Applications now open for IMAA’s second annual ‘Pitch-Chella’ event; due this Friday, May 9

The Independent Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA), the national industry body representing independent media agencies, today announced the launch of its 2025 ‘Pitch-Chella’ program, following the overwhelming success of last year’s inaugural event.

The Pitch-Chella initiative is an industry-first program, designed to showcase and support emerging indie agency talent. Staff are encouraged to collaborate, think outside the box and share knowledge to enhance their pitching skills.

Applications are now open for this year’s program, which is proudly sponsored by Audience360 and supported by Meta, NewsCorp Australia and Pinterest, with teams set to provide a written response to a brief from national charity, Mission Australia.

The top eight teams will then be selected to deliver a live pitch before a judging panel of industry experts, including sponsor Audience360 Managing Director, Jenny Parkes, TrinityP3 Global Media Lead, Stephen Wright, Tumbleturn Marketing Advisory Partner, Daniel Johns, Sparrow’s Nest Consulting’s Greg ‘Sparrow’ Graham, and Orand Founder and Senior Media Consultant, Adam Hickey.

Winners will be announced at an award ceremony at Melbourne’s Bells Hotel on Thursday, July 17.

The first-ever Pitch-Chella event attracted 76 participants, representing 21 indie agencies.  Independent agency Enigma took out the overall program last year, with a combined team from indie agencies Assembled Media and Hatched receiving the silver award. The Media Store took out the bronze award.

IMAA Leadership Team Member and Hatched Chairman, Mike Wilson, said: “At its core, Pitch-Chella embraces the creative minds of our upcoming indie talent, championing fresh perspectives and bold ideas that will shape the future of the industry. This is a chance for our indie talent to think creatively – we’re looking for innovative, cross-channel thinking; from traditional and digital media to unexpected activations and social-led storytelling. We want to be surprised and inspired – the best pitches won’t just respond to the brief – they’ll reimagine what’s possible.”

Tracy Meyer, Media Executive at Enigma, and part of the team that took out the overall program in 2024, said: “Taking part in Pitch-Chella reminded me why I love this industry. It was fast-paced, fun, and packed with brilliant minds. Winning Pitch-Chella was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career so far. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, challenged my thinking, and gave me a platform to showcase a different way of thinking. The feedback and exposure from industry leaders were invaluable, and the experience gave me a real confidence boost not just in pitching, but in backing myself. I walked away with new skills, meaningful connections, and a deeper appreciation for the power of bold ideas and creative risk-taking.”

Pitch-Chella entries are open to IMAA members who have been in the media industry for less than five years. Applications for the 2025 program close on Friday, May 9. Finalists will be announced on Tuesday, June 24, while virtual pitches will take place on Wednesday, July 2.

The 2025 Pitch-Chella initiative is spearheaded by a steering committee of independent agency leaders including Mike Wilson (Hatched), Lisa Blackshaw (Co.Gency) and Taylor Fielding (TFM Digital), along with the IMAA team.

For more information or to apply, visit: https://theimaa.com.au/pitch-chella/

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