Scopen South Africa unveils creative and media agencies new business report

Source: © 123rf 123rf Scopen South Africa has launched its New Business Report, a no-charge resource designed to enhance industry knowledge around new business activity in the advertising and communications sectors

Johanna McDowell, CEO of the Independent Agency Search & Selection Company (IAS) and Scopen partner, explains, "This report is part of Scopen’s commitment to delivering valuable insights and being a true partner to the industry. We aim to support agencies by providing data that can help refine strategies and foster growth."

Scopen, well-known for its biennial Agency Scope Report—and widely regarded as the leading study of marketer and agency market perceptions—is enthusiastic about this more niche yet equally impactful report.

Growth engine for creative companies

While smaller in scale than Agency Scope, this new report will be packed with insights agencies can use to improve their knowledge of business development processes and what is happening in this market and globally.

“New business is the growth engine for creative companies,” says César Vacchiano, president and CEO of Scopen.

“By shedding light on best practices and opportunities, we aim to help agencies drive innovation, optimise their pitching strategies, and ensure they are fairly rewarded for their efforts.”

Highlights

The New Business Report’s key highlights include:

• Pitching volume: Average number of pitches agencies participate in each year.

• Pitch success: The percentage of pitches won and the factors that can influence these outcomes.

• Pitch dynamics: Insight into the nature of pitches, the number of agencies involved, and the average length of the process.

• Cost vs. benefit: The ongoing debate of paid vs. free pitches and how it impacts agency resources.

• Evolving practices: Agencies’ thoughts on how the pitching process is changing and how it can be improved.

• Agency investment: The state of New Business departments within agencies, including resource allocation and ROI.

SA market launch

South Africa marks the fourth market in which the New Business Report has launched, following successful rollouts in Spain, Chile and Brazil.

McDowell believes that the South African market stands to benefit immensely from these other global comparisons.

"By understanding global trends, we ensure South African agencies are better equipped with insights that drive competitive advantage and innovation," she says.

Alejandra Ferrari, executive director at the Chilean Creative Companies Chamber, praised the potential of the report to drive meaningful change.

"For us, having independent, concrete data on selection processes is a game-changer. This kind of insight allows us to focus and develop better practices that ensure healthy and fair competition,” she adds.

The New Business Report for South Africa is expected to be released in February. Scopen plans to expand the New Business Report to include all 12 international markets where it operates, offering even deeper insights into the global new business landscape.