Design has become an essential part of how modern corporations succeed, helping shape brand identity, customer experience, and overall market positioning. But managing design effectively is more than just hiring a few talented creatives—it requires careful consideration of different approaches based on your needs and resources.
There are several ways a corporation can manage its design, ranging from hiring freelancers and working with agencies to building an internal team or partnering with a design subscription service.
Each option offers unique benefits and challenges, and choosing the right approach depends on the scale of your projects, your budget, and how involved you want to be in the design process.
Here’s a closer look at the various paths you can take when managing design as a corporation.
Hiring Freelancers
Freelancers offer a flexible solution for corporations with fluctuating design needs. If your design projects are infrequent or if you need specific expertise on a temporary basis, freelancers are often the go-to option.
They provide specialized skills—whether it's branding, UX/UI design, or digital content creation—without the long-term commitment that comes with hiring an internal team.
Corporations can find freelancers on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or through personal recommendations. This approach allows companies to tap into a wide range of talent, potentially finding designers with niche skills that are hard to source in-house.
However, freelancers may not always be available when you need them, especially if they have multiple clients. Managing several freelancers at once can also become complicated, as you’ll need to oversee different workflows and ensure consistency across projects.
While it can be cost-effective for occasional needs, relying too heavily on freelancers may lead to inconsistency in your brand’s visual identity over time.
Working with a Design Agency
Partnering with a design agency is an option many corporations choose when they require a more structured and comprehensive approach.
Agencies offer a team of professionals who bring a wealth of experience, helping businesses execute larger-scale projects such as brand overhauls, website redesigns, or multi-channel marketing campaigns.
Agencies often have established processes, which means they can handle everything from initial concept development to final execution. For corporations looking to elevate their brand or take on a long-term project, this option can provide the strategic insight and creative power needed to deliver high-quality results.
However, agencies can be expensive, especially when compared to hiring freelancers or a design subscription service. Additionally, while agencies are usually great at executing complex projects, they might not always be as agile as in-house teams when it comes to quick turnarounds or immediate design revisions.
There's also the challenge of ensuring the agency fully understands your brand’s nuances and values, which can sometimes lead to designs that feel a bit disconnected.
Building an In-House Design Team
For corporations with continuous design needs, building an in-house design team can be an excellent solution. With your own team, you gain full control over the design process and ensure that every project aligns seamlessly with your brand.
Having dedicated designers in-house often results in a more cohesive design identity across all your materials, from digital campaigns to product packaging.
An internal team is also much more responsive, which is ideal for companies needing frequent design updates or revisions. Because your team is solely focused on your business, they’re typically able to understand your brand’s voice and goals more deeply than an external agency or freelancer.
However, managing an internal design team comes with its own set of challenges. It requires a significant investment—not just in terms of salaries but also in tools, infrastructure, and leadership.
And while an in-house team offers deep knowledge of your brand, it may lack the breadth of skills that a larger agency or group of freelancers can provide. Corporations with smaller budgets or more diverse design needs may find it difficult to justify the cost of maintaining a full-time design department.
Subscribing to a Design Subscription Service
A newer option for corporations is to subscribe to a design service that offers unlimited design requests for a flat monthly fee.
This design subscription model can be especially attractive for companies that need a steady flow of design work but don’t want the commitment of hiring a full team or the expense of working with a traditional agency.
Design subscription services give businesses access to professional designers who can handle tasks ranging from social media design services to product mockups. The predictable cost structure is particularly appealing for companies with fluctuating design needs, as it allows for better budget management while still delivering high volumes of creative work.
That said, subscription services may not always offer the personal touch that some businesses crave. Since these services often prioritize efficiency, the work can sometimes feel less tailored to the specific nuances of your brand.
The quality can also vary depending on the service and the team assigned to your account. While the appeal of "unlimited design" is strong, some corporations may find that the limitations on revisions or project complexity aren’t suitable for larger, more strategic initiatives.
Choosing the Right Option for Your Corporation
Ultimately, the best way to manage design in your corporation depends on several factors: the scope of your design needs, your budget, and how much control you want over the creative process.
If your design needs are sporadic or project-specific, freelancers offer a lot of flexibility. They’re great for experimenting with different styles or tackling one-off projects without long-term commitment.
For corporations seeking a more structured and holistic approach, design agencies provide the expertise and resources needed to execute larger, more complex campaigns. Agencies also handle most of the heavy lifting, though this often comes at a premium cost.
If brand consistency and quick turnaround times are essential to your business, building an in-house design team may be the best choice. It’s the most expensive option upfront, but it offers unparalleled control and cohesion in your design efforts.
For growing companies with consistent but varied design needs, subscribing to a design service could strike the perfect balance between affordability and efficiency, though it might not always deliver the personalized touch you’d get with an in-house team or a high-end agency.
Conclusion
In the end, the right solution comes down to how you want to engage with the design process and what your corporation values most in terms of creativity, consistency, and control.
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