Agency Services
When you need the hands as well as the thinking, Vertical Brands delivers.
Who it is for
Strategy only matters if it reaches the market. Agency Services is for businesses that need the work itself, from brand and creative through to paid media, email and websites, delivered to a high standard and tied to the plan.
It is delivered by Vertical Brands, the agency I run, based in London and working with brands around the world. Vertical brings brand, creative and performance marketing together in one senior team, so the thinking and the doing stay connected.
It suits businesses that do not have the in-house team to deliver everything themselves, those tired of managing several agencies that never quite talk to each other, and clients of my fractional CMO or consulting work who want the plan carried all the way through.
You can use Agency Services on its own or alongside any of my other roles. There is never any obligation to use Vertical, and I will always be honest if another partner would suit you better.
What I do
Brand strategy and identity
Positioning, naming, visual identity and brand guidelines that give the business a clear, distinctive presence and make every piece of marketing easier to create and more effective.
Creative and content production
Campaign ideas, photography, video, design and copy, produced to a high standard and built for the channels they will run on, from social feeds to websites and print.
Social-first and UGC creative
Content made for how people actually scroll: short-form video, creator-led content and user-generated content that feels native to each platform and gives paid campaigns the volume of creative they need.
Paid social: Meta, TikTok and LinkedIn
Full-funnel paid social campaigns, from strategy and audience planning to creative testing, optimisation and reporting, focused on profitable growth rather than vanity metrics.
Paid search and shopping
Google and Microsoft search, shopping and Performance Max campaigns, structured to capture demand efficiently and scale what converts.
SEO and AI search
Technical SEO, content and authority building that grow organic traffic, plus the work that helps your brand appear, and be recommended, in AI assistants and AI search results.
Email and SMS marketing
Lifecycle programmes, automated flows and campaigns that turn first-time buyers into loyal customers, with design, copy, segmentation and testing all handled.
CRM and marketing automation
Setting up and running the systems that track customers and leads and trigger the right message at the right time, from HubSpot to Klaviyo and beyond.
Influencer marketing
Finding, briefing and managing creators and influencers who fit the brand, with campaigns built to drive measurable results as well as reach.
Social media management
Organic social strategy, content calendars, community management and reporting that keep the brand active, consistent and worth following.
Websites and eCommerce
Design and build of websites and online stores that look the part and convert, on platforms such as Shopify and Webflow, plus ongoing management and optimisation.
Landing pages and funnels
High-converting landing pages and end-to-end funnels for campaigns, launches and lead generation, built to be tested and improved.
Tracking and attribution
Analytics, conversion tracking and attribution set up properly, so every decision about spend is based on numbers you can trust.
AI marketing systems
Agents and automation that speed up research, reporting, creative testing and campaign management, with experienced people reviewing every decision.
How it works
Brief and plan
We start with your goals, your audience and the plan, whether that comes from my work as your fractional CMO or consultant, or from your own team.
Build the team
Vertical assigns the right specialists for the work, led by senior people who stay on the account rather than disappearing after the pitch.
Launch and learn
Work goes live quickly, with testing built in from the start, so the team learns what works early and puts more behind it.
Report and grow
You get clear, regular reporting in plain language, with recommendations for what to do next, and the work evolves as the business grows.
When it makes sense
You have a plan but not the team
The strategy is clear, but there is nobody in-house to deliver the creative, media and channels at the standard it needs, and hiring a full team would take too long.
You are juggling too many agencies
Separate partners for brand, paid, email and web rarely add up to one programme. Bringing them together cuts the hand-offs, the duplication and the finger-pointing.
Results have plateaued
Campaigns are running, but returns have stalled. A fresh team with joined-up strategy and creative can find the next step change in performance.
You are launching something new
A new brand, product or market needs strategy, identity, creative and media working together from day one, rather than stitched together later.
You need more creative, faster
Paid social rewards fresh creative. Social-first production and AI-assisted testing keep campaigns supplied with new ideas without losing quality.
You want the strategy carried through
If I am already your fractional CMO or consultant, Agency Services means the plan we agree is the plan that gets made, by a team I lead.
What makes it different
The strategy and the delivery sit together. Brand, creative and performance are planned as one programme, so ideas are built to perform from the start and what the results teach us goes straight back into the next round of work.
The people you meet are the people who do the work. Senior strategists, creatives and marketers stay close to every account, rather than handing it to a junior team once the contract is signed.
