Should Companies Pay Agencies for Pitches?

Can you imagine companies paying agencies to pitch? If you’re at either end of the deal, we’re pretty sure you’ve thought about this. It does not sound as bizarre if you were in the industry two or three decades ago.

Agencies were paid a fee just to come up with marketing ideas.

New Norm: Free Ideas on Demand

Today, it is standard for companies to invite agencies to pitch ideas for a campaign or retainer, all at no cost. Agencies are expected to dish out original proposals, show polished creative, and deliver something that “wows”.

All without knowing if the opportunity is genuine or if the outcome has already been decided.

Not All Pitches Are Created Equal

Some pitches are sincere. Others are a formality.

Some, let’s be honest, are just a way to get free ideas.

Someone had to say it.

With no feedback, ghosted follow-up emails and text messages, and no relationship at the end of it, the whole ordeal feels transactional at best. At worst? EXPLOITATIVE!

What Happens Behind Closed Doors (and Tabs)

Behind every shiny deck lies time committed by talented visionaries, late nights from creatives holding on to their final strand of sanity (and hair), strategy pulled from real thinkers brutally abusing caffeine, and immeasurable company resources.

Not to mention the energy it takes to deliver something impressive, only for it to sit in some decision maker’s folder, never to be seen again.

The Agency’s POV

Agencies like ours aren’t short on competition. The pitch process has become a high-stakes routine where dozens chase the same lead, often with unclear odds. 

The icing on the cake? When no one is certain what the potential client wants, it becomes a guessing game that takes up time, budget, and team morale.

So… Should Companies Pay?

It is debatable. Some say yes in respect of the hard work of true talent. Some would argue otherwise because it is part of the game and the cost of winning business. 

We say this: If you value people and ideas, be clear with your intentions. Only call for a pitch when there is something real on the table.

What We’re Pitching

We're just people who care enough to think it through with you. And we are in it for the long haul — the messy briefs, the unanswered questions, the “we’re still figuring it out” moments. That’s where real work begins.