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 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.
“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”, said Mike Wilson, IMAA leadership team member and Hatched chairman.
“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.”
“Taking part in ‘Pitch-Chella’ reminded me why I love this industry, added Tracy Meyer, media executive at Enigma. “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 Wilson, Lisa Blackshaw (Co.Gency) and Taylor Fielding (TFM Digital), along with the IMAA team.
