Activities & Credits
When we launched Declaration in 2001, we recognised the traditional ‘fixed-content’ client-agency engagement model has no place in a fast-paced industry in which change is the norm. We therefore devised an engagement model that is modular, flexible, scalable, responsive and fair.
What is an Activity?
An activity is something we do for you: writing an article, designing an advertisement or sending a press release to editors, for example.
We have more than 20 clearly defined activities and our processes for performing them have been fine-tuned over the years. We are lean and promise a fast, cost-effective turnaround because we do not outsource to third parties.
Importantly, where copywriting is concerned, we differentiate between originating copy from scratch, reworking existing material and simply proofing/tweaking copy you have supplied to us.
Every activity has a credit value.
What is a Credit?
In most cases, a credit can be thought of as a unit of time and the credit value of any activity is a combination of:
1 – The average time it has taken to perform the activity in past. For example, copywriting is largely a simple draw on time.
2 – If applicable, the draw on resources for which time has already been invested by us. For example, it takes about one hour to distribute a press release, but the maintenance of our press communications database (and ensuring all contact details are up to date) is a never-ending job.
3 – If applicable, a ‘prestige factor’ is levied. For example, if we speak on your behalf at a trade event, we may only speak for one hour, but you are benefitting from our extensive industry experience.
Under any of our services you have a credit pool which we preload with foundation credits. Based on our understanding of your requirements, we will recommend how many additional credits you will need to purchase, and we will indicate how they might be used.
About the Credit Pool
All services include a number of foundation credits. With the exception of our Marcoms Accelerator service, you will need to purchase additional credits.
Credits (foundation and additional) are available from the day the service commences. However, you are paying for the additional credits through instalments as part of the monthly fee we charge.
Credits are typically drawn from the pool upon the completion of activities, so the pool is always being depleted.
With the exception of our Marcoms Accelerator service, additional credits can be purchased if needed.
At the end of the service, if you renew the contract (or we engage under a modified one), any left-over credits will carry over.
Example Activities and their Credit Values
Article / Blog Origination
Credit value: 12
Article / Blog Rework
Credit value: 8
Article / Blog Proofread
(incl. minor edits)
Credit value: 2
Case Study Origination
Credit value: 20
White Paper Origination
Credit value: 20
Press Release Origination
Credit value: 8
Press Release Distribution
Credit value: 4
Video Script Origination
Credit value: 15
Presentation Origination
Credit value: 15
Web Page Copy Origination
Credit value: 4
Social Media Post
Credit value: 2
Artwork (Diagrams)
Credit value: 1
Word count limits apply to copy.
From the above examples it’s easy to appreciate the volume of work we could do for you under our Marcoms Accelerator service (with its 60 credits) or under our Media Communications service if you had a pool of, say, 200 credits for use throughout a year. The above also illustrates how we differentiate from originating, reworking or simply proofreading copy.
Please contact us for a list of all our standard activities, their credit values and detailed descriptions of the processes and deliverables.