How many hours have we spent doing pitches? How much money have we lost trying to impress a client, an agency? How many ideas have we given for free? How many people have fallen while doing them? How much time lost? How much time lost not taking care of our client’s business? Not worrying about our people? How much time lost not dealing with our own business?

We say no to pitches.

When agencies are complaining about shrinking margins.
When we have less time to do real projects.
When we are having trouble coining our ideas.
When agency profitability is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve.

We say no to pitches.

We are not just talking about no more speculative work on pitches. Which should, in our opinion, be already understood by clients and also by agencies with their external resources/prod houses – after all, how could we ask this of them if we do this to the others?

No. We are talking about all kinds of pitches where several agencies or external resources are put in competition. We are talking about agency presentations, detailed budgeting, production scheduling, point of view, solutions, media plans and other “normal” pitch requests.

We say no to pitches.

Identifying a budget. Making a choice based on the reputation and quality of the work done by an agency or a production company. Meet its people. Negotiating a price. Working in symbiosis with a partner rather than with a supplier. It is not science fiction. It’s easy. Simple even. Think about it … Isn’t it always mostly decided anyway before you pitch? Most of the time? For us or for you?

We say no to pitches.

You have no choice but to do a pitch? Its written somewhere in your charter? If you are a public institution that manages public money, you are an exception. Keep doing them. We will answer the call. But for everyone else, all privately owned companies (or on the stock market), we invite you to review this paragraph at your next board of directors meeting. If you are an agency, you have no more reason to do them.

Enough is enough. You want us or not. It’s not that complicated.

We say no to pitches.
Undersigned,

Jany Tremblay, Itavik Studio
Pierre-Michel Morais-Godin, Itavik Studio
Stéphanie Guérin, Guérinutri, Nutrition & Lifestyle.
Jerome Luc Paulin, Isjaki Studio
Aimie Lanteigne, Aimie Design
Robert Young, DGA – Maître D
Nancy Albert, Alta studio
Cynthia Le Déroff, Tchin Tactic
Guillaume Asselin, Tchin Tactic
Maryse Rancourt, Tchin Tactic
Jane Torres, Directrice artistique
Guylaine Regimbald, Smiling Surface
Charles Daoud, Designer graphique et typographe
Mélanie Gionet, Designer graphique
Pat Marcoux, designer graphique et Web
Slaheddine Trabelsi, Créatonie
Aimée Desrosiers, Designer graphique, La Biscornue
Michael Eskenazi, Félix & Norton
François Royer Mireault, highlow
Isabelle Gagné, MissPixels
Oscar Diaz, creative director, attitude marketing
Marie Brassard, JJNM Marketing et Design
Jason Kontolemos, JJNM Marketing et Design
Emeline CHARAMON, agence ULYSSES
Shayne Tupper, Chez Valois
Sylvie racicot, Chez Valois
Alain St-Hilaire, St-H communication graphique et numérique.
Pascal Beaudry, Voyou Performance Créative
Karine Balian, TANGO Photographie
Luc Beaudoin, H2H
Roger Dion, Jongleur d’idées
Ginette Dion, Ginette Dion Média
Thierry Holdrinet, concepteur et rédacteur
Richard Galarneau, Factorie l’agence
Nancie Dézainde, BOLD DESIGN
Catherine Beaumier Lacroix, Rouge Marketing
Marie-Andrée Bricault, Conceptmab
Esther Thomassin, La 27e lettre
Jean-François Chainé, Locomotive
Martin Ruel, Concepteur directeur artistique, Illustrateur.
Valérie Letarte, Conceptrice
Pierre Lefort, Rawtech
Sébastien Guy, Rouge on blue
François Turcotte, Turcotte design
Melanie Appadoo, Associée, Chargés de projets À LOUER
Mélissa Beaubien, Neon Cactus
Sébastien Gauthier, Communication Malabar
Marie-Noëlle Dumais, Communication Malabar
Sorin Pavelesco, Sorin Media
Patricia Rioux Directrice artistique
Marie-Pier Caron, Comme des filles Productions
Gisèle Henniges, DGA
Kristina Nagy, K10 marque + stratégie
Laura Lee Moreau, ge-o-de
Stéphanie Charron, La machine à vapeur
Noémie Beaulieu, Designer graphique
Gaétan Boulais, Boulais Design Communication
Mario Deschambault, Voyou Communications
Jean-Sébastien Dussault, designer UX + motion designer.
Marie-Soleil Martel, Panache communication
Marie-José Legault, Graphiste et Directrice artistique
Marie-Claude Doyon, Designer graphique
Olivier Bruel, Graphiste et Directeur artistique
Michel Lahore, DC, Co-fondateur lescréatifsanonymes.com
Sylvain Vicente, DGA Associé fondateur chez Maître D
Steve Poutré, Designer graphique
Ariel Borremans, Directeur artistique
Sylvie Ouaknine, TAKE OFF créatif marketing
Line Desjardins, Rouge Marketing
Isabelle Ouellet, Directrice des opérations
Bob Beck, Design Society
Jimmy Berthelet, Stand Mtl
Philippe Archontakis, byHAUS
Martin Laliberté, byHAUS
Benoit Giguère, Président de la Société des Designers Graphiques du Québec
Mireille Paradis, Couleur locale
Dominique Trudeau, Couleur locale

And you? Are you cosigning?
Email at dtrudeau@couleurlocale.net