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Pitch or pass? While it might seem tempting to say yes to every opportunity, discerning agencies know that not all clients are created equal.

And just as marketers carefully evaluate agencies based on their expertise, creativity, and cultural fit, agencies need to be as picky about the clients they pitch, as marketers are about choosing them. And in our view why chemistry, canvas, chaos and cash are the keys to decide whether to pitch or pass. More on those in a moment, but first, consider what it actually takes to pitch a piece of business:

Effort

If you’re in it to win it, you’re asking your pitch team to put in a tremendous amount of effort to put your agency’s best foot forward in an effort to win the business at hand. Almost always this involves double-duty for those working on existing businesses and a lot of late nights and working weekends to come up with a winning pitch.

Disruption

Pitch team aside, the rest of the agency has to keep existing business moving seamlessly through the agency, while the pitch team needs to take priority across valuable project management, strategy, creative and studio resources.  Both sets of business have to be squeezed through without sacrificing quality or sanity.

Missed opportunities

While focused on the potential new client and their pitch, what other opportunities might the agency miss along the way?  In addition to other new business opportunities that may be a better match or potentially easier to win, consider what incremental opportunities might be at stake from incumbent clients.

Employee burn-out

Time, effort, rehearsals, late nights and long weekends can all take their toll on those involved in a pitch, so being selective in how hard you work your pitch teams is key to avoiding burn-out.  Just as important is the impact on morale – because win or lose, pitch teams will want time to take stock of what worked / what didn’t and to recharge between pitches.

Money

Whether you’re doing spec work and getting paid for it, or not doing spec work at all, there are likely costs you’ll be incurring to get the pitch the way you want it.  Freelancers, overtime, rush studio charges and perhaps that ‘over-and-above’ idea your team wants to render, all take money away from the bottom-line at the end of the year. So… While pitching new business can offer potential growth, it also carries significant risks. Therefore, agencies should be as selective as clients when considering new opportunities. One agency CEO shared that he was lamenting a morale problem because his agency was pitching a ‘massive piece of business’ which he knew wasn’t a good fit and was turning them inside out.  “So why pitch?” I asked.  “Because there would be hell to pay from our [upstairs] if we didn’t…” was his reply. That’s tough for anyone, but even agencies without holding company parents are challenged when it comes to being choosy about who they pitch, and many don’t consider the ramifications of well-intentioned efforts. So back to chemistry, canvas, chaos and cash and an easy to remember way to size up whether a new business opportunity is right for your agency:

Chemistry

I’ve never seen a pitch that hasn’t ultimately been decided on the chemistry between the client and the resources who’ve pitched the business.  Yes, strategy, creative and cost all came into it – but for the most part chemistry was the thing that clinched it.  So figure out quickly whether there’s real chemistry between you and your prospective client.  And if there isn’t, let it go.

Canvas

Establish the canvas that the potential client offers and how it’s potentially going to add value to the agency.  Sure, profit is important, but will else is going to help raise your profile – as well as that of the client?  Is it strategic thinking, digital execution, a fresh creative platform, branding or perhaps design? Defining the non-monetary aspects of value will not only help you decide whether the business is right for you, but it will likely help you create a stronger value proposition for the client you’re pitching.

Chaos

Yes, that’s right – chaos!  Agencies (and clients) need to consider how much chaos a piece of business is going to bring to an agency during a pitch process – and after it’s won.  Sizeable, highly demanding or complex pieces of business can not only turn an agency inside-out, it can fundamentally change its dynamic causing resource and financial turmoil.  So before pitching, sketch out your own chaos theory on what your new client could bring and how you plan to mitigate it before you start.

Cash

High profile brands or clients with big budgets can be an overwhelmingly tempting reason to pitch.  But at the end of the day, everyone needs to make a fair profit to make all the effort worthwhile, while considering the implications for the agency in the event budgets get cut or things don’t go the way you’d planned. So, pitch or pass?  Or just buyer beware?  In fact it’s neither.  It’s a reality check on the adrenaline of pitching new business and why agencies should be choosier in their new business efforts to create a win-win for everyone.  
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As marketing management consultants, we’ve observed numerous agency relationships that excel in functional skills but fall short in soft skills, ultimately overshadowing their technical capabilities. It’s crucial to recognize the significant impact of soft skills on agency evaluations.

