Rethinking the Pitch Process: A Smarter, Better Way to Find the Right Agency Partner

Contrary to Popular Opinion

In this week's episode, Kelly and Todd explore the agency pitch process, addressing why the current RFP approach often falls short for decision-makers like CMOs and brand managers.

They emphasize the importance of selecting agencies based on long-term strategic thinking rather than surface-level presentations or buzzwords like “proprietary tools or processes.”

The conversation highlights how brands can benefit from focusing on agency alignment with their business goals and finding partners who prioritize genuine collaboration over bells and whistles.

By adopting a more interview-style evaluation, brands can make better informed selections, and forge stronger, more productive relationships with their agencies.

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - Introduction: The Problem with Traditional Agency Pitches
• 00:01:05 - Meet the Hosts: Kelly and Todd’s Experience
• 00:02:03 - The Agency-Brand Relationship Dynamics
• 00:03:11 - Challenges with the RFP Process
• 00:06:00 - Reliance on Capabilities and the Inherent Disconnect
• 00:08:15 - A Better Approach to Selecting Agencies
• 00:12:26 - Evaluating Agencies: Moving Beyond Capabilities Decks
• 00:13:00 - Aligning Expectations and Budget with Agencies
• 00:17:00 - Challenges of Evaluating Agencies in 90-Minute Pitches
• 00:18:00 - Long-Term Commitment vs. Short-Term Decisions
• 00:24:00 - Evaluating References and Case Studies
• 00:25:02 - Final Thoughts

Links and Resources:

• Kelly Maguire on LinkedIn
• Todd Juneau on LinkedIn
• Vuja De Digital

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Contrary to Popular Opinion? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!