Fractional CMO vs. Agency Retainer: Which Actually Moves the Needle for DTC Brands?
The Landscape
If you’re a creative founder, there’s no shortage of marketing support: niche agencies, full-service studios, and a newer model—fractional leadership. The problem? The more choice, the harder it becomes to decide what actually drives growth. This article unpacks the commercial trade-offs so you can brief smarter and invest better.
Understanding the Models
Specialist agencies typically focus on one channel, like paid social or email. You might pay between £4k and £12k a month, depending on the scope and team seniority. They’re fast to launch, especially if your ad strategy is already proven.
Full-service agencies offer multi-channel support, paid, organic, creative, and more. Retainers often land between £12k and £25k+ per month, depending on the team makeup and your growth goals. They can feel like an outsourced marketing department, but strategic depth varies.
Fractional CMOs or Commercial Directors, by contrast, plug directly into your team for 1–3 days a week. Fees typically range from £4k to £8k a month depending on scope. They work across functions—marketing, trading, team planning, pricing, investor prep, and focus on high-leverage commercial outcomes.
Let’s Talk Numbers
At first glance, hiring a paid-social agency at £8k a month looks similar to retaining a fractional CMO at £1,200 per day for six days a month, £96k versus £86k annually. But what you’re paying for is entirely different.
With agencies, you’re buying output: campaigns, copy, and reports.
With a fractional leader, you’re buying outcomes: better revenue performance, internal capability building, and clearer decision-making.
When an Agency Makes Sense
You need deep focus on one channel, like Meta or TikTok Ads.
You’re launching a new range and need to test dozens of creatives fast.
You already have an in-house strategist or head of growth.
Agencies thrive when the direction is already clear, and execution is the priority.
When Fractional Leadership Delivers More
You’re navigating multiple sales channels (DTC, wholesale, pop-ups, marketplaces).
You want your internal team to be trained, not just handed tasks.
You need commercial leadership, not just comms support.
One example: a £2.2m wellness brand brought in Strut as a fractional Commercial Director for six months. Total investment, including our fees, was £54k. That work unlocked £184k in new gross profit, an ROI of approximately 240%.
Hidden Variables Founders Overlook
Data Ownership: Agencies often control the ad accounts. Always secure admin rights.
Comms Overload: Agencies run on Slack and fast turnarounds, which can drain founder focus.
Culture Fit: Fractional leaders embed in your rhythms. Agencies orbit. Ask yourself which you prefer.
How to Decide
Start by defining the single metric that matters most, contribution margin, ROAS, net new customers, etc.
Consider how each model scores across key areas: Impact, Speed to ROI, Founder involvement, and Team morale.
Add a 10% emotional bias buffer to the option you’re most drawn to—then test if it still holds up on paper.
Thinking About a Shift?
If you’re curious whether fractional support could complement, or even replace your agency stack, we offer a model-agnostic starting point.
Our 3-Month Consultancy begins with a strategic audit. If your current agency model is genuinely the best fit, we’ll confirm it. But if there’s a smarter path, we’ll build that with you.
Book a 20-minute discovery call to sense-check your next move.