What the m&k Werbewoche.ch community has to say about pitching
Sind Pitches noch zeitgemäss? Im April 2022 hat m&k Werbewoche.ch eine Branchenumfrage zum Thema Pitchen gestartet. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass das Thema polarisiert – trotzdem zeichnet sich eine deutliche Meinungstendenz ab.
When clients advertise mandates - or agencies apply for them - both sides are confronted with a phenomenon that is unique to the marketing and communications industry: Jobs have always been competed for in the form of "pitches". A process that ties up a lot of resources on both the client and contractor side.
m&k advertisingweek.ch wanted to know what its community thinks about pitching. For the current m&k-Anna Kohler also conducted an interview with pitch consultant Roland Sutter and gave the LSA and SWA associations the opportunity to make statements (click here for the Abo+ article).
The survey results in the community show that they have a strong opinion on the topic of pitching - many would like to see a rethink, both on the client side and on the agency side.
Most of those who took part in the survey were from the agency or contractor side, which can be explained by the fact that this side is more affected by the topic. Accordingly, there was a particularly high number of responses stating that pitching is no longer up to date. In contrast, only just under 10 percent of respondents stated that they thought current pitching practices were okay.
A good 70 percent of respondents consider a trial assignment or an agency evaluation after a "chemistry meeting" to be target-oriented alternatives to pitching. In contrast, almost no one considers the awarding of contracts from an "agency roster" to be effective. Almost one in three respondents think that relying on "word of mouth", i.e. the agency's reputation, is a good idea when awarding contracts.
Almost 40 percent of respondents also believe that both parties should communicate openly with each other in order to improve and therefore extend business relationships. This could lead to a client not switching agencies too quickly.
Below we have listed some statements anonymously. As many answers overlap in terms of content, we have limited ourselves to a few particularly meaningful ones.
Agency side, finds pitching outdated
In my opinion, pitches have never been up to date. I used to be a client myself and never pitched. Since I've been self-employed with my own marketing network, I've never taken part in a pitch because I still don't think it makes sense and it causes a lot of effort on both sides.
I think you have to be able to find out in an evaluation and open discussions whether it's a good fit or not. As a client, I've also fallen flat on my face with recommendations. So in my view, the best thing to do is to discuss and evaluate honestly with open cards.
Client:inside page, finds the current pitch procedure in order
As the client, we pay a pitch fee, which does not cover all costs, but does make a contribution. In other industries, pitches or invitations to tender in which advance payments are made are also the norm. What is often forgotten: Most products are produced first, with no guarantee that customers will buy them or that the necessary quantity will be sold to make a profit. No one guarantees the success of a new product. For established companies, this is part of the business risk; for start-ups, this is the biggest hurdle to being able to enter the market at all.
That's why, in my opinion, a lost pitch is part of an agency's business risk. An agency is all about finding the most suitable idea/creation for a specific task. Which cannot be selected without a visual representation. A good reputation or the likeability of the agency does not guarantee me this. If I, as the client, knew exactly what I wanted to realize, I could bypass the agency and work directly with photographers/graphic designers/filmmakers.
Agency side, finds pitching outdated
The agencies themselves are to blame for today's misery. In any other industry, a client would be given the bird in response to a pitch request. Here's a wonderful anecdote:
Why we have got ourselves into this nonsense in advertising is still a mystery to me. Why industry associations don't try to finally put an end to this unfortunate practice is even more of a mystery to me.
agency side, thinks the pitch process is fine
Honest communication of the decision criteria (price vs. "quality") and consistent application in the evaluation are of the utmost importance for both sides. If the quality requirements of marketing are too far removed from the cost-driven requirements of procurement, this will initially lead to frustration on the part of the agency.
In the second step, however, this also leads very quickly and in the long term to frustration for the client, who does not experience the performance - quality, resources, pro-activity, innovation, etc. - from the pitch on a day-to-day basis after the agency adjusts (or has to adjust) to the commercially given framework and adapts the service.
Client:inside page, finds pitching outdated
Work samples, best cases, a meeting to get to know each other and/or a visit to the agency could be enough. Often the really good ideas don't emerge in the short time you have to prepare the pitch.
Agency side, finds pitching outdated
As a small agency, I haven't generally taken part in pitches for years. A lot is now demanded of me and the compensation (if there is any at all) never covers the effort, not even in the slightest. I prefer to put my energy into projects and assignments that I can design and realize from A to Z, which is definitely more fulfilling.
Pitches have degenerated into a crass competition of ideas in which everyone tries to outbid each other in ever more extreme ways. If you're not prepared to produce ideas by the meter for the dustbin, it's better not to take part. Unfortunately, I also had a bad experience years ago: I didn't win the pitch, but then the concept we presented was used anyway, simply implemented by an agency that did it more cheaply. The use of our concept was actually legally prohibited or not part of the pitch, let's not even talk about compensation. We didn't take legal action after all; I'd rather invest this energy in other clients.
Agency side, finds pitching outdated
Just as I don't pitch when I'm looking for a lawyer to advise me, for example, but try to find out what makes him/her tick and whether we can "smell" each other as people in a personal meeting, I think that selecting an agency would also be much more effective.
Less waste of resources (a lot of time, a lot of money - for both sides, by the way), and it avoids the agency starting with a specially put together "pitch team", which the client then only sees sporadically (if at all) in daily business, thus creating false expectations.
