UK public relations industry backs voluntary code to fix 'broken' pitch process
Nine out of ten practitioners support a voluntary code of conduct to fix a 'broken' pitch process that costs agencies an average of £7,000 per opportunity.
Public relations agencies pitching for new business face budget uncertainty, ghosting and intellectual property misuse. This is the stark conclusion of the Pitch Forward report by the PRCA aimed at improving standards.
It calls for more transparent, ethical and streamlined industry-wide pitching processes. The PRCA says that it intends to address this as an output from the report. 88% of agency and client respondents said they would support this initiative.
Agencies describe being caught in a demanding pitching cycle, participating in an average 14.4 pitches per year.
Half of agencies pitch monthly and some pitch weekly. The average investment in a pitch is more than £7,000 and up to £20,000. The average pitch process typically takes two to three months, and the win rate is one in three.
Only a third of briefs are rated as good or excellent, with common issues including lack of budget transparency, unclear objectives and unrealistic demands. The PRCA says that this lack of clarity at the outset of a process results in inefficiency and misaligned expectations throughout the pitch process.
The report also underscores the importance of budget transparency in the pitching process. Budget transparency enables agencies to tailor their proposals to the client’s financial expectations. This simple yet often-ignored practice helps stop agencies investing excessive time and resources into concepts that may not be financially viable.
Winning a pitch doesn’t always result in an agency securing work. More than a third of agencies report the frustration of successful pitches that never materialise into actual work, with reasons ranging from sudden budget cuts to unforeseen client business issues.
Even when projects do move forward, agencies often face delays in receiving contracts, waiting an average of nearly three weeks.
Intellectual property is also an issue. Nearly half of agencies report that ideas shared during a pitch have been used without recompense.
The client perspective reveals its own set of priorities and challenges. Most clients typically invite two to three agencies to pitch. They prioritise industry expertise first, followed by budget and creative capabilities.
A shifting dynamic is evident in the growing influence of procurement departments. Two in five agencies note increased procurement-led pitches, signalling a move toward more process-driven, cost-focused selection methods. This trend has created tension between creative evaluation and financial considerations.
Recommendations and action
The Pitch Forward report identifies areas where clients can improve the briefing process to ensure more productive and effective pitches. The voluntary code will address these issues.
Budget transparency
Providing a budget or at least a range can help agencies tailor their proposals appropriately and avoid wasted effort on financially unviable ideas.
Clear and specific objectives
Including SMART objectives in briefs ensures that agencies understand the client’s goals and can propose targeted strategies.
Involving key decision-makers
Clients should ensure that all relevant stakeholders are involved in the briefing process from the outset to avoid miscommunications or changes in direction.
Streamlining procurement processes
Simplifying procurement requirements and shortlisting agencies earlier in the process would save time and resources for both clients and agencies.
Methodology
3Gem Research and Insights surveyed agencies and clients during July and August 2024. An anonymised questionnaire was sent to the PRCA and PR Week UK Top 150 databases. The findings are based on 475 respondents.
