03.07.25
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.
News
19.06.26
PRWeek’s PR360 Conference was a strong reminder that communications is not being replaced by AI, algorithms or changing media habits. But it is being reshaped by all three. Across sessions covering Sky, client-agency relationships, AI, retrievability, TikTok and the future of the press release, one theme came through clearly: the fundamentals still matter. Judgment. Persuasion. […]
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03.06.26
Sprint Partners has today announced the appointment of Lynn Louca as Partner, where she will lead the consultancy’s Marketing and New Business offer for agencies and brands. In this role, she will oversee marketing, new business and lead generation services, while also supporting brand clients with strategic communications planning and capability building. Louca joins Sprint […]
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12.01.26
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24.11.25
This morning I went hunting for some feel-good stories to kick off a new Monday Motivation series. A little lift to fire up the week… Turns out good news is weirdly hard to find. The BBC’s “Uplifting Stories” section hasn’t been updated since October. HuffPost’s “Good News Corner” hasn’t moved since 2023. Beyond that, not much at […]
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13.11.25
Oh what a night! PRCA MENA you put on a show 👏 Congrats to all the winners 🏆 Pleasure to sit next to Conrad Egbert, Khaled AlShehhi and Anup Oommen and surreal to see the Sprint Partners Consultancy logo up in lights. All Related content:
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10.10.25
I was honoured to join the jury for this year’s PRCA MENA Awards, celebrating the most impactful and forward-thinking work in the region’s PR and comms industry. Judging the entries was a real reminder of how far our industry has evolved. The best work combined earned-first creativity with cultural storytelling, data-driven insight and genuine purpose, […]
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11.09.25
Super excited to be working with PRCA MENA and Conrad Egbert as an official Growth Partner to help agency and brands in the Middle East unlock better strategic, creative, and commercial results. 🇦🇪 📈 Drop me a message or email (james@sprintpartners.co) if you want more info. Also check out PRCA MENA‘s Academy site: https://lnkd.in/eTpT8fCM All Related content:
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20.02.25
One of my top five priorities for agencies in 2025 is having a clear, concise proposition and point of view. Right now, many agencies are operating in ‘the squeezed middle’. Start-ups or future-focused agencies with flexible, more efficient operating models are undercutting on price, while larger agencies, fighting to retain global clients, can leverage economies of scale […]
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16.08.24
What does Sprint Partners do? How can Sprint Partners help agencies and brands? Why should I use Sprint Partners? What is the purpose and process of Sprint Partners? These are just some of the many questions I’ve asked myself over recent weeks and despite a few doubts, a couple of other opportunities, and one little […]