Observed Signal · Aug 24, 2026 · Industry Interview · Source: VideoWeek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Clients Should Choose Agencies for Ideas Over Price
Max Kelvin, Director of Media at independent agency Guerillascope, argues that agencies, brands and broadcasters must be brave in responding to shifts in media and advertising. He warns that procurement-driven pitches and agency reliance on incentivised or proprietary inventory can flatten quality and create unsustainable commercial models. Kelvin says modern agencies must offer judgement, strategy and market-wide independent views rather than only access to inventory, and that video/CTV’s primary strength remains brand-building even where it can drive short-term sales. Guerillascope rebuilt its TellyAds database as an AI platform and produced what it says was the first Clearcast-approved AI-generated ad on linear TV in 2024. Kelvin urges clients to prioritise idea quality over lowest price and recommends impartial econometric measurement where feasible.
Buy-side perspective highlights agency commercial model risks, the role of CTV and early AI creative adoption; relevant to agency strategy and broadcasters but not a platform-level policy or technical release.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Max Kelvin is Director of Media at independent agency Guerillascope.
- Guerillascope rebuilt its proprietary TellyAds.com database as an AI platform to evaluate creative effectiveness.
- In 2024 Guerillascope claims to have produced the first Clearcast-approved, broadcast-quality AI-generated ad on linear TV.
- Guerillascope reported that in the past year three clients used Guerillascope AI-created assets live across linear TV.
- The article references Ofcom’s Media Nations report showing broadcaster content still accounts for the largest share of video viewing in UK homes.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mapped“We worked on the relaunch of Estée Lauder’s iconic Double Wear foundation....”
“We’re seeing consolidation across UK media, ITV and Sky being the most prominent example....”
“We’re seeing consolidation across UK media, ITV and Sky being the most prominent example....”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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Media Pitches' Risky Hunt for Lowest Price
An ADZINE interview with Thilo Swoboda and Christian Bachem criticizes modern media-pitch processes that prioritise lowest price over advertising effectiveness. They argue price-led selection undermines campaign impact, is ill-suited to diverse formats (especially video, social and CTV), and poorly reflects programmatic auction dynamics. The interview introduces Pitchfork, described as an effects-based pitch model that awards agencies based on guaranteed impact rather than lowest cost. Pitchfork requires agencies to document media-strategy derivations in a provided media-mix-modeling framework, agree contractual KPI targets and measurement methods with advertisers, and uses a validated AI system to produce a Creative Impact Score for creative contribution. Regular progress checks are included and agencies must remediate if agreed targets are missed. The OWM survey is cited, noting 92% of advertisers see traceability of ad effectiveness as a major challenge.
Agencies Must Prioritize Partnerships Over Fees
An ADWEEK Adspeak/Brandweek panel featuring Nadja Bellan-White (Group CEO, M&C Saatchi), Coltrane Curtis (Founder & Managing Partner, Team Epiphany) and Kern Schireson (Chairman & CEO, Known), moderated by Alison Weissbrot, argued that traditional, fee-based agency models must be reinvented. With tightening client budgets and AI changing workflows, the panel advocates shifting to incentive‑aligned partnerships tied to outcomes, deeper specialization, empathy-driven client relationships, and shared accountability. Practical tactics discussed include embedding test‑and‑learn budgets, understanding board‑level KPIs, deploying agile “tiger teams,” and using a “Three Ideas Framework” to manage risk and build trust. The discussion frames these changes as necessary to create resilient, high-performing agency‑client relationships in a rapidly evolving marketing environment.
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