When John Guanzon, Head of Creative & Production at Man Of Many and winner of this year’s Next of the Best Publishing Innovator started in his role, he identified one clear need for his new employer: to evolve into a truly multi-platform content brand, that built original, audience-led content from the ground up.
Guanzon knew Man of Many’s content was strong, but wanted to build a cohesive, scalable system for platform-native video, social storytelling, and branded creative.
Since then, Guanzon has been a key part of the growth of the brand and developing premium branded-content for clients like McLaren, Seiko, Tissot, Alfa Romeo, and ASUS.
The judges of Next of the Best were impressed with Guanzon’s ability to identify the issues and then work on the structure and output of his team to face the challenges head on – with clear success metrics and an all-in attitude.
Here, Guanzon shares what the win means to him and how he approaches the current turbulent world of publishing and content.
The awards have been judged by an all-star line-up, what does it mean to you to be recognised by this group?
It’s honestly so incredibly humbling. To be recognised by a panel of respected industry leaders is something I don’t take lightly. As a Filipino immigrant who grew up in Sydney’s south-west, I never really saw people who looked like me or came from where I did in roles like this, let alone being acknowledged for it.
To be seen in this way, especially in such a competitive and fast-paced industry, is not only validating, it’s deeply meaningful in more ways than one.
What has been your approach to your role since you started?
My approach has always been about creating high-quality content that connects with the right audience. I’ve leaned into short-form video, audience insights, and collaborative storytelling to grow and engage our community across platforms, while building scalable systems to keep things moving.
John Guanzon
What’s the one thing you’re most proud of at work in the last 12 months?
I’m proud of the way we’ve redefined our creative production strategy over the last 12 months, from relaunching our flagship original YouTube series to preparing for a broader push into podcasting.
We’ve built stronger systems, clarified our creative vision, and set the foundations for growth. On top of that, I’ve loved working on some standout commercial pieces with iconic brands like R.M.Williams, Seiko, and Tissot. It’s been a big year of building and momentum, and I can’t wait to see all the groundwork we’ve been putting into our foundations and roots come into fruition.
What’s a big challenge for websites like Man of Many in the upcoming months?
The rollout of Google’s AI Mode in the US has already shown signs of disrupting traditional search traffic. For publishers, this means pivoting even faster to diversify reach, with social, video, and platform-native storytelling now more crucial than ever.
What’s on your priority list for the next 12 months?
Building for long-term sustainability. That means refining the way we work. Creating smarter, repeatable systems, making content that moves fluidly across platforms, and supporting teams to adapt creatively and operationally to whatever comes next. It’s about setting things up today so we’re stronger, sharper, and more resilient tomorrow.
Guanzon accepting his award.
If you weren’t doing this as a career, what would you be doing?
Probably a sommelier, travelling and tasting wine for a living. Don’t steal my idea, but my retirement plan is to open up an egg-shaped food truck that only sells different types of eggs at any time of the day. Investors, DM me.
Top image: John Guanzon