06/12/2025

SATURDAY | DEC 6, 2025

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Malaysian Paper

/thesundaily /

Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Move to make project pitching fair for media agencies

PETALING Wanting everything but giving unclear direction – that is the dilemma presented by clients to media agencies that are asked to present proposals. Media Specialists Association Malaysia president Sheila Shanmugam said many agencies are being pushed to complete requests for proposals (RFP) that look more like full campaign assignments. She said such requests often require multi-channel strategies, full-year media plans, detailed creative thinking and activation concepts, all on a speculative and unpaid basis. She added that the expectation becomes more unreasonable when agencies are not given critical data, confirmed scopes of work or even a clear context for the assignment. “A general lack of transparency, particularly around budgets, KPIs and evaluation criteria, further fuels inefficiency. “Agencies are forced to make assumptions, leading to misaligned proposals and wasted effort for both sides. “These issues are among the main challenges the 2025 Media Pitch Guidelines seek to address. “Timelines are another key concern,” she told theSun in an email interview, adding that some advertisers expect pitch responses within two weeks. JAYA:

relevant and effective thinking, not just the fastest or the most produced. “When diversity of participation declines, the industry risks reinforcing a narrow definition of what ‘good work’ looks like, limiting innovation and reducing the perspectives available to advertisers.” The guidelines, launched in July, aim to restore this balance by encouraging clarity, sufficient lead time and improved transparency. MSA council member Sandeep Joseph said if Malaysia is serious about strengthening its marketing and creative economy, particularly through public-sector and GLC-led tenders, the focus must shift toward structural reforms that elevate fairness, transparency and professionalism across the industry. He said industry leaders argue that meaningful progress would only happen when procurement systems are rebuilt to reward capability rather than connections, endurance or speculative output. “One of the key recommendations is the introduction of standardised pitch frameworks across all government and GLC tenders. This would include transparent evaluation criteria, realistic timelines and mandatory budget disclosures, creating a level playing field for agencies of all sizes. “With clearer conditions, agencies could plan their resources more effectively and compete based on skill, strategic insight and relevance to the brief, not on guesswork or disproportionate effort.“ Sandeep also called for a shared accountability framework, potentially overseen by an independent body working alongside the government. – By Ikhwan Zulkaflee the request for information stage to protect all proposals and strategic materials. The guidelines also mandate a minimum pitch timeline of 14 to 28 days, depending on complexity, allowing agencies adequate time to craft high-quality responses. To curb excessive demands, agency submissions are capped at two case studies, with any additional requests requiring a professional fee of RM10,000 per case. A limit of one pricing revision round is also introduced to prevent prolonged negotiations that strain agency resources. Additionally, advertisers must now disclose their preferred remuneration model and provide a detailed media budget breakdown with a maximum variance of 10%. All ideas, strategies and media plans presented during the pitch remain the intellectual property of the agency unless mutually agreed otherwise.

PETALING JAYA: Government-linked companies (GLC) and corporates want to make responsible, transparent decisions when selecting media agencies, but often do not realise how extensive pitch demands could erode industry sustainability. Media Specialists Association Malaysia (MSA) vice-president Vanitha Selvathurai said well-intentioned advertisers may not see the cumulative impact of requiring full-fledged campaigns, deep data analysis or multi-month strategies during the pitch stage, often within compressed timelines. She said such expectations strain agencies, stretch teams beyond capacity and force creativity into a transactional mode. “This contributes to burnout, talent drain and an environment in which quality thinking becomes harder to deliver.” However, she said the landscape is slowly changing as a growing number of advertisers, including several major corporations, have begun adopting the 2025 Media Pitch Guidelines. She added that these advertisers understand that sustainability, fairness and creativity are not opposing interests but mutually reinforcing principles. “We hope more clients follow suit. MSA is committed to supporting this shift through dialogue, education and shared accountability across the ecosystem.” She also said current pitch norms unintentionally exclude smaller or independent agencies, resulting in a significant loss for the industry. “This is not about capability or ambition. It is about how our industry defines fairness and access. Pitches should be a forum for discovering Equally the protection of intellectual property (IP). She emphasised the need for mutual non-disclosure agreements (NDA) and responsible handling of ideas for both appointed and non-appointed agencies, adding that trust is essential to strong long-term partnerships. Sheila expressed belief that while guidelines provide structure, long-term improvement requires a cultural shift within the marketing ecosystem. She said brands need to move from transactional engagements to genuine strategic partnerships, recognising agencies not as vendors but as collaborators in solving business challenges. Launched in July, the 2025 Media Pitch Guidelines introduces several structural safeguards to promote fairness, transparency and respect for IP throughout the pitch process. Among the key updates is the requirement for a mutual NDA at important is

“The scale of what is requested must match the clarity and value of the opportunity,” she said, adding that excessive demands without transparency violate procurement principles of fairness, accountability and equitable competition. The guidelines were formulated to help restore this balance by encouraging scoped deliverables, reasonable timelines and upfront information. She said the guidelines also foster a pitch environment built on capability, strategic fit and merit rather than the volume of speculative work submitted. This aligns with national goals to create a more transparent marketplace and strengthen ethical business conduct. Sheila explained that reducing unnecessary barriers also creates more opportunities for SME. She also said it would be ethical for media agencies to be provided with relevant information upfront.

o Advertisers urged to adopt guidelines on reasonable timelines and clear context pitch practices disadvantage not just established agencies but also small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). She said when advertisers demand full-year campaign plans at the pitch stage, the process inevitably favours larger agencies with bigger teams and more resources. She added that this pushes smaller players out of competition and weakens Malaysia’s broader SME development goals. She also said the core issue is proportionality, a fundamental principle of ethical procurement. Sheila said current

‘Clients may not realise impact of extensive demands’

Socso to exempt SME from job vacancy reporting: Sim KUALA LUMPUR: The Social Security Organisation (Socso) plans to exempt small and medium enterprises (SME) from mandatory job vacancy reporting following amendments to the Employment Insurance System Act. market in order to craft better policies. “The reporting process is simple, online and automated. “The moratorium period will be used to assist and guide stakeholders to familiarise themselves with the system and improve where necessary.” increasing productivity reducing hiring costs. “It would provide an accurate, up-to-date and organised picture of the labour market, enabling the government to formulate employment policies and skills training based on real data. “The objectives are fundamental to ensure that the labour market becomes more dynamic, responsive and sustainable. Socso remains Socso said the amendment is to improve the national employment ecosystem by enabling jobseekers to view available openings transparently and systematically. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN and

Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said the exemption is contingent on stakeholder consultations, with Socso collaborating with employers and employees to finalise the details. He said a two-year moratorium will precede enforcement of the amended provisions, assuring employers that no penalties would be imposed for failing to report vacancies during this period. “The goal of the system is to ensure Malaysians have access to the latest jobs in the market, assist companies to match their vacancies to the talent pool and to have accurate data of our labour

He added that the amended Act also enhances benefits, providing higher unemployment allowances, a skills training subsidy and a mobility allowance for those who have lost their jobs. Meanwhile Sosco said in a statement the amendment is to improve the employment ecosystem by providing Malaysians access to information on job opportunities, enabling jobseekers to view available openings transparently and systematically. The amendment is also expected to help employers match jobs with suitable talents, thereby

committed to ensuring that the implementation of the amendments is fair, balanced and supportive of the economic and labour market development.” On Tuesday, the Dewan Rakyat passed the Employment Insurance System (Amendment) Bill 2025, which aims to enhance benefits for Socso contributors who lose their jobs and strengthen governance for implementation of the employment insurance scheme. – Bernama