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Since its inception more than a decade ago, AGDA has held a strong position against free pitching, maintaining it devalues the currency of our profession - a creative commodity along with the means through which it is brought to existence.

The common reference to standards of unpaid submissions in the advertising and architectural industries can be quickly cast aside as reasons for graphic design to join suit. In the case of advertising, free pitching reached its heights when agencies' primary income arose from media commission, with creative services being historically a value added service. So free pitching was not seen so much as a devaluing of core capabilities. This aside, numerous advertising pundits confess they wish their industry had never gone down that path, especially now that media buying is being increasingly separated from the operations of their companies. In the case of architecture, where competitions are sometimes referred to as free pitches, it is mainly high profile public buildings, such as museums and art galleries, which are the subject of these initiatives, often with international participation. Clearly a different kind of glory (and return value to winning practices) is at play.

These are some of the common reasons stated to not free pitch:

1. It suggests to graphic design markets that ideas are not valuable.
2. The cost of free pitches is borne by design companies, their employees and clients alike. More specifically, design companies for the loss incurred for unsuccessful pitches, employees for unpaid overtime accrued either directly or otherwise, and by clients who ultimately bear the amortised costs of free pitching once included (inevitably) in a design company's operating costs.
3. Many free pitch situations are designed to 'play the market' and indicate a poorly briefed project. In this situation the advanced roles of consultation, analysis, strategy development and planning are inappropriately separated from the creative process. (Therefore the true capabilities of a design company are not being considered.)
4. The value of relationships in business is undermined, with short-term gratification becoming the hero.
5. There is nothing like money to make a client value advice (and make sure it is good).
6. Any instant gains of winning work via 'informal' submissions are counter to the respect that can be earned from using processes with which the general business world operates.

As with many facets of life, truth is not always black or white and so it is with free pitching. Indeed, many design companies find themselves trying to create fine lines between what they believe is wrong or right, useful marketing or not, or short term necessity and common sense. For example, is a free pitch acceptable when it involves an existing client? Or, in non-competitive situations is it acceptable to submit a non-budgeted design proposal? When is an entrepreneurial yet speculative approach to a client inappropriate? And, to what extent does a highly detailed yet unpaid written proposal provide a client as much value as a visual design submission? With the current rounds of discussion on the subject being conducted around the country, opinions on these finer points will surface over coming months in a variety of places including this site.

Following are some well-proven means of winning new business:

• Invest time in getting to know the client
• Submit credentials
• Present case studies of previous projects
• Interview a client upon receiving a brief
• Provide referee details
• Prepare a project submission
• Evaluate client response

When an interviewer recently asked Madonna, the performer, what values she would teach her daughter Lourdes about life, the reply was simply, 'self-respect'. The question immediately following asked what she would teach Lourdes about men. Madonna looked coy for a moment, then turned more serious and answered, 'nothing, if I've already taught her about self-respect'.

Perhaps if more graphic designers lived by their sense of self-respect when it comes to new business acquisition the issue of free pitching would be a far lesser one.

See Clients for:

• a document explaining AGDA's position on Free Pitching
• a document that you can share with clients on the smart way to select designers (without requesting a free pitch)

This article was originally written by John Frostell, AGDA National President 2002, for his regular AGDA column in Australian Creative magazine.

"I have been a strong advocate of discouraging the practice of free-pitching for government contracts in the Northern Territory.

Government has gradually responded but are now insisting on "Word pitches". To my mind I still see this as free pitching given they are wanting (free) creative word briefs to outline an intended approach in order to win work. I would be most interested to hear AGDA's viewpoint on this.

I have been using the AGDA guidelines such as the Designer Selection Fact Sheet, to gauge studios on their merits and track record, I find this a terrific resource.

many thanks"