Agencies step back as Adani Group’s media pitch raises questions on transparency

New Delhi: The Adani Group has issued an open request for proposal (RFP) to appoint a single media partner for its estimated Rs 500-600 crore media mandate, one of the biggest consolidation moves by a corporate group in recent years. 

The new model aims to bring all print, digital, outdoor, social and influencer spends under one agency as the group expands across energy, infrastructure and technology.

The RFP has set tough qualification rules. Agencies must have a turnover of at least Rs 1,500 crore and a proven five-year record of handling large, complex mandates. 

A major shift towards digital spending is also expected, with more than half of the total outlay likely to move to online and influencer-driven platforms.

But despite the size of the business and the industry buzz around the pitch, several large agencies are choosing to stay cautious, and some are not participating at all.

In an exclusive conversation with BestMediaInfo.com, a senior executive from a top media network said the hesitation has less to do with capability and more to do with the pitch environment. 

Speaking strictly on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, the executive said many agencies feel this is “not a pitch worth entering”.

According to the media executive, there is a quiet but widespread belief that the process may not be fully open. 

He explained that there is a view across parts of the industry that the client may already have an agency in mind, even as the RFP is being circulated publicly.

“The match seems fixed,” he said, adding that the exercise of inviting multiple agencies may simply be to create an impression of neutrality and process. He stressed that this pattern is not unique to the ecosystem. 

“In large accounts, especially those linked to government or heavily regulated sectors, this is something agencies have seen before,” he said.

He pointed to older examples of large government communications handled by certain agencies where, in his words, “the process was never fully clean”. Because of such experiences, he said, many major networks have become selective about the pitches they enter. 

“We prefer not to waste time on business where the outcome seems predetermined,” he added.

The executive confirmed that at least two leading agency networks have opted out of the pitch. Others, he said, are “evaluating whether it makes sense to invest effort” given the concerns around transparency. 

He declined to name the agencies believed to be favoured by the group, calling it “inappropriate” and stating that “digging into such things only throws mud around.”

What remains clear is that while the Adani mandate is one of the most attractive in terms of size and scale, the response from the industry is more restrained than expected. 

As the conglomerate prepares to overhaul its communication strategy with a heavy digital tilt, agencies appear to be weighing a basic question – is the pitch genuinely competitive, or already decided?