Why 'The Pitch' Should Pitch Small Agencies

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By: Dwayne W. Waite Jr.

AMC, because of the success with "Mad Men," has decided to try to dive into advertising reality TV. True story. The show idea is called "The Pitch," and in it several advertising agencies compete for a national brand's account. According to AdAge, Kodak and Yahoo have appeared in show reels as potential accounts. AMC ordered at least eight episodes, with each episode being a separate competition.

But the big agencies aren't biting. The big names — BBDO, TBWA, DDB, Mullen, DraftFCB, CarMichael Lynch, Ogilvy, and Grey — have all declined. Why? For several reasons. First, it seems to be unknown who gets to keep the idea once the pitch is done; second, the show's goal is to highlight each agency's creative process, which immediately makes most creatives uneasy; and third, for those 10 or so days of filming and bid work, it looks like it's going to be unpaid. And we all know that creatives hate doing spec work without compensation.

And mostly importantly, for these big agencies: If these brands put their account in review, they are all going to be a part of the conversation anyway, regardless of some silly reality show.

How can AMC make "The Pitch" a hit? Throw the bone to the little guys (and gals). Yes, make the show a chance to give small agencies face time with national brands. When accounts go into review and brands use agency search firms, the small agencies, unless they have already pocketed a big brand, are usually left out the mix. Using this show to find bright, attractive, small, and new agencies would be a breath of fresh air for TV, small businesses, and, hopefully, advertising.

In the comments on the article, several ad folks agree that this concept is the best for AMC to consider. To make it more fun, AMC could make small shops pitch them as to why they should be on the show. Who knows? Either way, helping the underdogs go for premium brands will make for better television.

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About the Author

Dwayne W. Waite Jr. is partner and principal at JDW: The Charlotte Agency, a marketing and advertising shop in Charlotte, NC. He enjoys consumer behavior, economics, and football.

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