Pitch for Culture: Why Culture Is the Decisive Factor

Pitching. For us in the agency world, the term is clearly framed: the competition for a new favorite account, usually with a focus on strategic and creative work. That’s true at its core — but is it really the whole picture?
For years, we’ve debated how pitch processes can be improved, and there has indeed been progress. Yet the first step almost always remains the same: routine presentations of facts, cases, workflows, org charts, and tools. No surprise, then, that very little of it sticks after the chemistry meetings — and certainly nothing truly differentiating. The same holds true, by the way, for the recruiting process when it comes to talent.
If we really want to discover whether agencies and companies — or agencies and talent — are a good fit for each other, then culture, values, and mindset need to take center stage in the process.

Why don’t we put the very thing that makes us unique as an agency at the center when competing for new business? That is, without a doubt, our culture. Because let’s be honest: most agencies’ service portfolios look remarkably similar. But no two agency cultures are alike. The values an agency stands for, its identity, and the people who work there are not interchangeable — they are unique.
To be concrete: a CMO told me recently that in their last pitch, one thing stood out — the diverse team lineup of one agency, the very agency they ultimately chose (though not for that reason alone). What struck her wasn’t just the balance between men and women, but also the fact that a junior team member took on a key role in the final presentation. A small detail, perhaps — but one that stuck. Agencies still tend to send mainly seasoned managers into the pitch ring. Yet marketers are far more interested in meeting the actual team — the people who will be at their side in day-to-day business. Even the atmosphere during a presentation can reveal a lot: does the team appear harmonious, aligned, able to laugh together, ready to step in for one another? These are all important indicators that hint at what future collaboration might feel like.
Speaking of collaboration: co-creation is on the rise, often in the form of joint workshops between agency and client. And these formats, too, reveal a great deal. Is the agency simply staging a charade — a presentation of pre-baked ideas disguised as a “workshop”? Or is it genuinely interested in understanding the problem, the needs, and ultimately in working together toward a solution?
I am convinced: we need to give cultural aspects a greater weight in selection processes, and we should be much more deliberate about making our culture visible. This applies equally to clients. Because, let’s be honest, you can usually tell during the selection process whether working with a client will be rewarding — creatively and interpersonally. And yet agencies still rarely withdraw after a chemistry meeting, even when it’s clear the fit isn’t there. With more trust in our gut feeling, we can discover early on whether values are aligned and whether we can identify with the client’s culture. That’s a decisive precondition for long-term, trust-based collaboration. Too often, companies and agencies only realize after a pitch that they’re not a good fit and part ways. What a waste of energy, time, and money.
So please, dear marketing decision-makers: include a culture check as a concrete part of your pitch evaluation. It will make you more confident in your choice — and vice versa.

Let’s move on to the second pitch arena: the acute shortage of skilled talent means we are now pitching not only for new accounts, but also for talent. Without talent, there is no great creativity — and without great creativity, there soon won’t be any talent, either. Yet far too often, we run through standard, cookie-cutter recruiting processes. Candidates are put through multiple rounds, interviewed by several people about their CVs, their skills, and their portfolios.
What we should accept is this: it’s not only talent applying to us — we are also applying to them. And yet, our presentation of the agency is often not very differentiating. Of course, cases, agency size, areas of focus, and client lists all matter — but they are not decisive. Even the perks and “goodies” have become a commodity. The real difference we can make lies once again in our culture.
So let’s talk more about what makes our agency unique — our values, our convictions, our approach to leadership, and how we nurture and develop talent

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Talent rarely joins an agency because of its tools, processes, or even a particular client — who, after all, may be gone tomorrow. They choose their “tribe”: a community that aligns with their values, where they can live out what matters most to them. Candidates get their first sense of this during the recruiting process — not just through HR, but through the leadership and the future team.
That’s why we should keep it as unbureaucratic and personal as possible, giving candidates the chance to meet the colleagues they may soon be working with. Small gestures at the start can make all the difference: an employment contract written in language a normal, non-lawyer can actually understand; a card from the team expressing excitement about the new hire; a thoughtfully designed first week in the agency. These things are still far from standard practice — but they should be.

But a word of caution: this is hard work. Most people think they know how their agency “ticks.” In reality, it’s a demanding task to clearly articulate values and then translate them into a lived culture — one that can withstand trends and staff turnover. At the same time, this is also a unique opportunity: it makes everyone in the agency more aware of its culture and, ideally, continually reaffirms their choice to be there, leading to strong loyalty.
We often reminisce about the unique culture of Springer & Jacoby or the strong culture at Jung von Matt. But neither was a coincidence or a historical exception. Both grew out of the founders’ clear vision, their lived principles, and their consistent implementation — day after day. Surely, we can manage to establish a cultural legacy that is just as strong, yet modern.
For me, one thing is clear: we spend most of our time working in the system. Agencies should spend more time working on the system. It’s worth it, because then they can once again become cultural institutions with strong appeal for both talent and clients.
One final point: values only unleash their full power if some people feel drawn to them — and others don’t. Trying to muddle through with majority-friendly, watered-down, interchangeable statements that everyone finds “okay” will never create true attraction. Neither for clients nor for talent. This calls for courage and consistency. Ultimately, it’s a matter of culture.