Pitching for business is part and parcel of agency life. It can be rewarding and fruitful. Yet on the flipside, a traditional pitch process places both agencies and clients under stress, deterring suitable partnerships with unfair competition, hours wasted and leaving many willing to just say no to the thankless challenges it raises. In the midst of the much-discussed ‘great resignation’ the pitch can place businesses under additional strain. With this pressure in mind, it seems that many parts of the industry are in agreement that the traditional pitch process is fundamentally broken.

On Tuesday the 8th of February the Alliance of Independent Agencies gathered together industry leaders to discuss the broken pitching process at its event, ‘Making the pitch process fit for purpose’. The discussion saw Creativebrief’s CEO Charlie Carpenter head up conversation with CEOs and prominent industry leaders about the ongoing problem with pitching as the Alliance of Independent Agencies aimed to seek support and find some solutions.

From the announcement of the IPA and ISBA’s Pitch Positive Pledge to the countless conversations between intermediaries, agencies and brands, it's clear that an appetite for change exists.

Back in 2018, a Creativebrief survey identified issues with the traditional pitch process. According to the survey, 61% of brands and 93% of agencies agreed that the pitch process is not fit for purpose. Where the pandemic threw a wrench in the industry’s plans for reform, now is the time to pick back up and start driving real meaningful change.

The session considered the way the current pitching system commoditizes creativity; an agency's most valuable asset. Where agencies are asked to give this away for free, the value of creativity is cheapened to brands who are able to access ideas without investment. The traditional pitch process is also at the root of many other industry-wide issues such as the retention of talent and the strain placed on people's wellbeing through additional hours.

But, the door is already open for change with 67% of brands saying that if agencies refuse to engage in the traditional process they would still be open to working with them. As Carpenter puts it “we are pushing at an open door, but how do we harness action? Collective, industry-wide action is the only thing that is going to drive real change.”

The future of the pitch

The proposition discussed on the day for the updated pitch is a shortened, more streamlined process, focused on workshops and chemistry sessions that put the onus on ways of working rather than on fully-fledged ideas. The panel considered the benefits of a pitch process that shifts away from seeking answers and solutions to one where brand and agency work together on perfecting the brief and early instinctive thinking about the challenges they might face.

Brand-side attendees are in agreement that the process must be shortened and that a quicker turnaround sees agencies present more dynamic thinking, showing their agility. However, this would rely on an understanding from the client that ideas may not be fully-fledged and polished and equally need all agencies in agreement of parameters so none attempt to outshine competition unfairly. The panel discussed the impact of shorter pitch processes, with some speakers expressing concerns that time pressure could disproportionately impact smaller agencies.

Industry-wide reform

It is in this need for client and agency understanding that calls for an industry-wide initiative have grown. At the recent RENEW 2022 event, the IPA and ISBA announced the launch of its Pitch Positive Pledge. An initiative still in the works but that attempts to call upon agencies, intermediaries and advertisers to work together as one to make the pitching process one that is more equitable for all. Further details of the pledge are to be announced in May during Mental Health Week.

The initiative will attempt to make the overall process more positive and productive, identifying the needs for a pitch and ensuring that all involved are on the same page.

Looking to other industries, members of the discussion agreed that the advertising sector must consider how it can create a more consultative conversation akin to that of the likes of architecture firms. The industry must think about how to present and portray expertise rather than being at the mercy of brands requesting fully fledged creative solutions to pitch briefs. To combat this, agencies and brands must build better trust and respect. Where agencies don’t believe in the current process and worry their time and ideas aren’t respected, unstable foundations for a future relationship are layed. Industry-wide, agencies are calling for the need for greater rules to follow which will create greater trust in the process. Clearer rules and more transparency would also reassure agencies of fairer competition, eliminating fears that agencies stand on unequal footings or that prior connections will be favoured. 

A process that benefits all involved

The industry is in a talent crunch and resources are stretched. It’s a strain which means many agencies are turning down pitches in favour of servicing existing clients and not placing additional pressure on their employees. As a result, many brands are finding it harder to convince some of the busiest agencies with the strongest reputations to commit to long pitches - which creates a rare window for possible change and a shift in the power balance between brands and agencies that the industry has an opportunity to make more of.

The industry is moving toward a more transparent future with agencies valuing mental health, talent and wider societal issues like sustainability more and more. The traditional pitch process stands in direct contrast to the values of this agency of the future model.

With the industry in agreement that the traditional pitch process is broken, honest conversation between brands, marketers, intermediaries and agencies is imperative to creating a new process that works for everyone. A process focused on the problem solving journey, more  sustainable ways of working, building meaningful relationships and protecting the wellbeing of all involved.