We’re Not Ready for the Auction Method of Selecting Pitches

You know that feeling? You pour your heart into a bold, strategic, and creative campaign—one designed to make an impact—only to realize the selection process is basically an auction. Frustrating, right?

When Price Overrules Strategy

Too often, pitches are awarded based purely on the lowest bid. The result? The cheapest, most basic idea wins—not the most innovative, effective, or impactful. It’s all about the numbers, not the value.

Where’s the Technical Evaluation? What happened to shortlisting well-thought-out concepts based on strategy, feasibility, and potential impact? Instead, the process feels like this:

1?? Agencies submit ideas. 2?? Clients scan the price column. 3?? Lowest bid wins.

And just like that, we wonder why groundbreaking campaigns aren’t happening.

Creativity Deserves Better

An auction-style pitch process strips away the depth from decision-making. It reduces insight, storytelling, and execution to a bargain hunt—undervaluing the effort agencies put in and turning creative work into a cost-cutting exercise.

Budgets matter, but great campaigns aren’t just about affordability. They’re about effectiveness. A campaign that costs less but achieves nothing is far more expensive in the long run.

A Smarter Way Forward

? Technical evaluation first – Shortlist the best strategic ideas before discussing cost. ? Fair competition – Creativity isn’t a race to the bottom; it’s about delivering value. ? Trust the experts – Agencies bring experience—let them guide the process instead of just competing on price.

It’s time to rethink how we select campaign ideas. Because right now, the auction model is leading to forgettable campaigns instead of phenomenal ones.

?? What’s been your experience with pitch selections? How can we make the process better?

#CreativeStrategy #FairPitching #ValueOverCost #MarketingDecisions #BorgataWorks