Lessons from Failed BMW Pitch

author: FutureCar Staff    

David 'Fishy' Fish, a former advertising strategist, speaker, and coach, has recently released his first book titled "What it Takes to Create Winning Presentations." In an excerpt from the book, he recounts a painful lesson he learned from one of his most challenging pitches.

As the Head of Strategy at a London ad agency, Fish and his team were approached by BMW to pitch for their business. Although the agency did not have a car client at the time, the CEO saw this as an opportunity to enhance their credentials and engage in exciting and creative work, not to mention the potential for higher pay.

The pressure was immense, and everyone in the company had an opinion on the pitch and the presentation. Ideas, feedback, and slides poured in from all directions, making the deck grow larger and more unwieldy. The team struggled to keep control of the presentation, with the laptop even complaining about the size of the file. It became evident that they had lost sight of the client's problem and had made the presentation all about themselves.

During the pitch, Fish and his team failed to address what the client actually wanted, instead focusing on showcasing their own creativity and expertise. With five presenters and over 100 slides, the presentation became a show about their love for their own ideas and slides. Unfortunately, the clients did not share their enthusiasm and displayed signs of agitation, boredom, and confusion.

Despite the evident disconnect between the presentation and the client's needs, the team continued, oblivious to the growing dissatisfaction of the audience. As the pitch progressed, it became increasingly painful for everyone involved. Fish reflects that they would have been better off quitting and going for a beer.

After the pitch, the CEO, seemingly unaware of the presentation's shortcomings, celebrated with the team. However, the competitors in the waiting room were not impressed. The agency did not receive any follow-up from the client, confirming their failure to win the business.

Although the experience was painful, it proved to be a valuable learning opportunity for Fish and his team. They conducted a thorough debrief to extract lessons and action points, viewing it as a training ground for future pitches. Their efforts paid off when they eventually won a car client, Hyundai, and successfully launched the i30.

Reflecting on the BMW pitch, Fish acknowledges that losing is a painful experience, especially for competitive individuals in sales roles. This motivated him to delve deeper into the art of delivering great presentations. He discovered that creating winning presentations requires understanding the nuances of pitching strategies, ideas, solutions, and content that others can champion on your behalf.

With nearly 30 years of experience in marketing, advertising, and media strategy, Fish has encountered a wide range of presentations. Whether it's brand launches, new technology platforms, tender responses, or media presentations, the common goal is to persuade the audience to buy into a strategy, idea, or solution. This requires taking the audience on a journey that connects what they need with what you know.

Ultimately, delivering a winning presentation means gaining the audience's approval, convincing them of the benefits, and outshining the competition. Fish's book aims to provide insights and guidance on consistently creating winning presentations, drawing from his extensive experience in the industry.

FutureCar Staff