Guidelines to drive fairness and transparency in the production pitch process launched
ISBA, the IPA and APA have joined forces to develop a set of guidelines to improve the pitch process for production services.
It is hoped brands will benefit from greater clarity following new guidelines developed to improve the pitch process for advertising production services, though in return they will be required to better finalise scripts and agree cancellation costs in advance.
The IPA, Advertising Production Association (APA) and ISBA have jointly launched the Production Pitch Process Initiative, designed to improve the experience of pitching for clients, agencies and production companies. The groups acknowledge that there has been increasing pressure on all of the parties over recent years.
The initiative seeks to provide greater clarity and clear direction for clients, recognising that the level of investment required of production companies for pitches is no longer sustainable, and that project-based, rather than retained, working by agencies has also placed more pressure on production companies.
Key principles and actions required by the initiative are centred around fairness, transparency and communication, economic sustainability and reasonable workload, orderly and timely processes, and realistic briefs and expectations.
It calls for clients and agencies to ensure that scripts put out for brief are finalised and approved for production unless clearly stated, that payment of pitch hard costs incurred by production companies in the event of cancellation should be discussed in advance, and that “honesty, respect, constructive feedback and openness” should be expected from all parties.
The bodies call for sufficient time to be protected for different steps of the pitching process and deadlines adhered to – by the client, as well as the other parties – while scripts should be developed and briefed within a viable budget, with pitches held within that budget.
“Directors’ pitches are uncertain and pressurised at the best of times,” says IPA head of production Eliot Liss. “The least we can do is help each other out with respect, fairness and good communication. We hope this cross-party initiative and adjacent IPA/APA best practice guidance will facilitate this and improve the production pitch process.”
“This is an important pan-industry initiative to make pitching for commercials more efficient and reduce waste of resources, which will benefit production companies, agencies and advertisers,” adds APA CEO Steve Davies.
“Pitches encourage a dynamic and competitive industry,” says ISBA director of agency services Nick Louisson. “We’re pleased to work with the IPA and APA to release guidance that helps the industry reflect on the principles of a good production pitch process.”
