini. - Designed end-to-end POS campaigns including table talkers, posters, coasters, menus, and billboards - Rolled out retail assets across bars, restaurants, and liquor outlets for national alcohol brands - Created editorial layouts and advertorials for fashion clients, including magazine and print insertions - Led packaging concept design and production for beauty and skincare brands