Operations
Part of Running video marketing agencies operations without the guesswork
A quality checklist for video marketing agencies keeps delivery honest
A working checklist for judging video marketing agencies, covering creative sign-off, accessibility, staff conduct and a scoring rubric for pre-award checks.
What to take away
- Decide first whether you are scoring a shortlist or auditing a supplier already on retainer, because the evidence you need differs.
- Score each agency against fixed criteria and keep the arithmetic visible, so two reviewers reach the same ranking from the same notes.
- Ask for named owners on creative sign-off, accessibility and staff conduct, not a generic account team.
- Treat the checklist as a living record you revisit at each campaign gate, not a one-off form filed at pitch stage.
- Escalate any supplier that cannot show a written process for client feedback, version control or inclusive design.
Set the scope before you score
A checklist only works if you know what it is judging. Decide whether it covers a single campaign or the whole relationship, because that changes how much evidence you request and how long scoring takes.
Scope the checklist first
What is being judged?
Single campaign: less evidence, faster scoring
Whole relationship: more evidence, longer scoring
The wider operating context sits in our video marketing agencies operations and delivery guide, which sets out the workflow stages a checklist should map against.
Creative and brand control
Ask who approves the first cut and who can send it back. A supplier without a named approver will drift towards whoever replies fastest.
Creative and brand control
- Named approver for the first cut
- Written revision limits inside the fee
- Terms for unused footage and project files
- Terms for brand assets at contract end
- ASA pre-clearance before paid distribution
Check how many revision rounds sit inside the fee. Confirm what happens to unused footage, project files and brand assets when the contract ends.
Before any paid distribution, consider pre-clearance. The ASA Copy Advice service reviews non-broadcast creative against the CAP Code, which helps when a campaign carries claims about price or performance.
Accessibility and inclusive design
Captions, contrast and audio description should be specified at brief stage, not retrofitted. Ask the agency to show a recent example where they were built in from the start.
BSI publishes guidance on inclusive design in BS 7000-6, a sensible reference point when you write accessibility requirements into a statement of work.
Staff conduct and escalation
Production work is people-heavy, and freelance crews move between suppliers. Ask how the agency handles a complaint about a crew member on set.
Acas explains the statutory position on disciplinary and grievance procedures, the baseline any supplier should describe in plain terms. If a supplier cannot explain its escalation route in two minutes, record that as a finding.
Evidence to request
Keep the request narrow. A short list of documents tells you more than a portal full of undated case studies.
- Version history for the last three projects, showing who changed what.
- Caption and subtitle files supplied alongside the master export.
- Named contacts for creative approval, accessibility and conduct issues.
- A worked example of a missed deadline and what changed afterwards.
- Confirmation of how client feedback is logged and closed out.
Requesting launch-related evidence is separate from this exercise, and our video marketing agencies launch review in England covers the England-specific checks worth running alongside it.
Scoring rubric
Score each line from 0 to 3, where 0 means no evidence, 1 means a verbal assurance, 2 means a documented process and 3 means a documented process with a recent example. Multiply by the weight to get the line score.
| Criterion | Weight | What good looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Creative sign-off | 3 | Named approver, written revision limits, version log |
| Accessibility | 3 | Captions and contrast specified at brief stage |
| Asset ownership | 2 | Clear terms for footage, files and brand assets |
| Staff conduct | 2 | Written escalation route, aligned to Acas guidance |
| Feedback handling | 2 | Logged comments with owners and closure dates |
| Measurement | 2 | Reporting tied to the original objectives |
| Commercial clarity | 1 | Fee structure explained without hidden extras |
Total the weighted scores and compare. For example, a supplier scoring 2 on every line reaches 30 out of a possible 45, which flags gaps rather than failure. Set your own pass mark before scoring begins.
Common questions
How often should the checklist be repeated?
Run the full version at pitch stage and a shortened version at each campaign gate. Repeating it annually keeps the evidence current rather than relying on an old pitch deck.
Who should complete the scoring?
Use at least two reviewers, ideally one from marketing and one from procurement or legal. Score independently first, then compare notes, because a single reviewer tends to reward presentation over process.
What if an agency refuses to share process documents?
Record it as a zero rather than negotiating. A supplier unwilling to show version control or accessibility files before award is unlikely to produce them later.
Does a high score guarantee good work?
No. The rubric measures process, not taste, so keep creative judgement separate from the operational assessment.
