| Summary: | The pitch process is critical for both clients and agencies as it is the time period
when clients are trying to identify the best agencies to hire and agencies are trying to win
business. There are a multitude of variables that play a large role in the success of a
client-agency relationship; however, the specific actions, events, and dynamics that occur
during the pitch process can be especially important in setting the tone and influencing
the outcome of the partnership. Many studies have examined various dynamics and
phases of the client-agency relationship, but few have specifically focused on the earliest
phase; the pitching process. This study fills this void by providing insights from clients,
advertising agencies, and third-party consultants involved in all aspects of the pitching process to better understand the dynamics of the beginning stages of the client-agency
life cycle.
The literature review examines personal relationships, business relationships, and
client-agency relationships and includes examples of relationship development models.
Although these models provide a good backdrop for the way a client and an agency
develop their relationship, they do not delve into specific aspects of the Pitch. Social
Exchange Theory (SET) and Expectancy Confirmation Theory (ECT) provide insights
both into how the pitch process facilitates exchange between clients and agencies and the
ways in which all parties involved in a pitch have certain expectations. The extent that
expectations are either confirmed or disconfirmed can lead to increased or decreased
satisfaction with the overall pitch process.
The four main research questions driving this study related to attraction, trust, and
satisfaction. Respondents were asked how both attraction and trust were experienced and
could be accelerated during the pitch process and were asked to identify the various
components that were involved in the “most-satisfying” and “least-satisfying” pitches.
The results indicated that both logistical and relational factors played a key role in the
way in which a pitch process was experienced and although clients, agency professionals,
and consultants shared many thoughts, each constituency offered a unique perspective.
This research brings attention to the level of disconnect that occurs among the various
constituencies and makes recommendations regarding ways to improve the pitching
landscape. === text
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