When your client asks you to repitch, it’s a head and heart decision. What are the commercial implications? The people impact (good and bad? Is there a risk to reputation? Is there an opportunity to create great work? And ultimately, it is ours to win?
Everyone knows that as the incumbent, the odds are stacked against you. But there’s the tantalising chance you might be in that 10-20%.
At Iris, we nearly always say no to repitching. If we haven’t proved our worth over the preceding three or four years, then what’s still to be achieved?
But sometimes it feels different. Starbucks fell into that category for us and it’s a decision we still debate 12 months on. So, we can sympathise with the agency turmoil that goes on behind the scenes in similar situations.
It’s even harder when it’s a "special" account. When you have deep client relationships, interesting and ever-evolving scope, and have created award-winning work as part of the partnership.
When the notion of the account going up for repitch lands in your inbox, it can feel incredibly confusing. After all, often nothing specific has happened and nothing has gone wrong.
That’s why I speak now to my agency friends and peers. I want to use our experience to help those of you who are going through a similar break-up.
It is only by sharing our experiences that we can unearth some positive learnings and hard truths about what often goes on behind the scenes.
What happens in those first couple of weeks is reminiscent of any break-up, where one partner has one foot out of the door. You desperately try to demonstrate how you can adapt to what they need, while they effectively reawaken their dating profile and start seeing other people.
But it comes to a point where you must make a decision: walk away, or go down fighting. Making that call is never easy. Pitches are both financially and emotionally draining, yet so is dedicating a significant period of time to building something afresh.
It takes a hell of a lot of soul searching to understand the best path to follow.
Sometimes it feels right to leave no stone unturned and, if so, I applaud any agency who pours their blood, sweat and tears into the (re)pitch process. You have to challenge everything, change teams and your tried and tested approach.
But no matter how much positivity is reciprocated by your clients, there will always be invisible factors beyond your control. You may be walking into a battle where the rules can change at the 11th hour.
Decisions may be taken higher than expected by decision-makers you haven’t even met, so you have to prepare for results that are determined by the head, rather than the heart.
My advice is to trust your gut and value your people’s and agency’s worth above all things. Listen to your people and take on-board their concerns and suggestions.
Not only are they on the frontlines of the relationship, they are also the talent responsible for the success you have with any client. They, therefore, are the most important relationship you can nurture.
And my ask to clients? Adopt radical candour. Unless you’ve been in the process of repitching, it’s hard to understand the toll it takes. If you are wanting a fresh start with someone new, just say so from the beginning.
Especially in today’s world, honesty is so much better than ambiguity and – as Chris and Gwyneth showed us all – conscious uncoupling can be a positive move for the longer term.
Let’s lean into hard conversations in the interests of our collective wellbeing.
Amy Bryson is chief marketing officer at Iris.
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