I was interested to see in PR Week that Confused.com is offering the three losing agencies who tried out for their PR account cash for the campaign ideas in their pitches.I've worked with numerous prospects and clients where ideas flow freely. Ideas you discuss during the pitch process often go on to be used in a full-blown campaign. Sometimes, you're not the agency executing it.
While many agencies, colleagues and friends say this is cheeky / outright theft, I've always tried to force myself to believe in the 'economics of abundance'. As a creative professional, I have loads of ideas every day (not all of them great). I'm happy to give a few away safe in the knowledge that I'll have lots more later. All you need to do is ask - and many of my network know it and do just that, at all times of the day (and night).
When we pitch for a client it's normally up to the pitch leader whether we put a disclaimer saying the ideas are ours. I'd normally vote against it, for the reasons above.
Plus, if the company does go ahead and cheekily use the ideas, then it not only tests the tactic out for you, but it demonstrates that the company itself was one you probably didn't want to work with anyway. Good luck to 'em, I say.
One agency has turned down Confused.com's offer of payment. I think I'd do the same thing, but offer them for free instead. What would you do?
4 comments:
I'd do the same. Can't understand why people get so precious about ideas – most of the time, they're already inspired by or borrowed from something else anyway!
It sounds like a fair move from Confused.com though, and it'll be interesting to see how much of a price tag is put on an idea, and whether that has any knock-on effects re: originality, etc.
I guess it highlights the wastefulness and unfairness of the free pitching process?
I agree in the main: you're probably never going to use the idea(s) again anyway and you'll probably have a better one tomorrow.
On the other hand, what if a company took your idea, got another agency to execute it - and then that agency won an award for it?! I can't believe you wouldn't be just a little bit narked...
Surely, everybody knows this goes on, it's a cost of pitching - a balancing act between holding something back should you not win, versus going in all guns blazing in the hope you do but leaving yourself exposed therefore to greater risk of IP 'drift'. (Though I'd suggest no agency should approach new business as though it's a dress-rehearsal, especially not now.)
But unless somebody has hit upon a genuine 'new' idea in a business where execution and creative variation are more commonly decisive in a campaign, what are they actually paying for?
If an idea was so specifically tailored to Confused.com and the unique skills of the agency presenting it then the agency and Confused should both already have filed it under ‘what could have been’ the second another agency was chosen.
If the ideas were actually pretty generic at heart, and can be executed by any old agency then who would stubbornly argue that they wouldn't have got there on their own anyway?
Hats off to the people who turned down the cash though because the worst thing a PR agency could do is diminish the value of the other 90 per cent of what we do.
I’d far rather turn down some short-term cash and work in an industry where IP loss is a risk of doing business, than typecast my business purely as an ideas shop whose creative ideas are standalone and executable by anybody.
Great blog Jon - A question I'd asked myself also.
In the pitching situation - there are two types of businesses:
1) Businesses truely interested in you as a company and your services
2) Companies who just want to use your ideas and get their friend or current agency to complete the work.
So how do we sniff those in Category 2 out? There are so many companies in this category. I think its also done by agencies during the hiring process of senior candidates. Some of ideas being cutting-edge original thinking.
When it comes to the Category 1 - They are truely interested in you, and your ideas also. I will impressed by a good campaign idea, a fair price tag, but also the team and company. The execution being paramount - Ideas being useless unless they are executed well.
As for PR companies - A big seller is their ability to pick up the phone; to be straight with the client and no matter how small your account is, make them feel valued as a customer. We are in an Internet world, but when it comes to PR businesses need the personal touch. What's in it for the PR company - Personal reward - a happy customer who will refer them. A small account customer will often grow into a larger account customer.
As for Confused.com - I think this was very honourable of them to offer - I'd say OK - if you include us in any credits, press coverage about project etc, and we can reference them as a client.
Anyhow thats my two penneth. I just wanted to contribute to great blog Jon.
Warmest wishes
Deborah
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