Culture / Insight
Insight
By Lottie Mitchell
26th Nov 2024
Pitching and securing new business is the lifeblood of all creative agencies around the world. A single hour in which we seek to captivate, connect, and convince. How can we make the most of this fleeting window into a client’s world? The below reflections explore how we might approach the creative process and pitching with intention—ensuring that what we deliver speaks beyond just the brief itself and embraces strategies that truly resonate.
At the heart of a great experience lies the simplicity of human connection – the beauty in the gathering often eclipses even the most extravagant of spectacles. This principle extends to the creative process. As Leonardo da Vinci said “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”, and when it comes to creative pitching, I can’t think of a better mantra. At its core, simplicity isn’t about stripping ideas down to the bare minimum; it’s about distilling them to their essence, where their power truly lies.
Too often we see brands and creatives overcomplicate the message, when in fact, one of the most valuable creative skills is making complex ideas simple. A pitch deck is a reflection of one’s ability to do just that—clearly articulate a concept. There is power in the simplicity of a single, focused idea per slide, ditching the jargon and letting the visuals speak for themselves. If an idea relies on excessive text to be understood, it may be a sign that it’s too abstract and it’s not a good idea at all. A pitch isn’t just about filling the screen with information—it’s about inviting the client into the story. Slides should serve as a complement to a verbal presentation, not as a replacement, and too much detail can often lead to getting stuck in the weeds.
Creativity is influenced by culture and the environment we immerse ourselves in. In today’s data-driven world, brands tend to fixate on chasing ‘the now’ and obsess over measurable outcomes. But does looking at past trends stifle future innovation? Over-optimisation and constant drive for short-term gains, whether through chasing virality or immediate profitability, can extinguish the very spark behind breakthrough creative ideas. Trend-based thinking often sacrifices long-term vision, undermining the experimentation, originality, and bold creative risks needed to push boundaries and create something truly magic and enduring.
True cultural relevance goes beyond fleeting fads. It’s about understanding the zeitgeist and weaving it authentically into creative work. Culture surrounds us, it’s in what we do, see, and enjoy. Naturally, the creative process is influenced by the cultural context it exists within, whether consciously or subconsciously. Embracing this understanding can be liberating, allowing ideas to thrive beyond the confines of data.
That’s not to dismiss analytics—they’re still a vital part of the creative pitching process. Instead, perhaps it’s worth reevaluating our relationship with them. Data should inform or elevate creative decisions, but not dictate them. To guide, not govern, leaving room for intuition, imagination, and unconventional thinking. Striking the balance between relevance and timelessness, that’s how our creative ideas become part of the cultural conversation in a way that lasts.
An in-person pitch holds a distinctive impact, where the setting itself can set the stage for meaningful connection. A creative, inviting space can open up collaboration in ways a sterile conference room never could. Even online, paying attention to the room’s feng shui—lighting, camera angles, and background—can shape how our ideas are received.
Pitching isn’t just about selling an idea; it’s about building connection and trust, and offering a window into how effectively we could work together in the future. While coming up with a proposal might be easy, presenting it to a stranger is hard. Taking the time to research and understand the decision-makers on a personal level, as well as a professional one, can help transform a pitch into a warm conversation, rather than a cold performance.
93% of our communication is non-verbal with the vast majority only perceived on a subconscious level. A presentation with confident body language, compelling storytelling and buckets of emotion can seduce the audience and their collective subconscious in ways that words alone often can’t. At the end of the day, people buy people. If we don’t connect on a deeper human level, we won’t be bought. The energy in the room, unspoken yet palpable, speaks volumes and we should aim to harness it as a powerful tool to be memorable. Sometimes, it’s chemistry that wins over concept.
Every great pitch is grounded in simplicity, striking a balance between insight and intuition. By managing the aspects of delivery within our control, we can set the stage for creativity to soar. With confidence and passion ideas are not just heard, but felt.
It’s worth considering how far we could push the boundaries of creative pitching. Is a traditional deck still our most powerful tool, or is it starting to feel outdated? Ogilvy transformed their boardroom into a runway for Dove, and personalised Coca-Cola bottles with the decision-makers’ names and those of their loved ones were handed out during the pitch for the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign. In today’s digital landscape, don’t underestimate the power of the tactile, and flipping the script on the client’s role from a passive observer to an active participant can be incredibly effective.
Perhaps, the future of pitching lies in experiential agencies doing experiential pitches—crafting presentations that are as creative, immersive, and impactful as the work itself.
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