Dream Teams: Southpaw’s Strategy and Creative Duo Is Fuelled by Trust and Coffee

It all started about 12 years ago during a time of big change at the agency that would go on to become the strategic creative agency, Southpaw. Glenn Smith was already there, working as joint creative director, and Niki Jones had just arrived to boost the strategic offering. “We were very much at the centre of a leadership transition with the appointment of a new senior management team, ultimately leading to the creation of Southpaw. It was our ‘start-up’ that had already been started up!” Niki and Glenn recall.

Looking ahead to what could be different appealed to them both. “The idea of change was highly motivating, and there was a feeling we could structure the agency around all the positive experiences we’d had in our careers so far and, maybe more importantly, avoid all the negatives.” One thing stood out specifically, “creating a bigger connection between strategy and creative,” they say.

Unsurprisingly, Glenn and Niki had both experienced the disconnect between the strategy and creative departments at previous agencies and the negative consequences this inevitably led to. Pitches lost because the creative didn’t talk to the strategy, or having to painfully and uncomfortably shoehorn strategy into a piece of creative. At worst, it was the sheer lack of influence strategy had on creative, to the point where Niki couldn’t even speak to a creative without making an appointment.

For Niki, this was frustrating; for Glenn, simply perplexing.

They found kinship in the shared belief that strategy and creative can and should be inextricable from each other. And it was this that led to them winning their first pitch together, for beauty brand, Sanctuary Spa.

“We knew it could be a defining moment for Southpaw as a new entity. It required a high-level strategy and a killer idea, excellent execution, and a specific remit to use the power of human emotion to create behaviour change. We saw it as an opportunity to create a pivotal moment. We now needed to prove we could do it,” says Glenn.

As was the norm, Glenn was waiting for a brief to be written and handed over, but Niki took him to a room where she had covered the walls in thoughts, insights, and ideas. It turned into instant collaboration that made it easy for Glenn to unpack Niki’s strategic brain, and for her to influence the creative momentum. “We’d go on to call these ‘firestarters,’ and they are still some of the most exciting meetings we have,” Niki says.

They won the pitch and they found it out – wait for it – halfway through the presentation! The work went on to win awards, went viral, and created genuine behaviour change. “We had figured out our formula, and we went on to win a flourish of pitches. Plus, we defined the real offering for the agency moving forwards: world-class strategy and creative, without the baton change, the ego, the politics, and the complexity.”


Trust is the key component of their relationship. It “enables healthy challenge. We’re close colleagues who trust one another, which allows us to speak openly and honestly – without taking things personally – because we both know that any feedback or critique comes from a good place,” Niki states.

They don’t avoid tension or disagreements, instead seeing that energy as productive. “Yes, at times, we do bicker like an old married couple, but that’s because our styles are very different, but they complement each other well; opposites really do attract, especially in the heat and energy of a creative environment,” Glenn says. They lean into that dynamic with monthly all agency ‘Let’s Get Ready to Rumble’ sessions where they show their current personal favourite campaigns, activations, and brand stunts from the industry, asking the agency staff to vote who has the best taste. “We both get really pissed off if we lose!”

After 12 years, they’ve never felt stronger as a partnership. In fact, their most recent pitch win, for UNICEF, worked pretty much the same as their first. Niki brings Glenn into the strategic conversation early, throwing around nascent thoughts. “It’s like a jamming session for musicians, just trying things out until we’re both feeling it!”

“The UNICEF pitch really did reflect the demands on marketers right now,” reflects Niki. “Limited time, limited budget, massive expectations. This is where our partnership really comes alive. We can flex and pivot quickly, always knowing that the creative is falling out of the insight, never the other way around.”

Since production is an extension of creative, and at Southpaw it’s powered by strategy, Niki is included throughout the production phase – a prospect that would get most creatives running for the hills. But Glenn puts it all back to trust. “Why go to all that bother to start something together, not to finish it together? If anyone can see a chink in the armour, it’s Niki. Yes, we know our individual strengths when it comes to craft, and we respect them, but I trust that she’ll help me make the work better.”

Glenn believes they learn from each other every day. “Largely because we are both easily bored as people and constantly seek out new and interesting shit as a matter of course. We often describe ourselves as ‘Furiously Curious.’” And they maintain a daily habit. No, not bickering – though they don’t rule it out – but a daily coffee, together, even if it’s just for 15 mins. “We can leave the office talking about a work issue and come back talking about black holes, or a new trainer brand. We’re both obsessed with culture but in very different ways – our TikTok FYPs are wildly different - but that’s hugely important to our relationship, it never feels dull or lacking fuel,” Niki and Glenn state.

What’s next for them? Well, beyond Niki learning better presentation design skills and Glenn learning better time management skills, it continues to be growing Southpaw by showing that strategy and creativity can, and should, be joined at the hip.

“We’ve proven that class-leading strategic creativity isn’t the exclusive property of big agencies. Our ambition is to continue building our unique formula with young talent and finding the next Niki and Glenn. Maybe, then, we could have a day off from each other!”