Southpaw, a specialist sport and culture agency, is the latest agency to emerge from the recently formed independent group Slightly Dangerous Co. Already in operation, the public launch comes off the back of significant early client wins that include Betway, LIV Golf, Icons Series, Auto & General and NTT DATA among others.
Co-founded by Kieren Jacobsen and Jess Porter, with Kganya Zungu completing the leadership team as Managing Partner. The trio have spent their careers inside the marketing industry, building deep networks and a strong portfolio of work that spans blue-chip brands, rights holders and media owners in South African sport and entertainment.
For Jacobsen, this experience and their early wins have shaped a very deliberate approach to Southpaw’s model. “It’s proven there’s room for something fresh, independent and a little unorthodox. Our partnership with Slightly Dangerous Co. is central to that. We share the same values and a philosophy that places value in craft over volume and depth over scale.”
That sentiment is mutual. Slightly Dangerous Co. Founding Partner Warren Moss sees a clear opening in the market. “This is something that has been in the works for a while and I believe the category is wide open for an agency like Southpaw. Given the calibre of this founding team, we are extremely excited to play.”
Porter adds that the group philosophy naturally extends into Southpaw’s growth ambitions. “We have no ambition to build headcount for the sake of it. Rather, we aim to build around the best senior talent in the industry and attract the clients and partners who want to play different. That isn’t just a positioning for us, it’s a genuine mindset.”
According to Zungu, that mantra becomes particularly important to the work, as cultural categories continue to blend into one consumer experience. “Sport, fashion and music move seamlessly through communities, with audiences deciding for themselves where they spend their time, attention and money. Our job is to understand what moves those communities and then find the right way for brands to earn a place in them.”
“You can’t manufacture emotion,” Porter adds. “Today’s consumer can tell the difference between a brand genuinely adding value to their experience and one that’s just trying to buy their attention.”
The partners share a clear view of the business they want to build. Locally, Southpaw wants to help shape what marketing looks like in the modern era of sport and culture. Internationally, the South African-built agency is already working with global clients and sees the opportunity to grow into new markets alongside them, without needing to become the biggest shop in the room.
Jacobsen concludes by highlighting the importance of embracing the journey. “Frankly, we’re not saving lives in the work that we do and it’s critical to remember that. We’re a low-ego, high-accountability environment and we’re going to have a great time doing it. I’ve watched Jess and Kganya emerge as real forces in the industry over the last few years and I consider myself very fortunate to now count them as partners.”