Luckily, you’re free to set your rates however you see fit—and that’s a good thing!

Professional agencies and studios charge for everything created and produced—whether it’s done internally by their team or externally by third-party professionals. In-House Services: These are tasks created and produced internally by the agency or studio’s staff, such as design, copywriting, and art direction. Outsourced Services (External Vendors): These refer to work done by third-party professionals, such as photographers, illustrators, voice-over artists, actors, or print shops, hired by the agency or studio to complete a project. Why do agencies charge fees for outsourced services? Agencies often add a fee on top of outsourced services to cover the time and expertise required to manage third-party vendors and ensure the quality and specifications of their work align with the project’s needs. This fee reflects the agency’s role in coordinating, supervising, and guaranteeing the final result meets professional standards. Why does the Price List Guide focus on In-House Services? This Price List Guide primarily highlights “In-House Services” because it relates to work created and produced entirely by the agency or studio team. While outsourced services may be part of some projects, the guide emphasizes the internal work to provide clarity for pricing and billing purposes.

The guide considers 13 key areas of Strategy and Creative work: Strategy, Digital, Print Advertising, Branding, Editorial, Packaging, OOH (Out-of-Home), POS (Point of Sale), Gift Promotions, BTL (Below-the-Line) Collateral, Studio Services, Audiovisual, and Staff Costs (professional hours). What is the difference between "Creative Work" and "Artwork"? For most materials, the "Creative Work" column includes the combined efforts of a Copywriter and a Designer or Art Director. However, the "Artwork" column is often overlooked by freelancers, which is a critical mistake. Why is it important to separate Conceptualization, Design, and Art Direction from Artwork? Conceptualization, Design, and Art Direction involve generating ideas, creating the design, and leading the artistic direction of a project. In contrast, the "Artwork" phase focuses on finalizing and preparing files for production. This includes refining designs and ensuring all technical specifications are met. In professional studios and advertising agencies, the "Studio" department is responsible for artwork production, allowing creatives to focus on their strengths—conceptualizing, designing, and directing art. Artworkers handle technical details to ensure the final piece is ready for production. Why should freelancers consider artwork time when charging clients? The role of an Artworker is crucial for delivering technically sound final files. Even if a Creative completes the artwork phase, the time spent on it should still be accounted for when charging clients. Neglecting to include artwork time can undervalue your services and lead to undercharging.

These prices are based on an informal survey of the bare minimum rates that advertising agencies typically charge their major clients for internal services on a per-project basis. This approach provides a general benchmark, reflecting industry practices rather than strict standards.

Ultimately, the choice is yours—you decide which method works best for you and your business. However, after more than 20 years of experience in creative studios and advertising agencies, I’ve learned one key lesson: talent is often valued more than time. While time is limited, so is talent. Clients may question the number of hours you’ve allocated to a project, but when it comes to talent, their arguments tend to fall flat. Your talent is unique, and it’s yours—that’s why I prefer charging by project rather than by hour. That said, it’s still important to estimate how much time you’ll spend on a project for your own planning and profitability, but that information is primarily for you—not the client. Another factor to consider is that charging by the hour can work against experienced professionals. The more skilled and efficient you become, the faster you’ll complete projects, which means you could earn less for delivering better results. Charging by project allows you to focus on the value you bring, rather than the time spent.