PR retainer vs ad hoc campaigns: why commitment is key

Shocker – a PR agency is talking about the benefits of being a retained client, as opposed to working on an ad hoc basis. It’s a bit like when you buy a new sofa and the eager sales person promises you a lot more bang for your buck when you buy the “protector”.

We all roll our eyes, thinking that they’re paid to sell us the extras, but when you break it down there might be some long-term benefits in paying for increased protection.

Going back to PR for a moment, retaining your agency is also a form of protection and without entering a longer-term relationship, you’re limiting the true value that PR can deliver – but why is that the case?

Many organisations still approach PR on an ad hoc basis and engage agencies only when there is a product launch, announcement, or immediate need. While this can work tactically, a retained agency partnership enables businesses to move beyond short-term visibility and towards long-term reputation building.

PR isn’t short-term

The most effective PR strategies aren’t built around isolated moments – they have a clear story which is reinforced through consistent messaging, and regular engagement with media, influencers, and the business itself – or stakeholders if you want to be fancy.

A retained agency has the time to understand a business in depth, as well as its goals, challenges, competitors, and audiences. This type of insight allows the agency to shape a story that evolves with the organisation, rather than delivering isolated bursts of activity.

Being able to react, proactively

The news cycle moves really fast and opportunities emerge without warning – and isn’t it annoying when you see a news story from the previous day that you could have had a say in, but you’re too late?  A retained agency will have spotted this for you and because they already understand the brand, they will know the message you want to get out there and can respond immediately.

This type of reactive approach is difficult to replicate in an ad hoc model because time is often lost on briefings, approvals, and context-setting.

Journalist relationships are built for you

A lot of PR success is built on relationships. Journalists, editors, and influencers are far more receptive to agencies that understand their topic areas and bring relevant, well-timed stories to them.

A retained partnership allows agencies to invest in these relationships on a client’s behalf, resulting in stronger credibility, better placements, and more meaningful coverage. Ad hoc engagements rarely last long enough to build this level of trust or momentum with the media.

Better value for money

While ad hoc PR may appear cost-effective at first glance, it often involves duplicated effort, for example, if you’ve not commissioned a campaign in a while, you often need to re-brief an agency and update them on any developments within the business – again, a huge time drain.

A PR retainer model spreads this strategic planning and allows for an increase in value as familiarity, insight, and traction grow – i.e. ‘this campaign worked well last time, let’s build on it’.

We’re not just a supplier

One of the most significant differences lies in the nature of the relationship. A retained PR agency operates as an extension of the internal team. As Gemma Cryan from IE Hub says,

“Our PR agency (yes, it’s Front Door) feel like an extension of our team rather than external support. They’re responsive around the clock, proactive, and consistently go above and beyond to secure the coverage and positioning we need.

“Their understanding of our brand, our mission, and our pace is unmatched, and we consider them an invaluable part of IE Hub’s success.”

So instead of simply executing instructions, the PR agency becomes a trusted advisor, which just brings more results and more ideas.

To sum up, while ad hoc PR can deliver short-term visibility, a PR retainer delivers much more long-term value. If you’re looking to protect and grow your reputation, a retained agency partnership is not just more effective, it’s essential. Worth thinking about the next time you spill red wine on the sofa?