Speed comes from technology, judgement comes from people. AI does the heavy lifting on research, reporting and testing, and experienced specialists make the calls, so you get pace without losing the craft.
It works best when it is connected to a clear plan, so every engagement starts there, whether that plan comes from my work as your fractional CMO or consultant, or from your own team.
Ways to work together
Retainer
An ongoing monthly programme across one or more channels, with a dedicated team, regular reporting and a plan that evolves with the results.
Project
A defined piece of work with a clear scope and timeline, such as a brand identity, a new website, a launch campaign or a tracking overhaul.
Alongside your team
Vertical takes on specific channels or projects while your in-house team or other partners handle the rest, with shared data and clear responsibilities.
Sectors I know well
eCommerce →
For eCommerce and direct-to-consumer brands: paid social and search, email and SMS, creative production, websites and conversion, all focused on profitable growth rather than reach for its own sake.
eLearning →
For eLearning and course businesses: launches, funnels, webinars, paid acquisition and email nurture that turn interest into enrolments and enrolments into repeat learners.
B2B →
For B2B companies: positioning, content, LinkedIn, paid media and outbound that fill the pipeline with the right conversations at the right accounts.
Agencies →
For agencies: the brand, website, content and new business campaigns that help an agency stand out and win better clients.
Why work with me
The strategy and the delivery come from the same place. When I am also your fractional CMO, consultant or advisor, Agency Services means the plan we agree is the plan that gets made, by a team I lead, without being diluted along the way.
Vertical Brands works with brands such as FACEGYM, Canagan and Decant Group, and builds on more than a decade of agency experience, including two agencies I founded and exited, with clients like bp, Stoli and Distill Ventures.
You only ever have one conversation to have: one relationship, one plan and one team accountable for the results.
How I think about agencies
Having founded, grown and sold agencies, I know what tends to go wrong between a client and an agency. Briefs get diluted, senior people disappear after the pitch, and strategy, creative and media are run by different teams with different goals. The work gets made, but it rarely adds up to more than the sum of its parts.
Vertical Brands was built to fix that. Strategy, creative and performance sit in one team and plan together from the start, so the idea that gets approved is the idea that gets made, and the data that comes back shapes the next round of work rather than sitting in a report.
It also means honesty about what each channel can and cannot do. Not every brand needs every channel. The team recommends where your money will work hardest, and says so plainly when something is not working rather than defending it to protect a retainer.
The way marketing gets made is changing fast. AI has made content cheap and testing quick, which raises the value of a clear idea and the taste to back it. Vertical uses AI to move faster and test more, and relies on experienced people for the judgement that keeps a brand distinctive.
Above all, the work is measured on what matters to the business: revenue, profit, customers and the long-term value of the brand. That is the standard I would hold any agency to as a client, and the one I hold Vertical to as its founder.
If you already have a strong agency, keep it. Agency Services is there for businesses that need it, never a condition of working with me, and plenty of my clients run their delivery through other partners. And if you are not sure whether you need an agency, a consultant or a fractional CMO, start with a conversation. I will tell you honestly which would help most, even if the answer is none of them yet.
Agency Services questions, answered
What is included in Agency Services?
Agency Services covers the hands-on delivery of marketing: brand strategy and identity, creative and content production, paid social and search, SEO and AI search, email and SMS, CRM and automation, influencer marketing, social media, websites and eCommerce, landing pages, tracking and AI marketing systems. You can use one service or bring several together into an integrated programme.
Who delivers the work?
The work is delivered by Vertical Brands, the London-based agency I run. Vertical brings brand, creative and performance specialists together in one senior team and works with clients around the world, including FACEGYM, Canagan and Decant Group.
Do I have to use Agency Services if I work with you as a fractional CMO or consultant?
No. Many of my fractional and consulting clients work with their own agencies or in-house teams, and part of my role is to get the best from them. Agency Services is there for clients who want the plan delivered by a team I lead, never a condition of working with me.
Can you work alongside our in-house team or other agencies?
Yes. Vertical often takes on specific channels or projects while your in-house team or other partners handle the rest. Responsibilities are agreed clearly, and data and reporting are shared, so everyone works from the same picture.
How much does it cost?
Pricing depends on the services, the channels and the scale of the work. Some clients work on a monthly retainer, others on a project basis. After a first conversation, you get a proposal with a clear scope and cost.
