‘Pretty disgraceful as pitches go’: Insiders slam Kia’s ‘disingenuous’ media pitch
In September last year, Kia Australia consolidated its approximately $34 million in media spend with Advertising Associates, concluding a competitive pitch process that has since become the subject of heavy scrutiny by many involved.
According to insiders, the pitch for Kia Australia’s media account first appeared to be a genuine approach to market by the client. However, sources have told Mumbrella that they felt the integrity of the pitch process came into question at its completion, with multiple insiders alleging that the appointment of Advertising Associates was influenced by a pre-existing personal relationship between two senior executives at Kia Australia and Advertising Associates.
When these allegations were raised by multiple independent sources, it was within our editorial mission to investigate the situation further.
The broader Kia group should also do an investigation into this. Awarding a consolidated pitch to an agency that doesn’t have the required capability and also an average track record to boot, can’t be good for Kia. Shareholders should want and demand answers and accountability. Great reporting Mumbrella.
Large agency unhappy they can’t get incredible margins and incentives from publishers and technology partners, decide to slam a pitch as unfair
Womp Womp
This piece reads like uncovering sandal of the century. It’s a non story.
Sour grapes from agencies who lost pitch. Suck up and move on.
Business decisions are based on relationships first and capability second.
There can only be one winner….
when hundreds of industry talent have invested their time, effort and energy into a pitch, and there’s positive winning feedback that the agency ranked highest on chemistry, strategy, rates…..then at the finish line told the goal posts changed then it’s unfair. When there’s no communication from the leaders to explain post pitch what happened it’s unreasonable.
Indies do it particularly tough in this situation…if there’s a process then stick to it.
Care about the effort and energy that is enormous from people who are not home to say good night to their kids to work on ideas to help your business grow. Care about the high cost financially and emotionally that goes into the effort to deliver the best. Care about choosing the best agency instead of the fellas just because we can.
Mumbrella I hope you can unpack this issue further.
We need marketers to stop horsing around! No doubt there’s more to unveil…..popcorn
An agency complaining about being gaslit. Very rich to hear that, shoe clearly on the other foot now.
This did not take 3 months to put together – sounds like it was written the night before.
Sounds like a normal pitch to me, just a big media company bitching because they didn’t come away with the chocolates.
Just because it happens frequently, doesn’t mean it’s right.
Good job Mumbrella for calling this out. Best thing you’ve published in years
He who holds the purse strings holds the power. Kia can do what they like. It’s their money.
Think you are missing the point, the issue is credibility and misleading agencies to invest their own time and money into a process that likely only had one outcome from the start.
Exactly he who owns the purse strings can buy as many race horses with his business mates to win big money has he wants! Move on agencies get with the 1960s!
He who controls a thing…
Sounds like sour grapes to me. You didn’t win the pitch. Move on.
Great job mumbrella digging into this. I’d like to see more of this investigative reporting – it’s a big support to agencies and will help keep brands accountable.
This is an example of industry investigative reporting that we need more of. Please Mumbrella lead the way.
Sounds like an awful lot of horsing around
This is exactly the kind of Article that Mumbrella should be writing – Well done on the reinvigorated content across the website and mumbrellacast.
This is an age old problem. There is an incredible amount of work, stress, time and money that goes into pitching. Some clients don’t understand or appreciate that. Agencies pitch in good faith, but when clients change the goal posts at the last minute it’s both unprofessional and disingenuous. “Unfortunately, their impression changed after the pitch consultant removed themselves from the project before completion, due to the client’s alleged disregard for the formal selection criteria.” Says it all really.
This story just runs and runs
Who was the pitch consultant?
Suck it up & get on with life. You didn’t win the account because you were not not good enough.
Isn’t the advertising industry based on good relationships?
This is the kind of reporting that is of benefit to the industry. Investigative pieces that hold everyone accountable, agencies and clients alike. Reminds me of the days of old Mumbrella.
Agencies: Please don’t just judge us on numbers, there’s so much more to our work & client relations that can’t be easily quantified
Same Agencies when losing: but our numbers were better….
“So much so, our digital performance is already achieving double digit increases in results.”
They have either ramped up their spend in these channels or ramped up their view through attribution. Unless of course sales have seen double digit increases as well.
The client doth protest too much, methinks.
Or their previous agency were underperforming and that’s why they decided to take the account to pitch…
Seriously? As an independent agency this was really enjoyable to read knowing the dummy spitting going on. At least the junior employees that would have been ultimately allocated to the account can grab your lunch and coffee still.
Incumbent agency lead and client lead on video kissing in a night club during a pitch springs to mind. It was sent to all agencies pitching. That resulted in the pitch being re-run from scratch, extending it by over year. Agency retained the client though and I am pretty sure it was the largest pitch in the USA that year.