Agency side, finds pitching outdated
Pitches are not sustainable - neither for brands nor for agencies.
For clients:
The campaigns that result from a pitch usually only solve a problem superficially and in the short term, if at all. If the campaign is a success, those responsible put it on their CV. If the campaign is a flop, the agency partner is changed so that those responsible can secure their job. The campaign itself is usually shot from the hip and does not pursue a sustainable strategy, which does more harm than good to the brand.
For agencies:
The investment for a pitch has not paid off economically for a long time. Whereas in the past, expenses were compensated with a multi-year mandate, today it is mostly a matter of individual orders. This and the microscopically small budgets that are already being pitched for today ensure that the agencies pay out either way.
The only solution:
Agencies should stop lying to themselves and stop working for free. Because despite the agreement, many agencies still take part in free pitches. And if you are honest, an expense allowance of 2,500 - 5,000 francs is basically a free pitch. This is because the pittance covers at most 10 to 20 percent of the actual expenses.
Agency side, finds pitching outdated
A pitch fee of 5,000 to 10,000 francs should be standard practice as proof of seriousness and compensation for expenses. This also means that only five and not 10 agencies are requested. Limiting offers/PPTs to 40 pages for profile, references and working methods, for example, would make sense so that agencies do not always have to prepare battles with 150+ pages. This also facilitates verification on the company side.
client:inside page, the Pitch procedure in order
Reduce pitch proposals: one proposal instead of several. This reduces the agency's workload and the client can get an idea of the agency's approach and strength of ideas.
Agency side, finds pitching outdated
A pitch process costs the agency a lot of money. The concept is an important asset of the agency and is called up via the pitch at a very low price, if not free of charge. It is therefore more than fair for the client to be well prepared and to allow sufficient time for the evaluation and the process.
Here are a few quick tips:
- Number of invited agencies: The number should not exceed 5 agencies. The first evaluation should be carried out via recommendations and web check. A shortlist of 3-5 agencies will then be invited to pitch.
- Clear rules: Often only a rough concept is required. But then only the rough concept may be evaluated.
- Budget: Specify the budget, this helps the creative process.
- Pitch fee: Even if the amount is symbolic, it shows the agencies that the client is serious.
- Presentation: The agency must be able to present the ideas.
- Briefing: A clear briefing with clear strategic guidelines helps agencies to develop the best possible ideas.
An alternative approach for a target-oriented pitch would be, for example:
- Stage 1: Scrutinize the briefing, ask the right questions and further develop the strategy (reduction from five to three agencies)
- Stage 2: Concept development based on the revised briefing. Presentation of ideas and feasibility (reduction from three to one winner)
client:inside page, the Pitch procedure in order
As a client with agency experience, I pay a lot of attention to the internal culture of an agency and the way the team works together. The regrettably high turnover at most agencies means extra work for clients, which agencies can reduce by improving their internal culture.
Agency side, finds pitching outdated
In order for successful campaigns to be realized, a much more intensive collaboration between client and agency is required nowadays, regardless of whether it is a creative or media agency. It is therefore crucial that the client-agency team "works" and that they work together on a partnership level. These points can rarely be adequately assessed in a traditional pitch process.
Agency side, finds pitching outdated
Pitchitis" is rampant, with pitches being made for every small and individual project. Unfortunately, clients find enough agencies to play the game. Agencies need to put a stop to this. Through clear guidelines such as a minimum order size and the contractual cooperation period after winning a pitch.
client:inside page, the Pitch procedure in order
Don't pitch budgets, just individual campaigns. Then you can keep the effort much lower (as a client, we only want rough concepts) and it has to be presented by the team that then does the job.
Agency side, finds pitching outdated
Clients make two crucial mistakes when awarding (large) creative pitches.
- You leave the match-deciding part entirely to the agency. But to achieve an optimal result, the client's know-how would need to be an integral part of the project. Today's communications world is too complex to simply leave all important strategic and creative decisions to the agency. This leads to agencies making decisions and taking paths that do not lead to the desired results. That's why you usually start all over again after the pitch.
- If an agency wants to win the pitch at all costs, then it invests everything; 200% commitment, time and energy. This leads to a massively distorted image of the agency - because after the pitch, normal "everyday life" begins. It has to work well in a standard mode so that the client is happy in the long term. I often find that this is followed by a rude awakening for the client. Possible solution: if you are interested in agency X, then simply do a small project. This provides much more information about the quality of the work and collaboration than a pitch.
Agency side, finds pitching outdated
Too often, everything is subordinated to a pitch and the real, properly paid work is done on the side. So from 6 p.m. until deep into the night.
agency side, thinks the pitch process is fine
Pitches are not wrong per se. However, it is a question of how the pitch is structured. Important: A maximum of three agencies, either just a small test assignment without too much effort or then paid.
Doesn't explicitly align himself with one side, doesn't find pitching contemporary
From the client's point of view: An agency and its concept should not win a pitch, but rather new clients for the client. In other words, what you get from a pitch are actually the wrong concepts.
Out of agency addiction: in the online industry, we abolished pitches a decade ago. I have no idea why advertising agencies still put themselves under so much stress without payment.
Some agencies are openly taking a stand on pitch culture:
Dirk Unger from Campfire has already written about this topic published a post on LinkedIn.
The Yellow agency is also positioning itself in a blog post on the agency website for pitching.
NeidhartSchön and various other agencies have signed a pitch code of conduct.
