To choose a brand analysis and positioning agency (Agentur für Markenanalyse und Markenpositionierung), write a brief with one clear problem, shortlist three or four agencies, and score them on method, category evidence, team and terms. Run a short, fair Agenturpitch: a defined task, equal information, a set date and written feedback. Judge thinking, not polish.
Key takeaways
- A good brief names one business problem, the audience, the competitors and how success will be judged.
- Choose on method and evidence: how the agency analyses the brand and category, and what it can show.
- Keep the pitch short and equal for every agency; long free creative work favours the best-funded bidder.
- Score with a written grid and agree it before the presentations.
- Red flags: positioning with no competitor analysis, no named team and slogans before findings.
What is brand analysis and positioning work?
Brand analysis is the study of how your brand and competitors are seen, and what buyers care about. Markenpositionierung (brand positioning) is the decision that follows: the place you want to hold in buyers' minds, and the proof that earns it.
A positioning agency should deliver a competitor and category read, audience insight, a positioning statement, message hierarchy and a plan to test it. Naming and identity are separate work, unless you buy them together.
What should the brief contain?
One page is enough. Our creative brief template gives you fields to start from. For a positioning pitch, make sure the brief includes:
- The business problem, in one sentence.
- Audience and markets, including languages.
- Competitors you worry about, and those you do not.
- What you already know: research, sales feedback, brand history.
- Constraints: budget range, timeline, legal limits, internal approvers.
- How success will be judged: a few measures, such as clarity in message tests or sales conversations.
- Pitch rules: task, deadline, who presents, how you will decide.
How do you score the candidates?
Use a weighted grid agreed in advance. These weights are a hypothetical starting point.
| Criterion | Weight | Evidence to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Method and rigour | 25% | How they study the category, what data they use, how they test |
| Category and market insight | 20% | A first read of your competitors, not generic slides |
| Strategic thinking | 20% | A sharp view of the problem and a clear choice, with trade-offs |
| Team | 15% | Named people who will do the work and their time allocation |
| Proof and references | 10% | Past work with outcomes and a reference you can call |
| Terms and fees | 10% | Scope, deliverables, ownership, exit |
How should you run the agency pitch?
Keep it short, equal and paid or small. The aim is to see how an agency thinks, not to collect free work.
- Longlist and credentials call. Ten minutes each, on method and team, to get to three or four.
- Briefing. Give every agency the same brief and one Q&A session. Share every answer with all.
- Chemistry and strategy session. Ask for a point of view on the problem and how they would approach it, not finished creative.
- Presentation. Fixed length, your decision-makers in the room, same questions for every agency.
- Scoring. Each panel member scores alone first, then you compare.
- Feedback. Tell the losing agencies why, in writing. It is courteous and keeps your future options open.
UK trade bodies have published guidance on this: ISBA lists a best practice pitch guidelines document, though the full text is for members, so we do not summarise it here. Check any guidance your own industry body offers.
Where does competitor research fit in?
It fits at both ends. You can give pitching agencies a baseline read of your category, and agencies can use competitor data to show a point of view quickly. Our posts on competitor research for agency pitches and the evolution of the agency pitch explain why strategic intelligence now matters more than content volume.
SOMIN (SoMin.ai), the AI marketing-intelligence company run by Somin Pte. Ltd. in Singapore, offers a competitor and whitespace map through SOMIN Strategy, and has a page for agencies. Ask any positioning agency what category data they use and whether you can see it.
What are the red flags?
- A tagline or logo before any analysis.
- No competitor work in the proposal.
- Senior people pitch, junior people deliver, and nobody is named.
- The agency will not state its method or its sources.
- Claims such as "guaranteed brand lift".
- Demands for large unpaid creative work.
- Case studies without outcomes or a reference.
- Positioning that could fit any competitor if you swapped the name.
FAQ
How many agencies should be in a pitch?
Three or four. More wastes everyone's time, and fewer gives you too little to compare.
Should we pay for the pitch?
If you ask for more than a point of view and a short presentation, yes, or reduce the ask. Fairness here also improves the quality of the agencies that agree to take part.
What is an Agenturpitch?
It is the German term for an agency pitch: a competitive presentation in which agencies show their approach to a client's brief before the client picks a partner.
What is the difference between positioning and a creative brief?
Positioning decides where your brand stands among competitors. A creative brief (Kreativbriefing) turns that decision into direction for a specific piece of work. The first comes before the second.
How long does a positioning project take?
It depends on scope, markets and research. Ask each agency for a written timeline with milestones, and be wary of any plan that skips the analysis phase.
Sources
- ISBA, Best Practice Pitch Guidelines (page listing only; full guidance is member-only).
- SOMIN pages: creative brief template, SOMIN Strategy and SOMIN for agencies.
