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Guy Sawrey-Cookson on agility and how Foxtel Group’s reimagined creative agency provides increased career opportunities for our people.
Guy Sawrey-Cookson is a man who knows a thing or two about agility. Whether it's in the sporting arena or in the media industry, he believes adaptability is key to success – and it’s this belief that underpins BALBOA.
"We want Balboa to be known as a place where people can do the best work of their lives," he says. “We’ve created a brand that reflects the breadth of work we do, both within Foxtel Group and with external clients. We are passionate about what we do. This is creative built by fans, for fans. "
Sport has always been a driving force in Guy’s life.
“Sport was BIG in my family,” he recalls fondly. “(thankfully) My dad would rather I made the team than got good grades!”
A firm follower of the England national rugby team and St Kilda in the AFL, he counts attending the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final in Sydney where he witnessed Jonny Wilkinson’s field goal as the greatest sporting moment of his life.
Over the past 14 years, Guy has built an impressive career by embracing change and leading with a forward-thinking mindset. Starting as Head of Creative at Fox Footy in Melbourne in 2010, he was tasked with leading the creative efforts for a single channel.
Over time, he took on more responsibilities, navigating the complex mergers that brought together Fox Footy, Fox Sports, and the broader Foxtel Group, including brands like Kayo Sports, BINGE, Flash, and Hubbl. His journey highlights the importance of staying versatile and open to learning new skills, which he attributes as key to thriving in a constantly changing environment.
The creation of BALBOA represents the culmination of his experiences and his vision for a unified, forward-looking creative team.
BALBOA's name is a nod to the iconic sports character Rocky Balboa, symbolising the intersection of sports and entertainment that the agency aims to champion. It’s a brand that his team of 70 can stand behind, reflecting the passion and pride they put into their work every day.
"BALBOA represents a brand that everyone can be proud of, a name that signifies unity and excellence, where everyone is working towards the same goals without any competing loyalties."
With the complex mergers that brought together Fox Footy, Fox Sports, and the broader Foxtel Group, and the launch of great brands like Kayo Sports, BINGE, Flash, and Hubbl, Guy found his creative team were becoming “a bit of a bunch of siloes stuck together.”
“The creatives didn’t work across multiple brands, and we weren’t working as one team. Now, with BALBOA, you can work across any brand. We’re all pointing in the same direction and helping each other out to achieve our goals.”
By embracing an inclusive culture where team members can work nimbly across various brands, both internal and external, Balboa provides staff with increased opportunities to expand their skills, portfolios, and career trajectories. That’s a win for everyone.
“We did this for our team – for engagement, retention and new talent. New talent love the career growth opportunities provided by being able to work across any internal and external brand. And for our people, there was a bit of a ceiling, with a lot of long tenure in our team. They see it as a way to grow and take the next step.”
“Rebranding Fox Creative has been something I’ve wanted to do since starting here” says Erin Hoffman, BALBOA’s Creative Director, Design. “Coming from agencies, this was my first in-house job and there’s often an outside perception that in-house work’s not as good as external agencies. That’s just not the case.”
“BALBOA puts us on the map in the industry, building trust with our clients and drawing top-tier talent. The rise of in-house creative agencies, like Canva and Optus (Yes Agency), proves the value—they’re more cost-effective, and insiders have a deeper understanding of the product and the brand’s potential. From a career point of view, and in an increasingly competitive market, I wanted to be part of a creative studio with a name that resonates, and reputation that people associate great work with. I think this is something a lot of designers and creatives also want".
Erin believes that Guy’s people-first approach has been crucial to Balboa’s transformation.
"His number one reason is ‘this is for my team’. He is always team-first. He’s a people person, he’s got time for everyone, he knows everyone’s story. That’s his superpower,” she says. “It’s not just great for our people but also for our client relationships. You need a genuinely nice person, and he genuinely cares. He’s passionate about our niche of sport and entertainment, and he feels we do it best. And that belief helps everyone."
“Brilliant creative, delivered brilliantly,” is how Guy sums up BALBOA’s approach. “We want to make great work, but we also want to be great partners with our clients, making it a fun and professional process. And we want great people to work with us.”
From a recent branding point of view, the team have delivered 2 large-scale, dynamic brand identities, they may sound familiar:
Hubbl – approached with ‘modern magic’ and inspired by the invisible, ‘magical’ tech that pulls apps together there appeared a bright star!
Foxtel – Foxtel was in need of a refresh in the competitive era. Building from the natural arrows in the Foxtel logo, a new identity was created that spoke to helping people navigate the content wilderness.
Follow the link to read more about the inspiration behind the brand identity and the imagery behind it as well.
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