Soft skills, as defined by Wikipedia, complement hard skills and are essential for effective job performance. They encompass emotional intelligence, intuition, and interpersonal abilities, providing a vital balance to cognitive skills. When selecting an agency, consider the importance of soft skills in fostering successful partnerships.

When defining agency requirements, it’s relatively straightforward to establish a framework of requirements – whether that’s around business expertise, specific capabilities or perhaps technical knowledge. But soft skills aren’t so easy to define and quantify because they require marketers to really understand themselves, and what attributes enhance their own unique business environments.

While soft skills are different for all marketers, here are eight of the most common attributes that we’ve seen make the difference – even when agencies seem to have the functional capabilities but the chemistry doesn’t seem quite right:

Innovation

As the marketing ecosystem has become more complex, innovation has steadily risen in importance for marketers when they’re choosing or evaluating agencies. The caution here is that “innovation” isn’t just another word for “creativity”. Innovation can take any number of forms – but it’s most often quantified around the strategic thought process and how insights are extracted.

Collaboration

Again, the complexity of the marketing ecosystem has spurned a growing requirement for multiple agencies to perform specialized roles. Agencies that can’t demonstrate an ability to collaborate and play nice in the marketing sandbox are typically ruled out faster because marketers want to focus on their own business, not their agencies.

Neutrality

Yup. It’s that complexity issue again. Now more than ever, marketers are looking for objectivity in their marketing mix modeling as ecosystems expand. Agencies that default to broadcast positions, or aren’t open to other agency partners leading a campaign launch, are often less appealing than those that demonstrate real neutrality in their approaches.

Accepting of criticism

We’ve seen marketers test criticism in agency pitch situations because they want to understand how easy agencies are to work with. This absolutely does not mean marketers are looking for agencies to roll over and agree with whatever’s being said – but it does require a balance between confidence in a point of view and taking input and criticism constructively.

Flexibility

Because plans change on a dime all the time, any agency that can demonstrate the flexibility and ability to adapt is appealing because it means the agency isn’t weighed down by rigid or layers of process that can’t flex when marketers have earthquakes. (And they do).

Curiosity

Curiosity is a hallmark of an ability to problem solve, provide insight and provides an important edge over competitive agencies. Any agency that is naturally curious about a marketer’s business is typically more appealing than one that’s just functionally proficient.

Ability to work under pressure

Whether it’s a last minute change of plans, high table stakes or virtually no time, working under pressure is a normal occurrence in marketing. So how the agency team can handle and deliver under pressure is a reassuring attribute that sets agencies apart.

Embrace change

Agencies that demonstrate adaptability and a willingness to embrace change are more likely to be long-term partners for marketers. While short-term fixes may be tempting, investing in a mid- to long-term agency relationship often yields greater rewards.

Soft skills play a crucial role in agency evaluations. We’ve observed that these skills can significantly impact an agency’s success. By understanding your organization’s specific needs and prioritizing the soft skills that align with your business, you can make more informed decisions when selecting an agency partner.

What other factors should you consider in your upcoming agency search?

 
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It happens.  A one-off ad.  A captivating app.  A single pitch participant.  Perhaps even captivating theatrics.  It’s something that outshines everything or everyone else in a pitch – so much so that it distracts you from the other content or people in the pitch process.

Shiny objects are mesmerizing distractions that have you focusing on one thing rather than the holistic offering being presented. But unfortunately, usually the wrong thing.

Shiny object ideas can be a dangerous thing – for one thing, they can take many forms:

The list goes on. But the common thread is they’re all one-off ideas or an individual that captivates so intently, that it distracts you from everything else.

Generally speaking, shiny object ideas have short life-spans and once executed, the broader attributes of the pitch come to the fore and the cracks begin to emerge.

