Outdated pitching procedures wasting media agencies' time

Speaking at the Campaign Conference, a panel of leading media and marketing experts said that many pitches are an unnecessary and costly way of bringing agencies and clients together.

Matt Blackborn, CEO of Publicis Groupe Media in the Middle East and North Africa, said: "I think the process of pitching is archaic.

"I'm not convinced that we're ever going to eliminate some kind of formal selection, but it really doesn't reflect what an agency is capable of to put them through that environment."

Alex Andarakis, CEO of Saudi drinks and confectionary giant Aujan, said that Middle East clients are attached to the idea of holding pitches due to a lack of confidence.

"It's about experience and getting to spend time with people the whole pitch process is, in many cases, a complete waste of time," he said.

"It comes down to confidence," Andarakis added. "I can see confidence here building, but we're way away from having an environment where people are at the highest confidence level to be able to not do something that is in the marketing-101 book, which is 'I need to have a pitch'."

Chet Galpin, chief marketing officer at the National Commercial Bank in Saudi Arabia, said that clients outside of Dubai suffer from a 'seagull' approach to pitches made by Dubai-based agencies.

"I have a particular problem in that NCB is Saudi-based and a lot of the planning and buying comes out of Dubai," said Galpin. "There's a tendency for seagull type management where people fly in, do their business, and then fly out again. That isn't conducive to great planning or understanding of the business."

He added: "We're looking for people who really understand the business, and if you're in another city, another market, it's very hard to have the consumer insights and I'd say that's a key ingredient to a successful pitch. Pitches aren't ideal, but you have to make a decision. I think the key is to have a pitch that gives you exposure over a longer term not just a two-hour meeting."

Blackborn suggested that if clients insist on competitive, formal pitches, agencies should be incentivised by being rewarded financially.

"I think there's a recognition that you need to find a way of motivating an agency to really put their best people forward," he said.

"It isn't commonplace to be rewarded for pitching and we as agencies have been slack in pushing that agenda. If we don't raise it as an issue though, we don't deserve to get paid."

Imad Kublawi, CEO of media matchmaking firm IK Consult, argued that agencies and clients should build better relationships with each other to avoid the need for competitive pitches in the first place.

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