Pitching with purpose: Why we love Mother's new pitch plan

Whether you believe “if you don’t like pitching, you’re probably in the wrong industry” or “pitching is decimating the mental health of our people” (recent comments from two CEOs at similar-sized agencies), you almost certainly agree that it’s an expensive, often wasteful endeavour.

What we love about Mother’s new Pitch It Forward solution is it diverts money that would otherwise be spent on protracted pitches into an investment in future generations of talent.

The initiative aims to limit the relentless pitching merry-go-round and instead invest profit from new business wins into creative projects that support the agency’s purpose: to Make Our Children Proud.

First year profits from all new retained clients that eschew a full creative pitch and choose to appoint Mother after a chemistry meeting will be donated to not-for-profit organisations that help inspire future generations with the power of creativity.

And it will also drive new client/agency relationships based on shared values says Chris Gallery, Partner at Mother London: “The best work always comes out of strong relationships with clients, built on shared values, ambition and purpose. So why don’t we aim to build these strong relationships - and the basis for a successful partnership - earlier in the pitch process? For some clients, we believe we can and asked ourselves: what if we used the remainder of that ‘pitch time’ for good?”

On a purely practical level, Mother’s idea means that marketers will save on the time they usually invest in a creative pitch. The agency will also save time and money, of course – and reduce some of the pressures that pitching can sometimes exert on staff. Crucially, though, Pitch it Forward means everyone can redirect their energies into more productive creative pursuits and help nurture new talent.

And let’s face it, it’s also a canny new business tactic. Pitch It Forward is exactly the kind of idea we applaud: tangibly, measurably purposeful, but also genuinely good for business growth. And though of course Mother will continue to participate in conventional pitches, this is a genuinely innovative initiative that other agencies are being encouraged to adopt. TBWA's ambitious CEO Larissa Vince has already come out in support of the idea. It’s good for the industry, today and – importantly – tomorrow.

Mother's Pitch It Forward Terms and Conditions

“If any new client appoints Mother on a retained basis after the chemistry meeting, all profit at the end of the first year will be donated on their behalf to one of our not-for-profit partners.

All not-for-profit partners will have the common aim to inspire young people by the power of creativity, and the potential for careers built around it, showing paths for careers in the creative industry. We would work with each client to find the right not-for-profit organisation to partner - one with shared values and objectives.

Pitch It Forward will be available to clients working with the Mother Family in London, New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai and Singapore.”