News

Driving a FRESH Start for Pitching

03.07.25

Author: James Thomlinson

03.07.25

I’m pleased to share that I’m co-chair of the PRCA’s new industry working group, Pitch Forward – a cross-industry initiative bringing together agency leaders and brand-side decision-makers to fix what many agree is a broken pitch process.

Let’s be honest – the pitch has a bad reputation. Ghosting, unclear budgets, mismatched expectations, and bruising timelines have become too common. But when done well, pitching can be an exciting, energising, and commercially crucial moment for both agencies and brands.

That’s why I’m proud to be part of a group working hard to drive real change. We’ve just held our first meeting and are now shaping a new set of best practice guidelines – built around a F.R.E.S.H. approach (Fair, Realistic, Ethical, Structured, Healthy) – which we’ll be discussing and finalising for publication this autumn.

The aim? A simpler, smarter and more respectful process for everyone involved – one that gives all agencies a fair shot and helps brands make better decisions, faster.

At Sprint Partners, we’ve seen first-hand the value of improving pitch processes – not just in securing wins, but in saving time, boosting morale and creating better long-term partnerships. I’m excited to bring that experience to the table.

More to come soon – watch this space.

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