Calling out the case for competitive chemistry meetings [Video]

Is 2025 the year the global marketing industry finally tackles the damaging process of unpaid pitching? In her first CEO Soapbox of the year, Elvis boss Tanya Whitehouse offers a better way forward – the competitive chemistry meeting.

The advertising industry needs to finally take a real stand against the traditional model of unpaid pitches – a practice under increased scrutiny for its ethical implications and practical inefficiencies. As CEO, I head up new business at Elvis and, over the years, I have witnessed firsthand the strain that unpaid pitches can place on agencies, both in terms of financial resources and team morale and health. It’s high time we addressed this issue head-on instead of just dancing around the real problem and considered a more equitable approach to agency appointments: competitive chemistry meetings.