Blog
Thinking
Pitches: how can we got out of the mess we’ve got ourselves into?
by
Kath Cotton
April 7, 2025
There’s a well-established protocol in our industry – hungry agencies want to win work, clients want to pick the best. This has led to a power dynamic that is off kilter from the start – the agency is always the underdog, seeking constant approval and feeling like they could be rejected at the drop of a typo. This is not the basis of a healthy relationship.
For me, a large part of this unhealthy dynamic stems from the pitch process itself. If you start the relationship out of balance, that imbalance will endure unless you all work very hard to re-set it.
The typical pitch process invites agencies to spend two weeks getting to know the brand well enough to share something so insightful that the team working on it every day haven’t thought of yet. And then to build out at least one creative concept that is not only strategically sound and designed to inspire action, but is also creatively unique, medically compliant and easily translatable to a range of global languages and cultures. Don’t get me wrong, plenty of people (me included!) love the thrill of a pitch, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best way to find the perfect partnership.
Some agencies are better placed to peacock than others. Some have large teams dedicated only to new business. Some have the resources to invest on average £50k for every pitch1. Some give no thought to whether the opportunity is right for them, focussing only on revenue. Some have global network to draw localisation insight from. Does that automatically mean they will be a better partner, or a better fit? This sort of performance can easily impress, but just as easily lead to disappointment months down the line.
Fundamentally, the issue with this process is that it focuses on the wrong things. Someone once described it to me as getting married after a speed date. It’s too quick, too pressured, based only on face-value and does nothing to assess whether people are kindred spirits and whether the partnership will actually thrive. The result is a high turnover of agencies, or clients and agencies persevering in an unhappy relationship because they can’t bear the thought of going through it all again.
We don’t have to pitch this way though. Just because we always have, doesn’t mean we always should. Agencies will often complain about the process but do nothing to change it. If they keep accepting invitations for pitches run this way they are facilitating it’s continuing dominance. We had the pleasure of being invited to a pitch process with Takeda last year, and right from the very first email it was like a breath of fresh air. They wanted to find a new agency for a launch brand but didn’t want to go through a typical pitch. They brought in consultant @Nicky Oates to help them find an agency that felt right for them in the long-term, not an agency who could win at speed dating. It went a little bit like this:
- They ran sessions internally to outline what they wanted from an agency partnership
- They identified agencies that fit what they need, based on recommendations, word of mouth, awards presence and reviewing agency websites and socials
- Agencies who met the brief on paper were invited to submit creds, outlining an agency overview, expertise, philosophy, showcase of work, approach to client servicing, rate card and pricing models, references and testimonials. Note: they gave nothing to influence what we say, they wanted to authentically hear about who we were as an agency
- Shortlisted agencies were invited to a chemistry meeting, which was essentially an informal chat around the creds, designed to see how well we all get on
- We were given a pilot project, paid, to test how well we work together
- The business was awarded the successful agencies
So beautifully human and simple. A real pleasure of a process, and less time consuming for all sides. The objective from the start was to find the right fit, people who could happily work together as equals. We’re delighted Takeda and Nicky were recognised by winning Gold for the PM Society Positive Pitch and Partnership Award because of it. And a year on from the pitch, the strength of the relationship is a testament to the quality of the process.
It’s often forgotten that agencies also have a choice, and we assess clients as well as them assessing us. We have the power to say ‘no, thank you’. Like many agencies, we discuss the brief across our team before we decide whether we pitch or not. Does the opportunity complement our existing work? Do the communications and approach from the client align with our philosophy and ethos? Do we seem culturally, ethically and morally aligned? How many agencies have been invited to pitch? Once we were told it was 50… How much are they expecting to see on the day? How much time do we have to prepare a considered response? Can we meet the decision-makers before the pitch? Is it financially viable for us to invest in the opportunity? Are we excited by it?
If we’re happy with all of these, we will say yes. If any of these don’t feel right, we will say no. We will never pitch for money alone – it has to be the right opportunity, not just any opportunity.
At Salt, growth has never been an objective in its own right. If you think that way you make decisions for all the wrong reasons, chasing the cash rather than being true to yourselves. We have too much integrity and respect for our team and our business for that. Your heart has got to be in it, especially in a small agency, that’s what makes the independents so special.
There are other ways. We don’t need to keep accepting things we’re not happy with, if we do, nothing will change.
As my daughter (and Mahatma Gandhi) would say, ‘be the change you wish to see in the world’.