Summary
The author, a veteran of the global advertising business, and the MasterCard pitch winner with 'Priceless', offers ten tips on how to win business, using examples from his own experiences and those of other agencies. The most important of these is 'Uncover the hidden agenda' - the wants, needs and values of the client. Succeeding in identifying this was how McCann Erickson beat the final contender to land MasterCard. The hidden agenda drives the rest of Allen's tips. Identify what is special about your agency and use it to connect with a hidden agenda, rehearsal is vital as it will transform your group into a cohesive high-performing team, but don't be so slick that it comes across as too machine-like. Above all, Allen recommends remembering that pitching is a human game.

Summary
Kevin Allen's book draws on two decades of working at the top of the advertising industry to offer insights and advice on how to win business pitches. He argues that pitching is about more than just the technical solution to what appears in a client's brief. He outlines how emotional intelligence is needed to fully understand and connect with a client's motivations – the 'hidden agenda' of the book's title – and how the search for that agenda can be institutionalised within an agency. In doing so, he recites his own experiences, the wisdom of family members and the stories of people he's met throughout his career.

Summary
For marketers, the process of finding the right agency can be complex and time-consuming. Equally, agencies may find it unnerving and have no protection against their pitched ideas being used without compensation. However, new guidelines from the 4A's and the ANA are being introduced to make the process more effective and efficient. The guidelines cover all phases of the search process and key points include: set clear objectives, be transparent and remember that organisational culture matters.

Summary
A report from the 2011 ISBA conference. Presentations are grouped around three broad themes: changing media use/fragmentation, the prospect of increased regulations and standards for online ads, and changes to the client-agency relationship. Speakers at the event include representatives from BSkyB, ITV and Virgin Media; Ofcom, the ASA and Yahoo; and (from the agency side) DDB UK.

Summary
New business pitches fell by over 20% in 2009, so agencies need to be competitive. Listen carefully to decipher what the client really wants/needs, and be prepared to distil vast amounts of information into a compelling idea. Understand the existing target audience and identify the potential one. Be clear on the purpose of the brand and identify the real enemy. Think quality, not quantity and make presentations fresh and engaging. The pitch process can force a client to look again at their own organisation, re-examine how they work with agencies and consider how they need to change to take advantage of new opportunities.

Summary
Six months into developing a campaign, the last thing an agency wants to hear is that the marketing director now needs to consult all the stakeholders before proceeding. The most creatively engaging and effective campaigns are often those where a single client, running a kind of benevolent dictatorship, has made the decisions. Developing campaigns becomes ever-more expensive, yet ideas live and die by the whims of people who shouldn't even be involved. Even the best research is often ignored on the basis of individual prejudice. Agencies need to help their clients to develop their despotic side.

Summary
This article discusses research by the World Federation of Advertisers into the regional and global pitching process, and the best practice guidelines in this area issued by the WFA and EACA. The average pitch for a regional or global advertising account takes four months to complete, with major obstacles said to include the involvement of too many stakeholders and bad planning on the client-side. In order to produce the most desirable outcomes for both advertisers and agencies, brand owners have to focus on a number of key areas, including establishing efficient internal decision-making processes and correctly briefing the agencies competing for their business.

Summary
We face one of the most challenging business environments for years. Recessions caused by liquidity problems are particularly severe. This book is based on Ogilvy's experience of winners in recession together with research into best practice. It suggests 15 action points for more effective advertising to allow companies to grow during a recession: choose an agency with a proven effectiveness track record; engage your agency with your business issues; set advertising strategy in line with corporate strategy; set hard objectives; define your Big Ideal; give your agency written briefs; write great briefs; get better at judging creative ideas; cut your approval layers; use research wisely; don’t cut production budgets; spend 360°; exploit low regional media costs; learn what works and do more of that and; pay by results.

Summary
This article discusses the problems advertisers often have in choosing a media agency. Purchasing and procurement departments are frequently given responsibility for managing agency pitches, yet choosing an agency is very different from other forms of procurement, where price of often the key driver. While cost efficient buying ability is important, so are strategic and planning skills, response times and media prices. To run a successful pitch, advertisers should set formal, detailed objectives; evaluate candidates in terms of the team, cost efficiency, planning skills, work systems and accountability; evaluate agencies using a pre-established score sheet; negotiate outline contracts with front runners before announcing the winner; and debrief all candidates on why they won or lost.

Summary
As the U.S. multicultural market grows in both in size and disposable income, so does the need for help in reaching these consumers and converting them into valuable long-term customers. Marketers aiming to appeal to a multicultural audience need to understand the nuances, customs, and behaviors that define the various ethnic groups. To help them capitalize on the opportunity, many marketers are partnering with agencies that specialize in multicultural marketing. This article offers guidance for identifying specialist agencies, including factors such as size and industry tenure, and how well these agencies 'fit' with the client's existing roster.