Are RFPs An Outmoded Concept?

In a recent article at AdWeek, Bob Greenberg, the Chairman, CEO & Chief Creative Officer at R/GA concludes that RFPs have outlived their usefulness to clients. He points out serious drawbacks for this methodology to both the companies originating the RFPs and the firms vying for the business. He points out a number reasons that RFPs don’t do justice to an effective marketing and advertising process:

1) By their very nature, RFPs exclude the type of close working relationship between client and its marketing firm(s) where great brand-relevant ideas often take root;
2) To establish a “level playing field,” RFPs often set preconditions that detract or limit the creative possibilities they hope to attract;
3) The growing complexity of marketing options to elicit consumer engagement can involve important, but highly technical considerations that require considerable development and coordination time that doesn’t fit conveniently packaged in the format of a 90-minute RFP pitch.

If a company really feels it needs to look at other possibilities for marketing partners, an alternative Greenberg suggests instead of an RFP process is working with different firms on a project basis. That lets people get to know each other in real time and it allows the type of close working relationship that helps determine the viability of additional future work.

Many companies have moved away from the one “agency of record” approach in favor of partnering with a small group of core companies to address their diverse marketing needs.