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What a Marketing and Creative Retainer Should Include

A retainer works when it is a plan, not a pool of hours. Here is what to look for in a marketing and creative retainer, and what to ask before you sign.

Marketing · 4 min read · Published 6 November 2026 · By 7Hues Vertical

What a Marketing and Creative Retainer Should Include

The best retainers feel like an extension of your marketing team. The worst feel like a bucket of hours. Here is what separates them.

A clear understanding of the brand

The team should start by learning your brand, your audience and your goals, not by producing content straight away.

A monthly roadmap

You should know what is being made each month and why, agreed before the work begins, so nothing is a surprise.

Creative and production together

Ideas, campaigns and content should come from people who can also shoot, edit, design and animate them.

Optimisation built in

Each month should end with what was learned and what will change, so results improve over time.

Frequently asked questions

How does a creative retainer work?

The team understands your brand, plans a monthly roadmap, creates and produces the content, then reviews what worked so the next month improves.

Who is a retainer for?

Brands with a marketing team that need a creative partner, brands that need content constantly, and brands that want strategy, creative and production handled together.

Services that help

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A brief, a budget, a deadline or a half-formed thought. Send it over and we’ll take it from there.