[Sigia-l] Free lunch...and drinks too

[Dave Heller]

I think people are missing something here about ad agencies and what
really good agencies of all sorts of design companies are doing.

When you respond to an RFP (whatever they call it in your world), the
ad world is not pitching a project. They are pitching for a contract
that is hopefully over many many years and many many projects and the
$50k cost of a pitch is NOTHING compared to the gain associated with
the millions of dollars in future billable hours, recognition through
award, and what not.

I'm sorry, but there is no way you are going to get me to think that
there is a golden rule for NOT doing this at an ad agency level, which
is what the reference was really referring to.

I don't see how this at all relates to mediocrity. That seems like a
really big leap to me.

-- dave



On 12/20/05, Listera <listera at rcn.com> wrote:
> Lada Gorlenko:
>
> > Economical reasons aside, this is not necessarily a good idea.
>
> It's a horrible idea.
>
> What's typically absurd is that advertisers don't quite grok the fact having
> established a free-pitch regime they all pay for it as a "freebie tax" which
> institutionalizes mediocrity.
>
> Ad agencies are organized to generate X number of pitches to garner Y number
> of project wins in a year. They set aside a considerable amount of time,
> money, staff, and other resources to keep their "pitch count" at a
> profitable and sustainable level. That's the general business model. Who
> pays for this business model/tax? Of course, the advertisers! In the form of
> higher service prices and commissions. The "pain"' is spread. A perception
> of risk aversion is obtained. Everyone's happy.
>
> ----
> Ziya
>
> "Innovate as a last resort."
>
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--
David Heller
E: dheller (at) gmail (dot) com
W: www (dot) synapticburn (dot) com