pitching Archives - Campaign Middle East https://campaignme.com/tag/pitching/ Mon, 18 May 2026 11:52:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.2 https://campaignme.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-Campaign_512-32x32.png pitching Archives - Campaign Middle East https://campaignme.com/tag/pitching/ 32 32 The pitch paradox: Win hearts, then win the room https://campaignme.com/the-pitch-paradox-win-hearts-then-win-the-room/ Mon, 18 May 2026 11:52:45 +0000 https://campaignme.com/?p=122178 There’s a moment every agency person lives for. You’ve just presented. The room goes quiet. Then the chief marketing officer (CMO) leans forward and says, “I love it”. Two seconds of pure euphoria. And then, “So … how do we move forward?” Congratulations! You’ve just cleared the first hurdle, and you’re standing directly in front […]

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]]> A contradiction at the heart of MENA’s procurement and pitching problem https://campaignme.com/a-contradiction-at-the-heart-of-menas-procurement-and-pitching-problem/ Mon, 18 May 2026 05:20:13 +0000 https://campaignme.com/?p=122134 If you buy creativity like stationery, don’t be surprised when it performs like office supplies. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region isn’t short on ambition; in fact, it’s the most ambitious marketing region in the world. New brands, new sectors, new destinations and new expectations. Clients want standout work. They want cultural relevance, […]

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]]> In the defence of pitches https://campaignme.com/in-the-defence-of-pitches/ Wed, 13 May 2026 06:00:50 +0000 https://campaignme.com/?p=121945 If you listened to the industry long enough, you’d think pitching was beyond saving. Too long, too expensive and too painful. A process that everyone complains about but no one really changes. But that’s not the full picture. When it works – and it does – it’s one of the few moments where this industry […]

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]]> The fine line between value and cost https://campaignme.com/the-fine-line-between-value-and-cost/ Mon, 11 May 2026 08:20:08 +0000 https://campaignme.com/?p=121839 There is a delicate balance in agency pitches between encouraging creative, strategic thinking and ensuring commercial discipline. As the industry evolves, maintaining that balance has become increasingly important. Competitive pitching is designed to create value. By inviting multiple agencies to respond to the same challenge, brands can compare different perspectives, evaluate capabilities and select the […]

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]]> From comparison to conviction; from process to outcome https://campaignme.com/from-comparison-to-conviction-from-process-to-outcome/ Mon, 11 May 2026 05:20:21 +0000 https://campaignme.com/?p=121807 The pitch process is broken. There, I said it. I started as a client lead: managing accounts, holding the relationship and living with the consequences of how a pitch was run. Then, I moved into managing growth, pitching and chasing new business, learning how the system works from the inside. Now, I run an agency. […]

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]]> Cover Feature: From a pitch to a partnership https://campaignme.com/cover-feature-from-a-pitch-to-a-partnership/ Mon, 11 May 2026 05:00:34 +0000 https://campaignme.com/?p=121791 A strange paradox has been normalised at the heart of the brand-agency partnership landscape in the Middle East. Brands claim that they want sharper thinking, strategic consumer insights, stronger distinctiveness, larger share of voice, tangible returns on investment and creative work that connects with communities long after campaigns end. Yet, current pitch systems and the […]

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]]> Campaign’s Procurement & Pitching Issue and Saudi Report 2026 is out on stands https://campaignme.com/campaigns-procurement-pitching-issue-and-saudi-report-2026-is-out-on-stands/ Tue, 05 May 2026 09:44:18 +0000 https://campaignme.com/?p=121445 Campaign Middle East’s latest issue – its Procurement, Pitching and Pricing Issue, alongside the long-anticipated Saudi Report 2026 is now available on stands and to read online. The main issue dives into some of the most spoken-about topics at the moment, from procurement and pitching to generational marketing. In this month’s cover feature, industry leaders […]

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]]> The year ahead for (better) procurement and pitching practices https://campaignme.com/the-year-ahead-for-better-procurement-and-pitching-practices/ Tue, 03 Feb 2026 11:28:03 +0000 https://campaignme.com/?p=115482 I’ve spent 32 years in this industry and have been directly involved in the pitching process since 2005, both at a regional level and within global reviews that included our region. While our industry has evolved dramatically, one area has remained largely unchanged: the pitching process. To be fair, many pitches we receive are human, […]

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]]> Why the GCC needs the ‘missing middle’ of independent agencies https://campaignme.com/why-the-gcc-needs-the-missing-middle-of-independent-agencies/ Tue, 06 Jan 2026 10:49:59 +0000 https://campaignme.com/?p=114045 For all the progress that the GCC advertising and marketing industry has made, there remains a structural imbalance at its core: the absence of a strong, scaled middle-tier of independent agencies. Across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, a large share of major brand spend remains concentrated with a relatively small number of global network groups. […]

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]]> Podcast: C2 Comms’ Roy Aftimos dials back to the core objective of ‘creating value’ https://campaignme.com/podcast-c2-comms-roy-aftimos-dials-back-to-the-core-objective-of-creating-value/ Mon, 08 Sep 2025 04:20:52 +0000 https://campaignme.com/?p=108104 On the latest episode of Campaign Middle East’s On The Record podcast, Roy Aftimos, Chief Executive Officer, C2 Comms discusses the need for agencies to focus on the value they deliver; reiterates the need to understand and meet business objectives; and shares an open and honest take on the procurement and pitching problems that the industry needs to […]

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