Name Evie Loo
Title Marketing communications manager, BFGoodrich Asia-Pacific
Pitches Four
First pitch Michelin; marketing communications manager
Biggest pitch As above
The main goal of a pitch is to find the agency most capable of being the brand's communications strategist and partner. Unfortunately, the pitch process does not really allow one to determine that. Often, the agency's capabilities and experience, as well as its ability of being truly a partner, will only be revealed through working together over time. Having said that, the pitch process does offer a glimpse into how the agency approaches the pitch, how it works and, to a small extent, how it can potentially add value to our business and communications strategy and objectives.
The process and agency's approach will contribute to 90 per cent of my decision in choosing an agency, and the remaining 10 per cent is gut feel. I get a good feeling when an agency makes the effort and takes the initiative to understand a new potential client's business, products, people, culture. I like it when I get to see a preview of an agency's proposal to ensure that it is going down the right path in answering the brief. I get a bad feeling if I don't hear from the agency prior to the final presentation of the proposal. It's a plus point too if one or more of the team members on the account has a genuine interest in my brands and products/services.
Agencies sometimes put forward a freelance creative team during the pitch process. How can we judge whether the agency will be a good partner if we don't meet the people who will be working on the business? The agency's team-work and responsiveness often are not seen until after the account is awarded. The client's brief needs to be as clear and as detailed as possible to avoid misunderstanding or confusion. Agencies should always ask questions or seek clarification if the client's brief is not clear. Never second-guess the brief. I tend to feel a pitch will not end happily when agencies become defensive of their proposals without making the effort to try and understand what could possibly be the mistake.
Is the pitch working? Maybe The pitch process is necessary to find the right communications partner, provided the right process and approach are followed. It is not necessary, however, to have a pitch just to review or test an agency's commitment and performance.