Marketing PRojects doesn’t do competitive pitches for free.
Why? Wasting talent, time, and trust is a terrible way to do business. We do MAPs (Marketing Action Plans) and focus on the end goals. Here’s why.
An agency pitch process is like speed dating under fluorescent lights, where you expect someone to fall in love with you and pay for their own dinner.
And then? Most of those ideas end up in a PDF Powerpoint graveyard.
In 30 years I’ve never seen an idea presented in a pitch coming to life, there are always improvements to make, when time has only been invested up against deadlines. I’ve seen plenty of campaigns nailed together from our pitches executed badly by others. Thank you!!
Agencies parade the A-team, everyone applauds… and then those people disappear fast when the work actually needs doing and the results don’t show from work carried out by a less experienced team.
And the worst? Big agencies win by going in with a price so low they know they’ll lose money, just to get a foot in the door. Which means they’ll start the relationship already frustrated, under pressure, and cutting corners, a perfect time bomb.
So, what should serious clients do?
Before you choose your agency:
Consider your task model – do you really need a traditional client:agency relationship? Would a marketing consultant with experience work better for you? They could work from your offices, be totally accountable, train up your staff and the 80:20 rule is maximised from the start. Speak to us.
If you must use an agency:
- Call a few agencies, no more than 8. Ask about issues, not showreels – skip them! Don’t ask for their “best campaign ever.” Ask how they solved a problem like yours. If your issue is credibility, their Super-Duper ad doesn’t help you. Look for real experience in your kind of mess, no matter if they are uber expert in your category. That’s what matters.
- Let procurement support, not sabotage.
Procurement can be a powerful ally: if they understand how to value ideas. When they treat creative work like cans of tuna, everyone loses. If they focus only on price, you’ll get exactly what you paid for: less. - Do they focus on the end goal?
Have you clearly communicated how you will be measuring them. Great creative is only a means to an end. Do they understand this? Are they focused on the end goal? Are YOU clear?
If you must pitch, pay.
Asking for free work is like inviting a chef to cook you a five-course meal “just to see if you like their vibe.” It’s awkward. It’s unfair. And it tells them, right from the start, that you don’t value their craft. If you want serious thinking, act like a serious client. Pay for the work.
After you choose your agency:
- Start with a real brief and then waste time.
Most briefs are vague, bloated, or written by committee. If you want great work, start by writing something worth reacting to. We can even help here or write them for you.
Then waste time: Talk. Debate. Listen. Disagree. Creativity grows in the spaces between questions, tensions, and late-night “what ifs.” Great work doesn’t come from briefing documents or shining templates. It comes from conversations.
- Show up, and keep showing up.
If you say “this is the most important campaign of the year” and then vanish for five weeks… you’re not walking the talk. Great creative work needs leadership, not last-minute feedback. - Share responsibility.
it may sound weird but your agency has a P&L too. So before asking for the 12th round of reworks, ask yourself: Was the brief clear? Did the feedback change every time?
If the answer is yes, the problem isn’t the agency, it’s your brief.
- Show up, and keep showing up.
If you want great ideas, you need great relationships – and trust. And if you want great relationships, start by being a professional client.
Do you agree? Let me know.