‘Agencies are not banks’ warns Initiative global Chair Mat Baxter as Westpac, Arnott’s marketers link pitch problems to unclear tender briefs and process; poor engagement with procurement

“Ditch the pitch” protagonist Mat Baxter has warned agency reviews are getting worse globally, citing P&G’s extended media payment terms as a case in point. Many companies, though, “abuse the pitch process” he says. Baxter’s comments come as Australia’s peak advertiser and media agency industry bodies roll-out of a “world first” initiative to create industry-endorsed agency tender and pitching guidelines - dubbed “Project Baxter”. Arnott’s CMO Jenni Dill, Westpac’s Head of Group Brand, Advertising and Media Jenny Melhuish, non executive director and MFA board member Megan Brownlow and Mediabrands' CEO Mark Coad talk frankly about the fix - essentially, it’s on marketers to clean it up.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.