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 included. Agencies can complete a survey (link later in the article) each time they participate in a pitch. Campaign’s global team of data analysts will then process the findings, working with the U.S. editorial team to produce a full, anonymized report in Spring 2026.
What will we learn from this exciting initiative?
There are thousands of pitches annually in the U.S., but today we don’t know the range of pitch practices agencies are faced with, how agencies are treated and where specifically we should all be calling for change. We expect important learning (survey link here) across a wide range of areas! Here are the ten things I am most interested in learning:
1. Why are pitches being called?
Is it because of change in leadership, a scope change, poor incumbent agency performance, consolidation, a mandatory process or something else?
2. Who is leading the pitch for the client?
What share of pitches are run by procurement, consultants or by marketers themselves?
3. How big is the typical field?
How many agencies participated?
4. How long did the pitch run?
Was it weeks or months or some other time period?
5. Did the pitch require speculative strategy, creative or a media planning
Always a hot topic… it will be interesting to see what is most common.
6. How well did the evaluation team communicate during the pitch?
At Mercer Island Group we think clear and timely communication is essential and we try to make a point of it. I’m looking forward to seeing whether that is common or not.
7. Did the agency get constructive feedback during the pitch process?
We work to provide clear feedback throughout the process, including tissue session feedback to agencies within 24 hours. Is clear and timely feedback normal?
8. How clear was the scope of work?
Agencies can’t provide a sound quote without a detailed scope. This should be table stakes.
9. What were the payment terms?
Another hot topic. I’m eager to see what agencies report here.
10. Did agencies have to pay a consultant to participate or upon winning?
At Mercer Island Group we really do not like this practice. Agency pitches are costly enough to agencies without consultants trying to skim away additional agency margin. And is a client that works with a consultant in that capacity a client you’d want?
What are you keen to learn?
Want to know even more about The State of the Pitch 2025? Campaign’s Cecilia Garzella recently announced this effort here.
And you can find the link to the 2025 survey here. The survey is confidential and quick. It will only take about ten minutes to complete per pitch.
This effort is meant to help our entire industry and we hope to hear from agencies of all sizes about their pitch experiences. Every pitch you participate in 2025 can be included – no matter how big or small. Each and every contribution you make will add to and inform a rich view of the state of pitching, hopefully setting the stage for positive change.
We hope that you share our passion for making our industry even better by completing the brief survey each time you participate in any pitch – irrespective of winning or losing. You can use the link as many times as you like, one for each pitch you participate in.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly. And if you are not the person responsible for new business in your agency, please forward this to the correct resource.
Again, the State of the Pitch survey link is here.
Thank you for helping make our industry even better.
Collectively, let’s bring a more informed discussion to the State of the Pitch in the U.S.
Steve Boehler, founder, and partner at Mercer Island Group has led consulting teams on behalf of clients as diverse as Ulta Beauty, Microsoft, UScellular, Nintendo, Kaiser Permanente, Holland America Line, Stop & Shop, Qualcomm, Brooks Running, and numerous others. He founded MIG after serving as a division president in a Fortune 100 when he was only 32. Earlier in his career, Steve Boehler cut his teeth with a decade in Brand Management at Procter & Gamble, leading brands like Tide, Pringles, and Jif.
Mercer Island Group helps marketers and agencies succeed. Company leadership is as much at home with marketers and their C-Suites as in an agency’s boardroom. With marketers, Mercer Island Group is a top 5 agency search consultancy covering all types of agency relationships (creative, media, web, PR, experiential) and assists marketers with marketing organization structure, workflow and critical skill development (briefing, creative evaluation & feedback, etc.). The company also supports leading and aspiring agencies with positioning, pitch and strategy training and pitch support.