The Pitch Idea: My take on AMCs new docu-reality show, The Pitch.
The Pitch documents two ad companies pitching against each other for client business. It’s the core of what we do as an industry and in my view, the most entertaining part.
Despite myself, I enjoyed the show. Having been on too many pitches to count, I found myself back seat Creative Directing. A show is doing something right if you find yourself shouting at the screen.
I’m not certain people outside the industry will dig it, lets see how the viewing figures stack up as the series progresses.
The companies were pitching for Subway’s business. Big business and also a license to flex some creative muscles. Well it would be if the client could focus beyond the 30 second spot, crucial if they are to succeed in appealing to 18-24 year olds.
Still, it’s a good brand and I would think, a brief from which you can have a ton of creative fun.
Unfortunately, fun was the thing that was missing within the culture of each agency, there were very few smiles. They were all “terrified” of losing. Their creativity seemed to be powered by fear of criticism and nervous energy.
The agency McKinny were a master class in how to get the worst out of creative people.
As Einstein once put it, “creativity is intelligence having fun.” I know it’s dull to quote Einstein but agency leaders should have this phrase tattooed on their brains.
McKinny’s “idea” was to find a rapper on line and get him to make up a rap about breakfast. Don’t get me wrong, he was a dope mc, but that was not an idea. Anyone can own it. By the time the humorless suits are done with it, it will look and sound like any other add trying to get down with The Kids.
My personal favorite came from WDCW. The agency seemed to have a culture of internal respect for one another. Some of them even actually smiled and laughed. They came up with an original, own able idea “breakfast zombies” or zAMbies. A bit clumsy but given the short time to make something, it wasn’t a bad first stab and could be made into a bigger integrated campaign. I could see a nice riff on “Plants vs Zombies” within the mobile gaming space for example.
Watch the full episode here and see which team won:
