🎧 Listen to the podcast episode above, read the companion article below ⬇️
💡 When a Client Pulls a Major Campaign…
Yesterday, I found out that a global campaign I was commissioned to voice isn’t going ahead.
Signed, sealed… but suddenly, the whole thing was canned.
If you work in creative industries, you’ll know this feeling. The deal was done. You were mentally spending the fee (or at least earmarking it for something practical). You were already envisioning the final product in the wild. And then—poof. Gone.
This isn’t my first rodeo. This happens often in the creative industries. But even when you expect it, it still stings.
So how do you handle it?
Fwiw, here’s what I’ve learned.
🔹 Remember: It’s Business, Not Personal.
Campaigns get pulled for reasons beyond our control—budget shifts, internal politics, market changes. It’s not about your talent, your worth, or your work. It’s just… business.
Easier said than done, of course. When you’ve invested energy into a project, it’s hard not to take it personally. But the truth is, the client’s decision likely has nothing to do with you.
🔹 Reframe the Loss.
Instead of focusing on what you would have earned, think about what you didn’t lose.
No studio time wasted.
No approvals dragging on.
No worries about having to turn down work that might have clashed with the campaign.
That mental shift makes a surprising difference. It’s a reminder that opportunity cost works both ways.
🔹 Use It as a Springboard.
A near-miss is still a vote of confidence. A major brand chose you.
That credibility doesn’t disappear just because the campaign did. You were still the right fit. You still won the gig. You can still use it to position yourself for the next big project.
(And, if it was a particularly high-profile client, you can often mention the association in your portfolio—even if the work never aired.)
🔹 Stay Ready.
These things happen. And they’ll happen again. The key is to keep momentum, keep pitching, keep creating.
Because the next call—the one that sticks—could land tomorrow.
Over to You…
Have you ever had a big project vanish at the last minute? How did you handle it?
Let’s share strategies in the comments. 👇
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