I just read the story in AdWeek about the Pay-to-Play pitches in the UK and India.  

Funny how here in the US, agencies are worried about consultants that require them to pay an annual fee to be considered for their agency review, while in other countries it is clients requiring the payment.  

I have to take sides with the agencies here.  Imagine if other categories or industries used the same approach:  A lawyer would pay the client to handle their business or doctors would pay patients to treat them.  Now that would solve our healthcare crisis.

What I find particularly amusing is the notion that the client wants the payment as a sign of a good-faith commitment to winning an account they’re pitching.  It would seem to me that the amount the agency is putting into the pitch is commitment enough.  Maybe they are not asking them to do spec assignments, but even so, the cost of pitching business is significant and should be enough of a demonstration of commitment.

Interesting that even though there was a great deal of talk within the industry, there were still agencies that participated.  Seems to me, all the agencies should have said no.

Well one thing this article shows – new business in the US isn’t as bad as it can get.