So what steps should marketers take to guard against and avoid shiny object distraction in a pitch situation?

Understand your own organization

Understanding your organization’s issues as they relate to calling an agency search sets the framework for what you’ll be looking for and what’s really important in your evaluation process. Our agency health check or incumbent agency stakeholder process can help focus your team on what’s important and avoid being distracted by shiny object ideas.

Know what you’re looking for

Before calling an agency search (and before the opportunity for shiny objects can present themselves), articulate the key criteria that are important in your search process.

Align your search team

As your search team comes together, ensure everyone understands the reasons for calling a search and what attributes you want them to uncover in a new agency – regardless of any shiny objects that may appear in the process.

Create a great scorecard

Developed properly, scorecards can serve as an invaluable tool in the search process. Well-crafted, properly structured scorecards are essentially the written defence against shiny object ideas. More on creating scorecards here.

Identify your deal-breakers

In any agency search process there are likely deal breakers that would likely prevent you from selecting a given agency.  It might be chemistry, it might be price, it might be process – whatever it is – be sure your deal breakers are addressed – irrespective of shiny object ideas that may have been presented.

Ask the right questions

I’ve written before on asking smarter questions for smarter results and these questions can be a valuable check against shiny objects presented in a pitch situation.

As bright and dazzling as shiny objects may be, don’t be mesmerized by their fleeting appearances that outshine what’s really important in an agency pitch and agency evaluation process.

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As agency search consultants we’re often asked whether sizzle reels are a good idea to include in new business pitches and whether they’re helpful in showcasing their work. 

So if you’re an agency contemplating making and / or showing a sizzle reel as part of your next new business pitch – listen-up.  Spoiler alert is clearly in the title but hey, this needs to be said…

Agency sizzle reels are typically short videos that combine snippets from various ads – whether TV, video, print or digital – that an agency has recently produced, with a view to grabbing a prospect’s attention.  In reality, a kaleidoscope of content that will have viewers questioning their very own reality: Kids savouring ice cream – cars racing round corners – cows jumping over dishwashers – clowns racing through  malls with balloons – shimmering turquoise waters lapping against sandy beaches – money pouring out of ATMs –  rounded off by lasers dazzling audiences at some sort of mega event.

In other words, an excruciating couple of minutes watching a disjointed collection of flash-cuts, typically accompanied by some head-banging soundtrack – loud, colorful, and guaranteed to hypnotize by showcasing the best angles, while hiding the questionable baggage of calls-to-action in a dimly lit basement. 

Chances are they demonstrate absolutely nothing.

So why does anyone at an agency think a sizzle reel is a remotely good idea when agencies would be much better off using their time to showcase well prepared case studies that could demonstrate their thinking, creativity and how their work delivers for clients?

Seriously, people.  Here’s why sizzle reels don’t cut it:

Sizzle reels are the disco balls of the advertising world. All shiny and spinning – like client meetings on fast-forward, packed with stock footage, buzzwords, and enough jump cuts to give an epileptic squirrel a seizure.

Believe me. Every moment of a new business discussion is precious.  Use them wisely and tell whatever story you want to tell in the most compelling ways possible.  Please don’t throw random parts of a story into an indecipherable collage where thoughtful strategy and tangible results don’t matter, in the vague hope your prospects will make unimaginable connections about the effectiveness of your agency.  Because they won’t.

 

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Six years ago, with the help of an awesome network of marketers, clients, agencies, industry friends and colleagues, we started tracking as many Canadian agency pitches we could. And while our efforts could never be entirely complete, we created the first ever Canadian Agency Pitch Report, summarizing Canadian agency pitch wins. The Pitch Report delineates between Creative AOR, Media, Digital and PR pitches, and identifies companies by name and vertical, as well as winning agency(s).

Once again, the industry response this year has been overwhelming, and while many marketers and agencies proactively reached-out to share more information, we know there were more wins that could have been included.

