We can’t blame clients for encouraging free pitching

Jonathan Lovett’s letter (DW 8 September) confirms my belief that some people contrive any logic to mask their inability to say no to free creative pitches.

Remarks about pitching for different reasons and needing to accept inherent risks are more of the same morally bankrupt, clichéd nonsense that characterises the industry’s failure to face up to this issue.

I repeat again, if we’re stupid enough to give our work away we can’t blame clients for encouraging the practice.

The truth is, consultancies should be competing for business by showing understanding of clients’ needs, and how these may be addressed via their different mixes of people, processes and creative skills.

The competitive agenda shouldn’t be reduced to the level of a beauty parade, but should focus on creating confidence with clients in consultancies’ ability to deliver innovative, practical, commercially relevant solutions. In this context, we see the need to compete with passion and commitment, and in this respect I never suggested otherwise (Letters, DW 25 August).

So Jonathan, learn to say no. Its not that difficult.

Peter Morrow

Managing director

KSDP London