The first step to stronger partnerships? Getting the pitch right

The pitch process should be a moment of alignment. A starting point where agencies and advertisers come together to solve real business challenges with strategic clarity and shared intent. Yet over the years, that ideal has eroded. What was meant to be the beginning of partnership has, in many cases, become a source of friction and fatigue.

This breakdown isn’t due to bad faith. It’s the result of systems and habits that no longer reflect the complexity of today’s marketing landscape. With tighter budgets, more touchpoints, and greater demand for measurable impact, the stakes in every pitch are higher, yet the process itself has not kept pace.

The real cost of misalignment

The reality many agencies face today includes briefs with unclear objectives, short lead times for complex deliverables, and a lack of transparency around selection criteria or budgets. In parallel, advertisers are under pressure to deliver results, often within procurement frameworks that prioritise cost over strategic fit. Without a shared foundation, both sides default to reactive behaviours: rushed timelines, overworked teams, and decisions made on incomplete information.

The cost isn’t just operational. It’s strategic. When pitches are treated as one-off transactions rather than the gateway to long-term collaboration, we risk undervaluing the very qualities, insight, creativity, and agility that make agency partnerships effective. And while large agencies may absorb the impact, smaller, independent firms are disproportionately affected, potentially narrowing the diversity and innovation within the ecosystem.

Rebuilding on shared ground

If the pitch is meant to be the beginning of a partnership, then the way we approach that beginning matters. That’s what the 2025 Media Pitch Guidelines aim to address - not through mandates, but through a shift in mindset.

By setting expectations early around timelines, scopes, and intellectual property, the guidelines invite both advertisers and agencies to start from a place of clarity rather than guesswork. They are not about tightening control, but about restoring a foundation that allows strategy, creativity, and mutual respect to take root.

Improving the pitch process isn’t about pointing fingers. Many of the challenges we see today weren’t born out of bad intent. They stem from entrenched habits and systems that have gone unquestioned for too long. The guidelines aren’t a cure-all, but they represent a step in the right direction. They provide a shared reference point for better conversations, more thoughtful engagements, and stronger submissions.

We’re already seeing early signals of change. Some advertisers are beginning to incorporate the principles into their briefs. Agencies, too, are becoming more selective and intentional in how they approach pitches. The conversations are starting to shift from frustration to forward momentum.

A more sustainable path forward

This is not about adding red tape. It’s about reducing the friction that slows down good work. When expectations are clear, when IP is respected, when timelines are realistic, everyone involved can do better and more meaningful work.

In a landscape where agility, integration, and speed matter more than ever, improving the pitch process isn’t a peripheral fix. It’s fundamental. Because how a relationship begins often sets the tone for everything that follows.

If we want more strategic, enduring partnerships - the kind that solve real problems, build real value, and raise the bar for the industry, we need to get the first step right.

This article was written by the Media Specialists Association (MSA) Malaysia.