The strongest pitches are the ones people remember after you leave the room. We had 45 minutes to win a major beauty brand against the other research agencies, and I wanted to leave behind something better than a branded pen: an object that carried our whole story and showed what makes YouGov different, long after the meeting ended.
The Challenge
45 minutes, and a leave-behind that usually ends up in a drawer.
The pitch was competitive and invite-only: over two days, each research vendor got 45 minutes to make its case to a major global beauty and skincare brand. A lot was on the line, and everyone in the running was good.
YouGov’s real edge was the sheer depth of its data, more than 250,000 data points that let a team see an audience from every angle, known internally as the YouGov Cube. The challenge was to make that strength tangible in the room, and to leave behind something memorable, not another t-shirt or pen.
The Insight
If your biggest strength is already called the Cube, make them hold it. Turn the pitch into an object people want to pick up, and the story stays in their hands after you've left the room.
The Solution
We turned the whole pitch into a Rubik's Cube.
One idea, one object
In a brainstorm with the project lead, we turned the YouGov Cube into a literal, custom Rubik's Cube. Each side of the puzzle mapped to a section of the pitch: overview and mission, our difference, products, and network.
The deck and the cube spoke the same language
I designed the pitch deck around the same system, so the faces, the imagery, and the sections all lined up. Holding the cube felt like holding the presentation.
Designed, branded, and produced
I owned the concept, the cube design, and the deck, and project-managed production of the custom cubes, all with sign-off from the project lead.
The Result
They picked it up, and they picked us.
- Won the engagement, and two full research studies with the client that followed.
- As the client held the cube and saw it connect to our story, the room lit up. It showed our capability in a way a slide never could.
- The cube lived on: used at tradeshows and given to employees, and the client liked the design enough to commission an internal infographic, which I also made.