Calling it a design retainer might sound a little too formal. At oodle, we think of it as a creative partnership. It’s a mutual commitment to ongoing collaboration, ensuring your business has expert graphic and digital design support on hand, every working day.
No contracts for individual jobs, no chasing quotes, and no need to include us in the coffee round. We are part of your team — just not on your payroll.
What Is a Design Retainer?
A design retainer is an agreement that gives you access to consistent creative support over a set period, typically reviewed every six months. Instead of commissioning individual projects, you secure a fixed number of design hours each month for a predictable cost.
This flexible structure means you can adapt the use of time across different projects, depending on your needs.
Common design retainer uses include:
- Ongoing newsletters and campaigns
- Social media graphics, animations and videos
- Branding rollouts or seasonal creative campaigns
It is not about buying a single deliverable. You are investing in our skillset, creative thinking, and availability.
Top 5 Advantages of a Design Retainer
1. Greater Ownership
We build a dedicated team around your account, led by your Systematic Account Manager and supported by our oodlers. This ensures clear communication and efficient project delivery.
2. Brand Consistency
Working closely with your brand over time allows us to fully understand your tone, look and behaviours. This results in stronger creative work that is always on brand and ready to evolve when needed.
3. Access to Specialist Skills
Rather than hiring a single in-house designer, a retainer gives you access to a broad team of specialists. Whether it’s animation, layout design or creative strategy, we blend multiple skills into one streamlined service.
All communication runs through your Account Manager for a coordinated and inbox-friendly approach.
4. Priority in Our Schedule
Your projects are planned into our workflow in advance. You will always have a reserved spot in our schedule, so deadlines are smoother and support is more responsive.
5. Simple, Predictable Budgeting
You invest a fixed amount each month, which makes it easier to manage marketing budgets and eliminates the guesswork from creative costs.
Let’s Talk About a Design Retainer That Works for You
Whether you are scaling up, replacing in-house resource, or just need a reliable creative partner, a design retainer could be the right move.
At oodle, we are the creative arm of Systematic, bringing over 20 years of design expertise to organisations of all sizes. Since launching the oodle brand in 2023, we have continued to support clients across sectors with design retainers that flex to their needs.
You might be considering a design retainer if:
- Your business lost creative staff during recent economic shifts
- Your marketing needs are growing faster than your team
- Recruitment feels out of reach in terms of time or budget
- You need regular access to multiple design skills
If any of that sounds familiar, let’s talk.
