Compete smarter, protect your value. The ACA presents six-part Agency Commercial Edge masterclass series
The ACA’s six-part Agency Commercial Edge masterclass series will help agencies build the commercial skills required to compete effectively, win better business and protect the value of their work. A free introductory session will be held online on 12 November.
Johannesburg, October 27, 2026 – The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA), in partnership with Don’t Forget to Look, is introducing The Agency Commercial Edge, a six-part masterclass series focused on the commercial skills agencies need to compete effectively and protect the value of their work.
Agency leaders and those responsible for new business and client growth are invited to join Stuart Dunk and Gillian Rightford, Executive Director of the ACA, for the free introductory session on 12 November 2026, from 10h00 to 11h00. Dunk is an agency growth advisor and ex-marketing procurement professional, and Founder of Don’t Forget to Look. Attendees will learn more about the programme, the areas each masterclass will cover and how the series can support their commercial priorities for 2027.
Agencies face pressure to demonstrate meaningful differentiation while managing demanding selection processes, pricing discussions and negotiations. Strong creative and strategic capabilities remain essential, but agencies also need to articulate their value, assess which opportunities to pursue and understand how clients and procurement teams make buying decisions.
The series addresses these challenges through six connected areas: positioning, selling, pitching, pricing, procurement and negotiation. Led by Dunk, the masterclasses will offer practical strategies and approaches to help agencies make better commercial decisions, strengthen client conversations and pursue business on terms that support sustainable growth.
“Supporting our members and the broader industry means helping agencies build the capabilities they need to move forward with confidence,” says Rightford. “Commercial knowledge is an essential part of that support. From how an agency positions itself to how it approaches a pitch, sets its price and negotiates an agreement, these decisions shape the health of the business. The Agency Commercial Edge is one of the ways the ACA is helping agencies develop that knowledge and put it into practice.”
The programme will explore how agencies can move beyond service lists and rate cards to communicate the outcomes they create for clients. It will also examine how to qualify pitch opportunities, engage procurement more effectively and prepare for negotiations around price, scope and other commercial terms.
“From an agency consulting perspective, understanding the commercial context in which clients buy is critical,” says Dunk. “Agencies need to know how opportunities are assessed, what procurement is working towards and where they can demonstrate meaningful value. That understanding informs whether to pitch, how to price and how to negotiate. The series is designed to help agencies approach those decisions with greater clarity and confidence and build stronger commercial relationships.”
The six online masterclasses will take place from February to April 2027 as follows:
- Positioning + Value Proposition: Identify the differences clients value and develop a clearer, more compelling case for choosing your agency.
- Winning the Sale Dialogue: Strengthen value and solution-based selling to improve new business conversations and support client growth.
- Pitching Masterclass: Assess opportunities, make informed decisions about whether to pitch and navigate the process from initial enquiry through to remuneration and negotiation.
- Pricing Mastery: Explore approaches to pricing that better reflect the value an agency creates and build confidence in commercial discussions.
- Navigating Marketing Procurement: Understand procurement’s priorities, measures and buying behaviours to engage more effectively.
- Negotiation + Influence: Prepare for buyer tactics and strengthen negotiations around price, scope, payment terms and other conditions.
The masterclasses commence on 4 February 2027, with attendance priced at R305 per masterclass for ACA and BANA members and R425 per masterclass for non-members. A 15% discount applies when booking all six masterclasses.
To learn more about the series and what it will cover, register for the free introductory session HERE.
About the ACA
The ACA is the official representative body for the Communications and Advertising profession in South Africa, representing agencies in the profession to government, media and the public. The ACA is a voluntary body formed by and for the industry, focused on and committed to self-regulation and to defending the highest standards of ethical practice.
Prepared for:
The Association for Communication and Advertising
Gillian Rightford – Executive Director
(010) 880 3399
Editorial contact
Franco D’Onofrio
Twiga Communications
Telephone No: (082) 443 4410/ (011) 024 3983
Email Address: franco@twigacommunications.co.za