Agency Life: The Eternal Panic of Winning, Losing, and Keeping Clients Happy
13 March 2025
Welcome to agency life. A glamorous world where you work 80-hour weeks to win the pitch, and then spend the next 12 months frantically trying to keep the client from leaving you for someone sexier.
Because let’s be real…
> CMOs are always looking.
> Other agencies are always pitching.
> And no client is ever “locked in” (no matter what procurement says).
It’s a constant battle for attention, trust, and proving that you’re still the best choice.
THE STAGES OF AGENCY PARANOIA (A HORROR STORY IN THREE ACTS)
Act 1: The High of Winning the Pitch
> You beat six other agencies.
> The CMO loved your idea.
> The team is buzzing.
> Your boss calls you a “game-changer.”
You’re feeling unstoppable. Then...
Act 2: The Sudden Fear That You’re Screwed
> Procurement slashes the budget.
> The CMO’s boss says, "We need to make this safer."
> Legal kills the best part of your activation.
> The client starts taking longer to reply to emails.
The paranoia sets in. You have nightmares about them ghosting you. You wake up at 3 AM in a cold sweat, whispering, "What if they’re talking to another agency?"
And then…
Act 3: The Moment You Realize They ARE Talking to Another Agency
📩 "Hey, just a heads-up—AgencyX reached out for a few alternative proposals. No big deal, we LOVE you guys!"
No big deal?! This is an all-out crisis. Because in the agency world, you don’t lose a client overnight. You lose them in:
> A quiet coffee meeting with another agency.
> A “just exploring options” conversation.
> A few too many LinkedIn likes on your competitor’s case study post.
WHY CLIENTS LEAVE (EVEN IF YOU’RE DOING A GREAT JOB)
CMOs don’t leave because they’re unhappy. They leave because they:
❌ Get bored. Even if your last campaign was genius, they need something new to justify their budget.
❌ Need proof. If you’re not delivering hard engagement data, someone else is.
❌ Are being pitched 24/7. Another agency just promised the next big viral activation—with ROI baked in.
And here’s the brutal truth: Your next big idea needs to excite the client AND prove impact, or it’s game over.
HOW TO STOP CLIENTS FROM CHEATING ON YOU
1️ Give them something they can’t walk away from.
Not just cool ideas—data-backed, measurable, headline-grabbing experiences that return the investment they are making.
Ideas that make their boss go: “We HAVE to do this.”
2️ Create something so good, they fight to keep YOU.
If they have to justify your agency every quarter, make it undeniable.
CMOs don’t want another supplier. They want a secret weapon.
3️ Make your activations impossible to ignore.
Gamified, interactive, physically immersive experiences.
Sustainability-led ideas that drive PR, media buzz, and measurable consumer action.
Data-driven engagement that proves ROI—footfall, dwell time, conversions.
This is where Pavegen gives agencies the edge.
We create Big, Bold, Measurable Brand Moments—activations that win clients AND keep them.
Want to stop worrying about your client leaving? Let’s talk.
For more information, video content and photos of Pavegen, contact press@pavegen.com
About Pavegen
Pavegen is a purpose-driven technology business that helps power change and generates positive outcomes for people and planet. Laying underfoot inside buildings, public spaces and at events, Pavegen Kinetic Paving harnesses the power of people’s footsteps, creating not only a small amount of energy – but also imaginative, interactive experiences and data, to help educate, engage and enable meaningful actions around sustainability and Net Zero intent. Pavegen calls this Citizen Impact; powered by Pavegen.
Pavegen helps power Kinetic Street Furniture applications such as USB charging, LED lights, and Green Wall irrigation systems, whilst data from the system can be used for public educational purposes on digital display screens. Kinetic Brand Experiences at live events, expos, festivals and public spaces produce data to provide gamified experiences that help brands engage meaningfully with consumers.
The company was founded in 2009 by Laurence Kemball-Cook who invented the Kinetic Paving technology that can now be seen in over 37 countries around the world.