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Marketing & Creative Agencies Supplier Due Diligence
Vendrpulse runs vendor due diligence on marketing & creative agencies suppliers across the UK — Companies House filings, director history, insolvency flags and sentiment, scored against the value of the contract in front of you.
What we check for marketing & creative agencies suppliers
- check_circleCompanies House filing history and confirmation statements
- check_circleDirector history, disqualifications and prior company failures
- check_circleInsolvency and County Court Judgment (CCJ) flags
- check_circleCharges and mortgages registered against the company
- check_circleSentiment and reputational signals from UK press and reviews
Common risks in marketing & creative agencies
- warningLate or overdue accounts and confirmation statements
- warningRecent director resignations or frequent officer churn
- warningDeteriorating liquidity against sector benchmarks
- warningUndisclosed group structure or related-party dependence
Check a marketing & creative agencies supplier
Pulse £25 or Pulse Premium £500, both inc VAT. Or get a free sample for this sector first.
Marketing & Creative Agencies due diligence — FAQs
- How do I check whether a creative agency is financially stable?
- Agencies often run on retainer revenue with high media pass-through, so look at the net-revenue line rather than gross billings. A current ratio below 1.0 against three months of payroll is the warning sign; agencies fail fast when a major retainer cancels and the wages bill keeps coming.
- What does agency principal turnover tell me about delivery risk?
- Companies House appointments show founder and creative-director churn. If the people on the pitch deck are different from the directors filed in the last 12 months, ask who's actually on your account and for how long. Agency reputations live and die with named individuals.
- How do I judge media-buying transparency in an agency contract?
- Ask whether the agency is principal or agent on media buys, and whether rebates from publishers and platforms flow back to you. The ISBA media-agency template is a useful benchmark. Opaque mark-ups on programmatic spend are where margin gets hidden.
- What IP and assignment risk should I flag in agency contracts?
- Default agency T&Cs often license rather than assign IP, and assignment is conditional on full payment. For brand-critical work, push for present-tense assignment of all deliverables and clear treatment of background IP. Otherwise a payment dispute can leave you unable to use the assets.
- How do I assess data and consent compliance with a marketing agency?
- Check the agency is on the ICO register, and ask for their lawful-basis position on email and adtech data they'll process for you. A marketing agency that can't articulate the difference between consent and legitimate interest in a one-page response is going to create ICO exposure on your campaigns.