| The MBC Group | Traditional agency | Freelancers | In-house hire | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | One flat monthly fee | Retainer plus a % of ad spend | Per-specialist retainers | Salary plus benefits |
| Who does the work | Marketing director, every account | Junior account team | One person, one skill | One generalist |
| Channels covered | SEO, ads, web, content, social | Usually one or two | One | Whatever they know |
| Ad-spend commission | None | Typically 10–20% | Sometimes | None |
| Contract | Monthly or annual, 30 days notice | 6–12 month lock-in | Project by project | Employment |
| A senior check before launch | Every item | Varies | Varies | Internal |
| Reporting | Monthly, plain language | Monthly dashboard | Ad hoc | Ad hoc |
| If they leave | Nothing changes; accounts are yours | Re-pitch, re-onboard | Start over | Re-hire, 3+ months |
Where the others win
When we are not the right answer.
Choose an agency
If you spend over $100k a month on ads and need a large media team in the room every day.
Choose a freelancer
If you need one deliverable, once, and already have someone setting the strategy.
Hire in-house
If marketing is your core product and you want the knowledge to live inside the building.
Not sure which you need?
The discovery call answers that in thirty minutes, and we will say so if the answer is not us.