Interview: Pitch, please!
The industry speaks out about the pitching process in the Middle East, while brands give their side of the story to Campaign Middle East editor Justin Harper. One of the most heated topics in the agency world is pitching. While a necessary part of an agency’s work, many feel the process is unfair. We decided to speak to both agencies and brands to understand the current landscape and hopefully spark a constructive dialogue.
The problem
The Request for Proposal (RFP) comes in. Lots of resources are quickly mobilized to work on the pitch. Often the deadline is tight, meaning late nights and lots of stress. The pitch is delivered and in the best-case scenario, the agency wins the work. But we often hear stories of it all going quiet afterward and nothing happens. No feedback, no announcement of who won the tender, and in the worst examples, the ideas pitched are ‘borrowed’ without any form of recognition or payment.
Q. What are your views on the pitching process?
A. Pitching is essential but within boundaries. Is it really a “pitch” if you’re asked to develop a full strategy for a chance to impress and be considered? Previous work, case studies, accolades, and online reputation should also play a role when choosing to partner up with an agency. We’re all aware and wary of AI’s 5-second strategies that can be laid out in your company guidelines with a few pictures to make them look dainty. Anyone can pitch but can they deliver?
Q. What’s been your worst experience?
A. Usually governmental entities and rigid corporations, like pharmaceuticals, are the hardest to deal with. Their guidelines and visions rarely match that of any agency, really. Many of them want their requests implemented while disregarding the actual creative feedback and input of the agencies they hire. I find this absurd… yet many agencies take the punch to get X company on retainer to pay their team.
Q. Talk us through an average pitch (time spent, number of people, deadline, and outcome)
A. A full strategy or 360 campaign requires days of research, strategizing, and conceptualizing. Some RFPs come with a 1-week deadline (like a recent one we had), which isn’t always enough time to deliver a thorough and on-brand pitch… especially when you’re up against bargain-basement pitches that clearly cut every corner. I find this demoralizing when all that effort gets measured against hastily assembled, low-ball bids. If the budget is tight, the client should just say so.
Q. What can realistically be done to fix these unfair pitches?
A. I find the intro and brief calls to be the most important part of the start of any partnership. If the agency lead is well-researched and a good note-taker, they’ll make sure account directors are properly debriefed. Clients usually share everything in these 2 calls: purpose, vision, message, and if you’re lucky, some inspiration. All an agency has to do is adapt it creatively and lay it out for the client to see. Also, campaign-custom visuals and messaging should not be included in the pitching phase since they’re not remunerated by the potential client at this stage.
Q. Have you ever been paid for a pitch? Or asked to be paid?
A. Of course. We have been paid to pitch a few times and these actually resulted in an instant hire. We’ve never asked to be paid (yet), but after a few sour experiences, we might consider it.
Q. How can you still pitch but stop a brand/client just stealing your best ideas?
A. If your ideas aren’t used as is, they’ll inspire the process, to say the least. When hired, we usually sign a non-disclosure agreement with our clients to maintain privacy during the
partnership. We’ve never made a client sign an NDA during the pitching phase, and we’ve never been asked to sign one either, not even by our governmental clients. I believe it all goes back to the client’s work ethics and their respect for ours.
Q. Do you think the situation is worse in the Middle East than in other markets?
A. The Middle East is a buzzing scene for creative agencies. Competition is fierce, markets are over-saturated, and there’s plenty of business to attend to. Pitching has become the norm here, and it comes with its advantages. Landing big buck clients isn’t always guaranteed as an independent agency, but getting selected to pitch and be shortlisted against industry giants is always a good boost of morale.
Q. The Campaign UK story hinted that the tide is turning as UK agencies have become smarter and are increasingly turning down invitations to pitch where the demands placed upon them are too high. Are you turning down pitches, or have you heard other agencies turning down pitches?
A. At the moment we’re not turning down pitches. We launched in the UAE a year ago. We’ve worked with great people so far and have been approached by companies and corporate entities we never thought would work with young independent agencies. The process is not all fun, but it definitely is educational. We’re learning to say no when we don’t feel comfortable with the brief or if the campaign message doesn’t align with our values.
Serge Trad is an award-winning marketing professional with over a decade of experience in the dynamic, fast-paced world of F&B and Nightlife. He’s the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Visual of Closed Captions Communications, a Dubai-based creative studio.
Views from this article were originally published in Campaign Middle East and can be found online here.