Avoid these 3 agency pitch mistakes
Most agencies want more at-bats. More opportunities. And they are confident that they can win if they just get a chance to get into the room with the prospect. In our work managing agency reviews for clients of all sizes, we see a different reality. We often see good agencies fail once they get into […]
What will we learn from the State of the Pitch?
What will we learn about the current “State of the Pitch” in the US? You may recall Mercer Island Group has teamed with Campaign and Trinity P3 to launch the State of the Pitch survey here in the U.S. The survey is live and any pitch you have participated in since January 2025 can be […]
AI and avoiding a sea of advertising sameness
The promise of AI is extensive in advertising. Clients expect more, better, quicker, cheaper. Agencies are exploring and creating tools to help deliver on that promise while working to create new compensation models that protect their ingenuity and financial security. There is a risk to marketers and their agencies that is not being discussed: the […]
What’s the State of the Pitch in the US?
What is the “State of the Pitch” in the US these days? RFP and pitch processes can sometimes be far from perfect. Horror stories abound and those are the stories that get the most attention. But when we talk with agencies, we typically hear much more nuance as many experiences seem respectful and positive while […]
Brand codes: a creative effectiveness multiplier
The highlight for me from Cannes this year was the release of research using a combination of the Effie Global database of case studies and System1 creative effectiveness research. The Creative Dividend: How creativity multiplies profitability report is essentially a primer on effective advertising – advertising that drives business impact. Some considerations that leap off […]
5 critical client decisions before an agency review
Clients manage thousands of agency reviews and selection processes every year. These processes are incredibly important. The right agency partners in any area from creative to media, PR or performance marketing can be business multipliers. Getting the search “right” is important for the client’s business and sometimes even for their career. There is a great […]
Agencies, avoid unforced errors: the prospect visit
A client needs a new agency and after a diligent process has narrowed the field to a couple agencies. The prospect is excited! They’ve done their homework. They think they’ve found a couple promising agencies! The agencies are excited – they know they are one of only a couple left standing in the competition. But […]
Key learning from speed dating 36 indie agencies in an afternoon
The 4As hosted a fascinating effort last week in Austin as part of MPF 2025: they programmed an afternoon of speed dating for agencies and search consultants. Thirty-six fine agencies met individually with several of the country’s top agency search consultants. MPF stands for the 4A’s “Management Practitioners Forum”, an event that brings together leaders […]
54 agency biz dev mistakes
What are the top 54 pitch mistakes agencies make? Robin and I were delighted to present 54 Mistake Agencies Make in New Business Development during the annual Build A Better Agency Summit presented by Agency Management Institute. Forbes calls it the #1 conference for agency executives. This is the ideal agency conference for small to […]
Where is your agency in the agency supermarket?
Many agencies forget about a critical element of brand positioning when it comes to their own brand. Just what kind of agency are they positioning? This important gap results in agencies missing out on business opportunities daily. In classic brand positioning work, the two core elements are captured by defining “the type of product or […]