Belgian ad agencies ‘go on virtual strike’: target bad clients abusing the pitch process
February 12 2010, 1:46 pm | | 20 Comments
Check out this ‘statement’ from Belgium’s top ad agencies. Perhaps it’s something Australia’s The Communication Council could take up down under.
20 Comments
Regardless of the pitch issue, which is a constant and seemingly unsolvable concern for agencies everywhere, this is a really simple, clever way to demonstrate an alliance. Genius.
Genius. Nice to see at least one country’s industry can get together for the greater good instead of soending their time backstabbing each other. Hope it works for them.
That would be ‘spending’.
Very clear.
I doubt it will work.
But a fantastic idea very nicely executed.
Good to see some solidarity too.
I like it.
At first, I was a little pissed off, having to click through to keep reading the message. But the power of the collective is really rammed home when you have to cycle through every single agency’s website in order to read the statement.
So, so much more powerful than every agency simply hosting the full statement.
I like the sentiment but surely if an agency is that concerned that a pitch will affect the quality of the work for their existing clients shouldn’t they choose not to get involved? The ‘pitch for absolutely anything’ credo should be examined by each agency. Unless the agency is going down and losing clients, they should pick and choose what they are involved in.
You are a cunt 2.54.
Very very cool – both the collective stand and the execution.
Wow…that’s the first decent work I’ve ever seen on campaignbrief.
Possibly because it never went through a creative department…
Cool…but the same could be of production companies receiving the same burden from Agency land.
It’s just a vicious circle.
As TBWA used to say, insanity is the definition of repeating the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
I’m a hack, but I actually like my clients. I get along with them really well. We have the same goals. I don’t see why marketing departments aren’t either housed within agencies, or teams within marketing departments.
Cry foul, but we need more synergy and long term relationships to produce good work, not a ‘the clients always a fuckwit, the suits don’t have a clue’ attitude.
Hell, we might even make this industry fun again.
Time for change people.
http://www.accbelgium.be/Content/acc/charterscodes/competitioncharter/index.html
You guys do the same shit with production companies and half the time don’t even get back to say thanks for the effort. We should charge you to pitch! The amount of time and energy it takes and the cost involved is just not appreciated by agencies and you complain about your clients!?! You can see peoples work and you know what money you’ve got yet you play games between us companies to cut each other in price so you can make more money .You deserve what you get. Go Clients!!!
http://adage.com/globalnews/article?article_id=142039
8.20.
I believe Einstein said that.
😉
4:03 – Einstein worked for TBWA Bratwurst.
quit your fucking whingeing and give the same respect to production companies like you want yourselves.
cunts.
Why.
Do ad people. Insist on constructing. Sentences like this? Economy is one thing. But this is just W. A. N. K.
More.
Full Points. Do not make.
Your point.
Fuller.
Of course, there must be more than 26 agencies in all of Belgium. There’s bound to be a swag of small and boutique agencies who weren’t included in this. I bet they’re not asking for pitches to be limited to only 3 agencies. They’d miss out almost every time. Clients would select the 3 major players who don’t have conflicts. Small agencies would be squeezed out of the market.
I’m all for some kind of charter on pitches in Australia but it can’t limit the number of agencies to 3. Perhaps it can have a maximum of 6. But it should certainly put limits on the timelines, and even suggest guidelines on the contents of a pitch to prevent clients asking for the agencies to present the next 12 months of planning, creative, media, budgets, etc, then walking away with half a dozen full marketing schedules for their incumbent.
@12:14, your ability to make a mature point in the debate is astonishing, but you seem to forget that agencies already do this. They don’t ask 10 production companies to produce estimates and treatments. The creatives or CD will pick 3 directors who have relevant reels and ask those three to ‘pitch’. And one WILL be awarded the job. There is no round 2 or 3. The agency never says “you’re all crap, we’re going to try 3 more” because the agency picked those 3. So, in conclusion, quit your fucking whingeing you cunt.
4:03 – you’re a legend