The Pimlico Blog
The Process Behind the Squad: What separates the agencies that pitch well from the ones that pitch often
31st March 2026
We’ve focused recently on the people side of pitching: the importance of building collective capability, the 6 essential roles every pitch squad needs and why rotating your talent matters as much as selecting it. But there’s a harder conversation underneath all of that. One that most agencies avoid because it requires looking honestly at how they actually run a pitch, not how they think they do. Team chemistry and strategic thinking – the things most […]
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Let’s talk about Ghosting
26th March 2026
Your prospects aren’t ghosting you. You never qualified them in the first place. I’ve been listening to Blair Enns and David Baker dissect this on the 2Bobs podcast (Dealing with the Ghosting Problem) and the truth is brutal. 40-60% of your “qualified opportunities” don’t go to competitors. They go to no decision. Why? Because you wrote a proposal for someone who was interested, not […]
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In a marketing world that is demanding more we need to get creative.
12th March 2026
Back in the early 2000s, I was fortunate to have dinner with a professor of economic history, Monica, who taught at an American university in Florence. On the subject of business decision-making, she shared with me two particularly useful expressions that I’ve used regularly ever since, especially in the context of creativity: “The avoidance of […]
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Drawing a Line Under the Pitch Debate: Time for New Year’s Resolution
10th March 2026
It’s time to stop repeating behaviour and expecting a different result, it’s time to move from complaining to correcting. TLDR Pitches are here to stay unless there’s genuinely no choice to be made What goes out for pitch – and how – must be improved by brands and intermediaries And agencies must push back on, […]
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The Importance of Echo Chambers
5th March 2026
Much continues to be made of the recently announced and sad demise of the much-loved DDB brand. This isn’t the first time a global network has vanished in a puff of holding-company reorganisation. Many still mourn the loss of JWT and Y&R – once the mighty pillars of Madison Avenue. But some say we should […]
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Drop the act and be yourself.
24th February 2026
Good presenting isn’t about a perfect, polished, scripted performance. It’s about connection, authenticity and trusting that who you are is enough. Catherine Allison explores how your real voice can be your superpower; you just need to drop the act and be yourself. Being an actor doesn’t always help you present well. I learnt […]
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Why introverts are your new business super-power.
19th February 2026
Winning new business isn’t just for extroverts. The jazz-hands, flashy performances and loud voices of extroverts can sometimes mean the super strengths of introverts are overlooked in the pitching process. This article from Catherine Allison explores how empathy, listening skills and thoughtful communication are exactly what agencies need to build genuine relationships and win […]
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Master the Art of Losing
17th February 2026
Rejection is inevitable in pitching and performance. But it’s worth remembering that losing can be your most valuable learning tool. This piece from Catherine Allison shares how mastering the art of losing can fuel future pitch wins. “We really enjoyed meeting Catherine, she did a great read, was brilliant in the room and […]
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Why capturing hearts first, then minds, can boost your pitch win ratio.
12th February 2026
Great presentations don’t start with credentials—they start with emotion. Catherine Allison explores how using drama, story and showmanship in order to capture hearts first and then minds, can boost your pitch win rate. Think of the last agency presentation you pulled together. Perhaps it was a formal pitch presentation, perhaps a creds deck, […]
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Dangers of over-fishing in agency fee negotiations.
10th February 2026
It’s that time of year again – ad-agency-contract-renegotiation-season. And here is a truth that might surprise some clients: agencies sometimes do silly deals. They agree to terms they know won’t make them money – and that’s bad news not just for them, but for the client who rely on them. In agency circles, this isn’t […]
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