The Pitch Process: Toward a Greater Understanding of How Clients Select Their Advertising Agencies

Abstract

The pitch is a central part of an agency’s new business activity. The paper explores the process used by advertisers when selecting an advertising agency. Using in depth interviews with senior advertising practitioners the study identifies five stages that occur; Search, Credentials, Opt, Pitch and Evaluate. The paper makes two contributions. First the research illustrates the main stages of the selection process and offers a model for further investigation and qualification. Second, the study highlights the dissatisfaction that some practitioners have with the process of agency selection. Implications of the findings are discussed and future areas of research considered.