AAR launches Rapid Response Unit PR pitch offering

Leading marketing consultancy, AAR, has launched a ‘Rapid Response Unit’ PR pitch offering which allows clients to brief and select an agency within a 24-hour period. The process is designed to be quick and effective for both clients and agencies and allows clients to see how an agency thinks and works together as a team in real-time.

No more than three agencies will be selected to pitch for any individual brief.  Agencies will be provided with background on the client in advance but will only be issued with the specific brief on the morning of the pitch. After an all-agency briefing session, the agencies will be given two hours to prepare their response. During this period, clients will be able to watch the teams in action, answer any questions and give the agencies an opportunity to sense-check their thought process. Agencies are requested to only put forward teams that will actually work on the business. Agencies will pitch their responses the same day and the successful agency will be appointed by the end of the working day.

The process has been designed to be carried out over Zoom and is intended to overcome some of the challenges of appointing an agency without meeting them in person. In time, it is intended for the process to take place face to face.

Andrew Bloch, PR lead, AAR said: “The process is designed to reflect the changing requirements of clients and the move towards project-led briefs which require quick responses. More importantly, perhaps, by allowing clients to observe the process in real time, it allows them to get a proper feel for how an agency thinks on their feet and how they work together as a team to find a solution.”

AAR partnered with PR industry leader Andrew Bloch to take the helm of their PR consultancy practice in November 2020. Since joining, Andrew has become a key member of the brains trust within AAR to help brands design the right solutions to deliver against evolving their marketing needs. Beyond managing all PR pitches at AAR, Andrew has taken on a wider remit, encompassing the development of new approaches to supporting both brands and PR consultancies.

AAR has consulted on PR pitches for brands for more than three decades and recently handled briefs for EDF, Smart Energy, Homebase, Lidl, Subway and Talk Talk.

AAR has worked with marketing organisations and their external partners for more than four decades, witnessing first-hand how the landscape has evolved. The huge number of conversations they have with senior marketers, agency leaders, consultants, innovators and technology specialists gives them a rare perspective. They hear more and know more than any other advisor. AAR has strong and well-informed views on what brands need to do to face down the challenges of the 2020’s, to better connect their businesses to their customers and to drive growth. And they know how to turn these views into action. They have deep experience in helping organisations Design, Build and Drive adaptive marketing ecosystems.

For more information, contact Andrew on abloch@aargroup.co.uk.