When silence follows the PR pitch, PR pros in Malaysia call for an end to 'ghosting'

In Malaysia’s public relations (PR) industry, a troubling pattern has been gaining traction — agencies pouring weeks of work into pitch proposals, only to be met with silence.

In theory, pitching should be a structured, two-way process where briefs are shared, ideas are explored, and the best partner is then selected. In reality, many agencies have found themselves investing hours, sometimes weeks, into strategies and creative platforms, only to receive no updates, no feedback, and no acknowledgement, say industry players MARKETING-INTERACTIVE spoke to.

Akin to the dating world, industry players are now calling the practice “ghosting”, and they say it has shifted from occasional frustration to recurring norm. Beyond inconvenience, it signalled a breakdown in professional courtesy that underpins healthy client-agency relationships. For agencies, the silence left teams in limbo, eroded morale, and increasingly shaped how future pitches were approached.

A+M spoke to PR industry professionals in Malaysia about the growing pattern, its impact, and what a more respectful process could look like.

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When pitches vanish

For Ashvin Anamalai, CEO of DNA Creative Communications, ghosting occurs “more often than people outside the industry might realise”. Behind each submission is often a team working intensely, pulling insights and crafting detailed execution plans. Yet once proposals were delivered, communication frequently ceased.

While unclear briefs sometimes complicate matters, the deeper frustration lay in the absence of closure. “A simple ‘thank you, we’ve decided to go another way’ is enough to provide closure and allow agencies to move forward,” he said.

He observed that the issue had worsened over time. What was once the exception had become “almost a norm in some sectors”, particularly as pitch volumes increased and procurement processes grew more rigid.

Jonathan Tan, founder and managing director of VoxEureka, shared a similar experience. Clients typically informed agencies when they had won, but silence often followed unsuccessful bids. Agencies were left chasing for answers, unsure if decisions had even been finalised.

“This lack of communication leaves us in the dark and, frankly, it’s frustrating,” he said. In one case, he recalled being ghosted, only to later see another agency present the exact same slides his team had submitted. He said: 

Transparency is essential for a healthy professional relationship.

Meanwhile, Naif Shazili, director at Ariff Communications, explained that the prevalence of the practice indicates a lack of sincerity. He said that many RFPs have become exercises in "shopping around" or "testing the waters" rather than genuine procurement efforts.

The cost to creativity and confidence

Operationally, ghosting also means lost hours and diverted resources. Emotionally, leaders said, the impact ran deeper. Anamalai noted that professionals want more than producing good work, they want their efforts recognised. When weeks of labour are met with silence, motivation suffers.

"Talented professionals don’t just want to do good work; they want to feel that their work matters. When ghosting happens, it chips away at motivation and can foster quiet resentment. That’s why feedback, even if it’s brief, is so powerful — it acknowledges the human effort behind the pitch," he said.

For Naif, repeated ghosting created a longer-term behavioural shift, where agencies inevitably became more cautious about how much time and energy to invest. That caution translated into greater selectivity. Agencies weighed the clarity of briefs and credibility of processes before committing fully, sometimes scaling back speculative creativity as a pragmatic response.

Still, Naif stressed that professionalism should prevail. “Professionalism demands that we give our best, no matter the outcome,” he said, adding that effort was within their control, outcomes were not. In his words: 

There’s a lot of stoic philosophy in this way of thinking and for me, it means ghosting should never affect the quality or creativity of our output.

A cycle of disengagement

Beyond strategy and slides, pitches carried personal sacrifice. Mohd Said Bani, founder and managing director of BzBee Consult, described teams working late into the night, sacrificing weekends and family time. “Staff poured hours, sometimes days and nights, into research, strategy, design, and rehearsals. They sacrificed weekends, missed family dinners, and in some cases, even postponed medical appointments.”

A pitch, he emphasised, was more than a document. “It was a collective performance of an agency’s best thinking. And then, silence. The work was swallowed into a void, and the energy that once fuelled creativity turned into disillusionment.” The absence of feedback, he believes, also stalled industry growth.

Constructive feedback helps us refine, evolve, and raise the bar. When that is withheld, what message are we sending to the next generation of communicators?

Tan agreed that poor processes created a self-fulfilling cycle of guarded ideas and uninspired work. “Closure, whether a simple ‘thank you, but not this time’ or constructive feedback, costs nothing, but it breaks the cycle," he said. 

"When we keep getting ghosted by the same brands, trust in the process starts to erode. Eventually, we may choose to opt out of pitches altogether. This makes it harder for clients to get quality submissions, and it leads to a cycle of disengagement," added Tan. "That said, with prestigious brands, the temptation to participate is still strong, so we often push ahead anyway."

Naif added that even brief explanations strengthened long-term relationships, allowing agencies to recalibrate rather than speculate.

Resetting the process

Despite the frustrations, none of the leaders called for confrontation. Instead, they advocated practical shifts: clearer briefs, realistic timelines, smaller pitch pools, and short debriefs.

Tan suggested brands test agencies through smaller projects first to assess chemistry. "This gives them a clearer sense of the team’s capabilities, chemistry, and responsiveness under pressure," said Tan. 

Anamalai believed even a short debrief, win or lose, demonstrated respect and provided valuable insight. "Fairness doesn’t mean every agency wins the business, but it does mean every agency feels their effort was valued," he shared. "When clients take the time to provide feedback, they don’t just close a loop; they strengthen trust, encourage better work in the future, and contribute to a healthier, more collaborative industry."

Ultimately, Said Bani concluded that it all comes down to professionalism.

If communication is the business we are in, then surely the process should reflect clarity, honesty, and trust.

Be part of PR Asia Malaysia, 12 August 2026, for candid conversations and practical insights. Explore how opportunities can be found amidst uncertainties, as discovery becomes AI-shaped, regulations tighten, and scrutiny intensifies, communications now doubles down as a strategic infrastructure.

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