This is the start of agency pitch season proper; initial reports from ID Comms HQ and from our spies in the marketplace, agencies are getting busy with the first wave of 2013 reviews, which we anticipate to be a rather large wave.
We are hearing the usual mix of encouraging and discouraging stories back from those reviews that kicked off in Q1; some seem to be focused purely on finding a cost saving, others are balancing that with also having an understanding of media value and establishing a strategic relationship with the "supplier". However, these "Race To The Top" pitches are rare (outside of ID Comms of course, ahem)
At ID Comms towers we are naturally engaged in some of these pitches and working with clients on their own media reviews but I thought perhaps, given its that time of year, to share 3 of our watch-outs for managing a media pitch this year. This is advice specifically for the marketer but is perhaps useful to the agency too.
By the way, if you have a pitch planned and don't have consultant help, seriously consider it. Otherwise its like trying to build a house without an architect and lift a red-hot pan without wearing oven gloves... all at the same time.
These things can sound flippant, but securing the right relationship with the right agency "partner" is really important, critical even to your success in media and shouldn't be underestimated. Pitching should only be done once every 3-5 years at most, so if you are going to do it, do it properly and make it count.
“Anyone can get a good deal in year one. That’s easy. Its sustaining that delivery, that focus, that priority. Its getting the agency excited about years 2, 3 and 4 which is difficult. This is where having run a good pitch pays dividends.”
In an age when most media value distribution is discretionary on the part of the agency, the quality of your relationship with your media agency is absolutely critical to achieving competitive advantage in your category. The only way to be better at media than your competitors is to have a better agency, be a better client and work to better process than the competition. That's it.
So, if you are considering pitching in 2013 then consider this advice.
1. Secure the media agency with both the capability to provide a competitive advantage today and the commitment to grow with your business in future.
2. Run an accountable, objective and inspiring media review (example here http://idcomms.com/client-work/pitch-management/)
3. Commit yourselves (as the client organisation) to high standards of media governance as that is what secures the most value from agencies - be the best client you can be, have strong media management process in place, brief well and allow your agencies to shine.
That is really all there is to a productive media value chain (obviously you have to pay your agency properly, I'm taking that as a given, don't squeeze the agency on the 5% and overlook the opportunity of the 95%)
Good luck. Want more? Read our detailed Pitch Notes
Still want more? Call us
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