How quickly can work start?
Usually within a few weeks of agreeing the scope. Onboarding covers access to your accounts and data, a deep dive into your brand and customers, and a plan for the first campaigns, so the team can start delivering results as early as possible.
Which platforms do you work with?
All the major advertising platforms, including Meta, TikTok, Google, Microsoft and LinkedIn; email and CRM platforms such as Klaviyo and HubSpot; and website and eCommerce platforms including Shopify and Webflow. If you are on a platform that is holding you back, the team will tell you and help you move when it makes sense.
How do you report on results?
You get regular reporting in plain language, focused on the numbers that matter to the business, such as revenue, return on ad spend, cost per acquisition, leads and retention. Reports come with commentary on what happened, why, and what the team will do next.
Do you only work with UK businesses?
No. Vertical is based in London and works with brands around the world, and I travel a lot to spend time with clients in person when it matters.
Where can I see examples of the work?
Case studies, including work for FACEGYM, Canagan and Decant Group, are on the Vertical Brands website. You can also get in touch and I will share the examples most relevant to your business.
Is there a minimum contract length?
Retainers usually start with an initial period, so there is time to build, test and learn, then continue on a rolling basis. Projects run for their agreed scope. The exact terms are set out clearly in your proposal before anything begins.
Do you create the content yourselves?
Yes. Vertical produces creative and content in-house, including design, copy, video and social-first content, and works with a trusted network of photographers, creators and specialists when a project needs them.
Can you help us show up in AI search?
Yes. As more people ask AI assistants what to buy and who to trust, being recommended matters as much as ranking on Google. Vertical works on the content, technical foundations and signals that help your brand appear in AI answers, alongside traditional SEO.
Do you offer website design and development?
Yes. Vertical designs and builds websites and online stores on platforms such as Shopify and Webflow, from new builds and redesigns to landing pages and ongoing optimisation.
What happens in the first month?
Onboarding covers access to your accounts and data, a deep dive into your brand, customers and performance, and an agreed plan for the first campaigns. By the end of the first month, the first work is usually live and the team is already learning from it.
How is Agency Services different from hiring an agency directly?
In practice, Agency Services is hiring an agency: the work is delivered by Vertical Brands. The difference is the joined-up leadership. If I am also your fractional CMO, consultant or advisor, the strategy and the delivery sit under one roof, so nothing is lost in translation between the plan and the work.
Do you work with start-ups?
Yes. Vertical works with businesses at every stage, from new ventures preparing to launch to established brands with large marketing budgets. For start-ups, the focus is usually on brand foundations, a strong launch and finding the first channels that can scale.
How do you approach creative?
Creative starts with the brand and the audience, not the format. The team develops ideas that are true to the brand and built for the channel they will run on, then tests them in market, puts more behind what works and keeps a steady supply of fresh creative coming.
How is AI used in the work?
AI agents and tools speed up research, reporting, creative testing and campaign management, which means more ideas tested and faster decisions. Experienced people review every recommendation and every piece of work before it goes live, so speed never comes at the expense of judgement or the brand.
Who will we work with day to day?
A senior lead from Vertical who knows your business and runs the account, supported by specialists in each channel or discipline you need. If I am involved as your fractional CMO or advisor, I stay close to the work as well.
Can you take over from our current agency?
Yes. Transitions are planned carefully, with access to accounts, data, creative and learnings handed over properly, so performance does not dip while the new team gets up to speed.
Should we fix tracking before spending more?
Usually, yes, and it is often the first thing the team looks at. If tracking and attribution are not set up properly, every decision about spend is a guess. The team makes sure the numbers can be trusted before scaling the budget.
Can you help with brand identity as well as performance?
Yes. Vertical works across the whole journey, from naming, positioning and visual identity to the campaigns and channels that bring the brand to market. Having brand and performance in one team means the identity is built to work hard in the real world, not just to look good in a presentation, and the performance work stays true to the brand as it scales.
What do you need from us?
A clear view of your goals, access to the accounts, data and assets the team will work with, and a main point of contact who can make decisions quickly. The more the team understands your customers and your business, the faster the work improves, so regular conversations matter as much as the reporting.
Do you work with B2B companies?
Yes. Alongside consumer brands, Vertical works with B2B companies on positioning, content, LinkedIn, paid media, outbound and the websites and landing pages that turn interest into qualified conversations.