2021 saw a 40 increase in agency search activity over the previous year, and 2022 has already exceeded that number – just with the number of searches we’re aware of to-date. So as fall draws in on this momentous year of change, we’re reaching out to marketers and agencies alike to share their wins with us to be included in this year’s report which will be released in January.

To make things easy, we’ve included a win notification link right on our home page to help provide the industry – and Canadian agencies in particular – with an overview of the buoyancy of the Canadian agency pitch market, while providing insight on the most and least active sectors year over year.  

My continued thanks to everyone who has helped keep us up-to-date over the past year. And a special thank you to my friends and industry colleagues who have already provided input into the construct of next year’s document, together with suggestions for additional content. 

To discuss the 2021 report, or to order your copy, please contact me directly, or click here to order online.

Five years ago, with the help of an awesome network of marketers, clients, agencies, industry friends and colleagues, we started tracking all the Canadian agency pitches we were aware of. And while our efforts can never be entirely complete, we created the first ever Canadian Agency Pitch Report, summarizing Canadian agency pitches.The response was overwhelming. And both marketers and agencies reached-out to share more information, ask for our our perspective on the state of the market.

Since then, we’ve continued to track agency pitches across Canada as we became aware of them, or once we’d heard which agency(s) had won new clients.

There’s no obligation for clients or agencies to share their agency pitch activity or new business wins, so the report can never be 100% complete. But unless we’re missing something, the data we have doesn’t appear to exist in a single location anywhere else.  And while there are various US and global reports out there, there’s nothing we’re aware of that offers this level of detail specifically for the Canadian market.

Our 2021 Agency Pitch Report delineates between Creative AOR, Media, Digital and PR pitches, and identifies companies by name and vertical, as well as winning agency(s).

Key findings contained in this year’s Canadian agency pitch report reveal a 68% increase in AOR activity over 2020, returning agency pitch activity to levels not seen since 2018. Agencies within the big six holding companies, more than doubled their win rate, with their best win ratio against independents since 2017. And most active pitch sectors proved to be in Retail and Packaged Goods.   

We hope the report provides the industry – and Canadian agencies in particular – with an overview of the buoyancy of the Canadian agency pitch market, while providing insight on the most and least active sectors year over year.  

My thanks to everyone who helped keep us up-to-date over the past year which has again proven so challenging for everyone.  And a special thank you to my friends and industry colleagues who provided input into the construct of the document, together with your suggestions for additional content in years to come. 

To discuss the report, or to order your own copy, please contact me directly, or click here to order online.

It’s been a familiar call over the years:  “Hey, the market seems really quiet at the moment…” or “are you aware of what pitches are going on out there…?” or “have you heard which agency won the – insert client name – business?”

So, four years ago, with the help of a fantastic network of marketers, clients, agencies, industry friends and colleagues,  we started tracking as many Canadian agency pitches as we could. And while our efforts can never be entirely complete, we are releasing the first ever Canadian Agency Pitch Report, summarizing Canadian agency pitches.

The 30-page report details activity from 2017 to 2020 and delineates between Creative AOR, Media, Digital and PR pitches. It also identifies companies by name and vertical, as well as winning agency(s).

Canadian Agency Pitch Report, 2020

Unless we’re missing something, the data doesn’t seem to exist in a single location anywhere else.  And while there are various US and global reports out there, there’s nothing else that offers this level of detail specifically for the Canadian market.

We hope the report provides the industry – and Canadian agencies in particular – with an overview of the buoyancy of the Canadian agency pitch market, while providing insight on the most and least active sectors year over year.  

Key findings contained in the report include the significant increase in independent agency wins over the last four years – up approximately 17% since 2017 to take 77% of the win rate versus the big six holding companies. And this past year we saw a 12% decline in the total number of pitches identified in 2020 compared to the previous year, pointing to the impact of COVID-19 on the Canadian market.

My thanks to everyone who helped keep us up-to-date over the past four years – particularly last year which has been so difficult for everyone.  And a special thank you to my friends and industry colleagues who provided input into the construct of the document, together with your suggestions for additional content in years to come. 

To discuss the report, or to order your own copy, please contact me directly, or click here to order online.