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Why the pitch process needs to change in the age of AI

Impact Porter Novelli's Claire Lawson discusses the need for a more collaborative, interactive, and face-to-face transparent pitch process that has the clients' buy-in.

Claire Lawson, Managing Director, Impact Porter Novelli suggests a change in the pitch process
Claire Lawson, Managing Director, Impact Porter Novelli suggests a change in the pitch process.

Firstly—a caveat. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out how the inspiration for this piece came about. Once again, Monday morning had rolled around, and the RFP I was “going to get to over the weekend” was looming large. Time was ticking, and like many others, I turned to ChatGPT to get the ball rolling and get at least something on the blank piece of paper that was staring back at me.

Then it suddenly dawned on me — I’m not the only agency person who is time-poor when it comes to being able to dedicate proper time to new business. How many agencies are doing the exact same thing? Maybe even creating full pitch decks using AI. And how many clients are receiving, a fate even worse than cookie-cutter PR ideas, fully AI-generated strategies?

More importantly, what are we losing in this reliance on AI? Sure, there’s an argument to say that using ChatGPT might be a disservice to us as an agency and agencies must keep their creative integrity at all points of the pitch process. But isn’t the point of AI to make things quicker and more efficient? So we can spend more time on being creative?

If anyone can feed the bones of a brief into a tool like ChatGPT and churn out something that looks professional, how can clients really evaluate the teams they’re hiring? Is the pitch process still fit for purpose, or is it time to rethink how we showcase the human element behind the work?

The AI revolution and its pitfalls

AI tools like ChatGPT can produce detailed, persuasive pitch documents in a fraction of the time. AI helps refine ideas, structure presentations, and tailor messaging for different audiences. It can feel like a game-changer—until you realize that any agency can generate similarly polished content using the same tools.

AI-generated proposals may be polished, but they can miss deeper strategic thinking or the creative spark clients seek. When every proposal looks equally slick, how do clients differentiate between agencies? Are they getting a sense of creativity, problem-solving skills, or the team’s ability to collaborate? Often, the answer is no.

The value of human interaction

Client-agency relationships depend on human dynamics—how well the agency understands the client’s needs, how they communicate, and how they solve problems together. Written proposals can’t convey these intangibles. A great pitch might check all the boxes on paper, but it doesn’t show how well the team works together or how they respond to real-time challenges.

That’s why human interaction is more critical than ever. In a world where AI-generated content is becoming the norm, clients need new ways to assess how an agency operates beyond the polished presentation.

A new approach: Live scenarios

Instead of relying solely on traditional written pitches, imagine a more interactive process. Agencies could be given a brief on the spot and asked to solve it in real time, in front of the client. This live scenario approach allows clients to see how ideas are generated and how the team works together under pressure.

In this setting, clients can observe how the agency responds to feedback, handles time constraints, and collaborates internally. It provides a window into the actual working relationship, helping clients assess the agency’s capabilities beyond what’s on paper.

Benefits of a collaborative pitch process

A live scenario offers distinct advantages for both agencies and clients:

  1. Creativity under pressure: It tests the agency’s ability to think on their feet and come up with solutions in the moment—something real-world projects often require.
  2. Team collaboration: Clients can gauge how well the agency team works together. Do they communicate smoothly, or do they struggle with internal friction? Often due to time constraints, pitches are led by the senior team. A real-life scenario allows agencies to see the skills and strengths across the agency.
  3. Client-agency chemistry: Clients get a direct view of how the agency communicates with them. Do they understand your feedback? Is there a good rapport?
  4. Transparency: A live pitch opens up the decision-making process. Clients see how decisions are made, who takes the lead, and how the team adapts to new information.

The future of a pitch – Client buy-in is key

It’s not just agencies that need to embrace this change — for it to truly work, clients must buy into it too. The real value of live, collaborative pitching lies in giving clients a more transparent, firsthand view of how a team operates.

By engaging in these scenarios, clients can better assess creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration in real time, making it easier to find the right fit. In the age of AI, this approach will help clients identify partners who aren’t just strong on paper but can prove their value in action.

By Claire Lawson, Managing Director, Impact Porter Novelli