Months later, the winner? Not a single agency with a clear mandate, but a "panel" of three or four outfits, each nibbling at the edges of the brief. Sound familiar? It's the dirty little secret of modern procurement, and it's not just PR firms getting stiffed, it's a corporate self-sabotage epidemic that's fragmenting brands and torching equity faster than an X storm. 

PR agencies aren't the only victims. Marketing shops, creative boutiques, and even digital disruptors are falling prey. Take Unilever's infamous 2020 roster shake-up: they culled their agency list to a "preferred panel" of giants like WPP and Publicis, only to watch their messaging splinter. Campaigns that once sang with cohesion devolved into a cacophony, sustainability pledges from one firm clashing with edgy consumer ads from another. The result? A brand perceived as all things to all people, but master of none. Nielsen data later showed a 7% dip in brand trust scores across key markets, a stark reminder that fragmented voices dilute impact.

Closer to home, South African corporates are repeating the blunder. Think of a major logistics player like Imperial Logistics issuing RFPs for integrated comms, only to divvy up the spoils among a panel. One agency handles media relations, another crisis comms, a third thought leadership. The outcome? Inconsistent narratives that leave journalists scratching their heads and stakeholders confused. Brand equity, that precious, hard-won asset built on trust and clarity, erodes as positioning wobbles.

Research from Edelman's 2025 Trust Barometer emphasises this: companies with unified messaging enjoy 22% higher equity valuations, while panel-driven fragmentation correlates with a 15% drop in market perception. 

Why does this happen? Procurement teams, armed with spreadsheets and cost-cutting zeal, chase "best value" through competition. But PR and comms aren't widgets; they're the heartbeat of reputation. Rotating agencies breeds inconsistency: different tones, varying strategies, misaligned stakeholder maps. Globally, Procter & Gamble tried the panel model in the early 2010s, boasting efficiency savings. Yet, by 2015, internal audits revealed "brand drift", a 12% slide in global equity metrics, per Interbrand, as competing agency visions pulled PG's household names in disjointed directions.

They course-corrected with a lead agency model, but the damage lingered.

The fix? Ditch the panel delusion. Corporates must prioritise a single lead agency with proven strategic muscle, supplemented by specialists only where essential, and under tight oversight. It's not about loyalty; it's about accountability. And let's not forget that reputations take time to build, narratives need momentum to settle and stick, making a trusted partner not just a fleeting choice, but a long-term commitment from both brand and agency. Hardly the recipe a panel is serving up. 

In a world of fleeting attention and viral risks, a fragmented brand is a vulnerable one. South African firms, navigating regulatory scrutiny and economic headwinds, can't afford this luxury. The RFP circus must end or watch your equity evaporate.

It's time for bold leadership: procure for cohesion, not just cost. Your brand's future depends on it. 

For more information, visit www.meropa.co.za. You can also follow Meropa Communications on Facebook, X, or on Instagram.

*Image courtesy of contributor