Comms Council boss Tony Hale says payment for pitches adds discipline to the process

New CEO of industry body The Communications Council Tony Hale has said he is keen to promote the practice of paying agencies to participate in the pitch process as it “adds discipline” to the process.

In a wide ranging conversation with Mumbrella editor Alex Hayes in the first of a series of video hangouts with the heads of marketing industry bodies, Hale discussed the function of the Comms Council, scam ads, female leadership in the industry, possible industry body mergers and agency churn rates.

On the issue of paying for pitches Hale said: “I’m a great advocate for payment for pitches because I think what it does do is recognises the advertiser is serious, it covers some incidental expenses for agencies.

“But I will also hasten to say any payment for pitches, unless clearly stated, doesn’t involve the IP of the ideas that go out. They should remain the ownership of the agencies unless there is a separate negotiation underway.”