The problem is, this is exactly how many creative agencies operate. And it’s not
By Roddchant · October 18, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
The problem is, this is exactly how many creative agencies operate. And it’s not doing them any favours.
1. Free pitching should not be happening. But agencies continue to play the game and in doing so they’re keeping it alive. Imagine if the industry actually banded together and said “no more”?
2. Ever seen those ads on bus stop seats in places like Los Angeles for the aptly nicknamed “ambulance chaser lawyers”? Don’t run your agency like their business. Don't chase anything and everything that moves.
3. Any agency that doesn’t have a point of view is no different than a local same-day printing business. “I need this ad done in A4 size”. “Sure, we’ll get that done for you in a jiffy.”
4. Don’t dare call yourself a “creative” agency if there is not a creative leader at the helm - that’s false advertising. A creative agency without a creative leader is just an accounting firm with a lot of people wearing black t-shirts.
5. Not every client is the right client. Client/agency relationships are just that - relationships. You need to be discerning about who you date. That applies to both sides of the table. There's a saying - an agency gets the clients it deserves, and vice versa.
6. The moment you start haggling on fees is the moment you start that race to the bottom of the revenue ladder. You shift from being a valued creative partner to the cheapest option.
7. Learn to say “no” more than “yes”, it has one less letter in it, so, technically, it’s much easier to say.
The reason so many agencies do all of the above is because they're stuck in the old agency model - overstacked headcount, expensive offices, head hour billing, etc. And then there are those answerable to holding companies or private equity - they have hungry machines to feed.
The agency business is not rocket science, but many choose to adopt the Apollo 13 model and fight for survival while running out of oxygen.
The next gen agencies will be ditching old-school behaviours, many already are.
Start small. Stay small. Think like a punk band.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." - George Santayana
…
®️©️🤘⚡
…