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Pitch theatre is a thing. It doesn't have to be as real as it is, as long as it looks good on a slide.
Super condensed is key. There's no time for long worded slides, just the soup and nuts.
No matter how organized, they're utter chaos.
Unless you're in the room for the pitch or any of its components, winning will earn you nothing but a minor pat on the back.
Some good examples that have succeeded: driving across the country in Lyft to win the Lyft account(and then making a video about it before the pitch).
CPB filling a room with red paper airplanes to win Virgin airlines back in the day.
But all of these were supported by good ideas
Make bold choice and do it quickly.
But be flexible and ready to pivot on a dime.
Pitches aren't a test of how smart you are. It's a test of how you can wow a client. And make the creative work look absolutely wow worthy.
Strategy doesn't win a pitch. But it can lose the pitch. So work your ass off. But if clients don't like creative, that's why you lose.
Reseach your clients. Listen to every interview by the client's CEO and CMO. Know what they want of their business and where they see their business going.
Have a provocative point of view on culture, the category, or their business.
Be of service to the creatives. Fuel them with culture and audience knowledge that pushes them to great work.
Your job is to be helpful to the team.
Know things, find things out, substantiate the argument into pithy charts.
You're helping people get to an answer and an idea and a story in a truncated amount of time.
Anything you can do to reduce swirl and help the team move forwards is valuable.
Pro
💯. What Creative2 says. This is good advice for any strategist on a pitch.
It’s a trap.
Don't plan any social activities on nights and weekends until after the pitch is over.
Team pitch meals are often giant group orders like pizza or other unhealthy foods. Try to eat healthy and stay hydrated. You and your brain will feel better for it. Especially the late nights.
Order the Pad Thai.
Late nights. 180 degree turns. It’s basically a roller coaster. I loved the mayhem.
If I work my ass off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime.
Don’t overthink it. Take direction and apply it quickly. work fast. Prepare for your work to change or be removed at random. Expect direction to change. Go insane. Think about quitting. Call your guy. Pound a bag in the bathroom. Come back feeling like a greek god. Lose the pitch. Blame strategy. Never speak of it again.
Thick skin. Don’t be surprised if an EVP re-does or deletes all of your slides. Speaking from experience.
Be prepared to start everything over at the whim of a higher up
Rising Star
Have a trusted friend on standby to feed/walk your pets.
Creatives will spin you and everyone. Remember, it's just a job!
Your weekends aren’t your weekends until it’s over.
Don’t sweat on the details. No one cares or notice them in a pitch. Everything is just there to create an impression.,
In Russia, pitch works on you.
Be first. The first agency to pitch has a statistical and psychological advantage. If you are last, don’t break your picks on it. The odds are you have already lost before you enter the conference room.
I promise publicis doesn’t go first and they are killing everyone else
They're never worth the squeeze