Sunday Gravy nabs ex-TV journalist Sean Sowerby

Sunday Gravy has nabbed Sean Sowerby from sports reporting and news presenting to heed its PR and content.  

The former Seven sports reporter felt he’d “scratched the itch” when it came to media, and was ready to take the next step after having accomplished everything he wanted to achieve.  

“I'd known people who are fellow journalists in the past that had gone down that PR path. I knew it had all the skills that I could potentially transition across, so why don’t I give it a shot?” he said. 

After spending more than eight years at Seven, and as a news reporter at Network Ten prior to that, Sowerby has spent the last two and a half years at content marketing agency, Enthral, most recently as its PR and content account director.  

He is now on a mission to grow the Sunday Gravy brand, he said.  

“It’s being able to grow the brands that are already on the books and offer something a little different when it comes to earned media and PR,” said Sowerby. 

“There’s a real opportunity there for the agency to be a ‘jack of all trades’, rather than having to outsource, so it makes sense to have PR as part of that arsenal as well.” 

Sowerby will also focus on attracting new companies that want ‘always-on’ storytelling that they can tap into, he notes. 

“We can strategise for them and provide them with a storytelling calendar and pipeline," he said. 

Now more than ever, Sowerby says, there’s a need for PR, with challenges arising from resourcing, budget cuts and COVID.  

“It’s important from a PR perspective that we can do what a journalist would usually do. It’s about getting them the right news, talent and answers for their stories,” he said. 

News releases and video news releases are going to play a much bigger role when it comes to news gatherings, said Sowerby. 

“If you have have an ex-journalist playing all those roles, you know exactly what the medium is, and you’ve also got a network of colleagues you’ve previously worked with that trust you’ve got a news story with the right angle, rather than just pushing an ad,” he said. 

Sunday Gravy’s recruitment of Sowerby speaks to its broader philosophy around “ideas that last”. 

Agency co-founder and creative partner, Ant White, said Sowerby has a long career crafting the news, so he’s able to wrangle brands into the news cycle.

"With him onboard, we’ll have more opportunities to put brands in front of consumers in an authentic light," said White.

Sowerby said he was delighted when the Sunday Gravy team approached him to head up this new offering.

"I'm already lucky enough to be bringing my journalistic background to the amazing brands they work with,” he said.

White said this feels like a natural progression for an incredible leader and specialist like Sowerby, as well as for Sunday Gravy.

"We were often asked for our recommendations from clients for PR firms, and sent them Sean’s way. We are thankful he’s decided to make Sunday Gravy his new home, and really excited for what he’s already delivering in the short timehe’s been here," he said.