IMAA announces 18 agencies to participate in 2025 Pitch-Chella Program

The Independent Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA), the national industry body representing independent media agencies, today announced the line-up for its 2025 ‘Pitch-Chella’ event, with 18 agencies from across Australia set to participate.

Now in its second year, the hugely popular Pitch-Chella offers a dynamic platform for budding indie agency professionals to collaborate, share knowledge and flex their innovation and creativity, as they enhance their pitching skills. This year’s event is proudly sponsored by Audience360 and supported by Meta, News Corp Australia and Pinterest.

Twenty-one teams from 18 IMAA member agencies across Australia are set to pitch for a campaign for national charity, Mission Australia.

Participating agencies include Alpha Digital, Assembled Media, Admatic, Audience Group, Advertising Associates, Bang Digital, Customedia, Co.gency, Hatched, Impressive, Kaimera, Noisy Beast, Pearman Media, TFM Digital, Slingshot, The Media Store, The Pistol and Vonni Media.

As part of the initiative, teams will prepare written pitches for a media campaign for Mission Australia, designed to raise brand awareness and amplify support and empathy for Australia’s homelessness crisis. Participants need to prepare a pitch for paid media, along with creative solutions to generate awareness, and earned media. Teams will also need to pitch ideas for an ‘always on’ campaign during key fundraising periods to support Mission Australia’s winter and Christmas appeals.

Mission Australia is a national charity that has been serving Australian people in need since 1859. It offers a wide range of services including social and affordable housing, homelessness services, support for children, young people and families, mental health, alcohol and drug support, and employment skills and training.

The written briefs will be reviewed by a panel of seasoned marketing professionals, including gold sponsor Audience360’s Managing Director, Jenny Parkes, TrinityP3 Business Director and Global Media Lead, Steven Wright, Tumbleturn Marketing Advisory Managing Partner, Daniel Johns, Orand Founder, Adam Hickey, and Sparrow’s Nest Consulting’s Greg Graham.

The judging panel will be looking for innovative, creative, cross-channel thinking. Pitches will be scored on their industry relevance, objectives and problem-solving, insight and strategy, and idea and execution.

Shortlisted finalists will be announced on June 24, before they present a virtual pitch to the judging panel on July 2. Pitch-Chella will culminate with the official winner announcement at a closing party at the Bells Hotel in Melbourne on July 17.

IMAA Leadership Team member and Hatched Chairman, Mike Wilson, said: “We are looking forward to another successful Pitch-Chella event – it’s so great to see independent media agencies from across the country signed up to participate in this year’s event; it’s a testament to the growth of the sector and the IMAA’s commitment to education and skills development for young indie talent.

“This year, we’re looking for pitches that are innovative, intelligent and creative – campaigns that can generate a disproportionate impact, compared to the category, client and market benchmarks. Mission Australia is one of the nation’s most beloved charities, particularly for its work in addressing Australia’s homelessness crisis. We want pitches that support public awareness of Mission Australia’s fundraising and partnership efforts, while also helping to build understanding of the urgency and complexity of homelessness nationwide.”

This year’s Pitch-Chella initiative has been 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 on Pitch-Chella, visit: https://theimaa.com.au/pitch-chella/