Knowledge & Practice · Brand Deals
What is a brand deal really worth?
A €1,500 deal can be commercially better than a €5,000 one – depending on what you have to deliver and give up for it.
Because a brand deal isn't just “a post”.
It can consist of content, reach, usage rights, exclusivity, duration, revisions and several deliverables.
If you only look at the number in the offer, you may only be seeing part of the deal.
What affects the value
- Content effort
- Photo, story, reel or an elaborate production?
- Reach & community
- Who do you actually reach?
- Brand fit
- How credibly does the product fit?
- Usage rights
- Can the brand reuse your content itself?
- Exclusivity
- Which other deals are ruled out?
- Duration
- A one-off post or a partnership over several months?
- Negotiation
- The first offer isn't automatically the final terms.
Example
A sports brand wants:
- 1 Instagram reel
- 3 story sequences
- three months' advertising use of the reel
- eight weeks with no direct competitors
Commercially, the brand then isn't just paying for:
one reel
but potentially for:
production + reach + stories + advertising use + exclusivity.
Why usage rights matter so much
If a video also runs as the brand's paid advertising after you've posted it, your content keeps working.
The company gets additional commercial benefit.
So it should be clear in advance:
- where,
- for how long,
- on which platforms,
- organic or paid,
- with or without editing.
Exclusivity: what are you no longer allowed to do?
A contract might specify, for example:
no advertising for other sports drinks for two months.
Then you should know:
- Which brands count as competitors?
- Does it apply only to Instagram?
- TikTok as well?
- Paid advertising only, or any mention?
- When does the period start?
The broader the restriction, the bigger its commercial impact can be.
A good deal isn't just a high price
A high fee can still be unattractive if:
- the rights are practically unlimited,
- the exclusivity goes too far,
- lots of revision rounds are expected,
- payment terms are extremely long,
- the deliverables stay vague.
A lower fee, on the other hand, can make sense if:
- the brand is a perfect fit,
- the effort is small,
- the rights are limited,
- a long-term partnership is realistic.
Clarify before you say yes
- What do I have to deliver?
- By when?
- Where will it be published?
- What else can the brand use?
- For how long?
- Will there be paid ads?
- Is there exclusivity?
- How many changes?
- When will I be paid?
- What happens if it's postponed or cancelled?
In short
The value of a brand deal isn't only in reach and content.
It's also in:
Rights. Duration. Exclusivity. Effort. Terms.
A good deal is one where both sides know what they're getting – and what it's worth.
Already have an offer?
Let's look together at what's really in it.
Assess my deal