Category exclusivity: how much to charge and how to limit it

What exclusivity is (and is not)

Exclusivity means you cannot work with another brand in the same category for a period. It does not mean the brand buys you exclusively, nor that you can stop posting organic content. The clause must define the category, the specific brands, the territory, the channels and the duration. Without those five pieces of information, it is an open promise.

Category exclusivity is also not the same as brand exclusivity. The first stops you working with any competitor; the second only with one specific brand. The first is worth more because it closes more doors. If the brand asks for 'no working with the competition', ask which exact competitors and in which markets.

The real cost of saying no

Before accepting, do the maths: how many campaigns in that category do you close per quarter and at what average price? If you close two campaigns at USD 800 each and exclusivity lasts 90 days, the opportunity cost is up to USD 1,600. The exclusivity premium has to cover that loss and leave margin for uncertainty.

Also count the cost of saying no to brands that are not direct competitors but that the clause includes through a broad definition. A category like 'wellness' can cover supplements, sportswear, meditation apps and food: if the brand does not want competitors, let it narrow the list.

How to price it

For exclusivity of 30–60 days limited to a specific category and one channel, ask 30–50% of the base fee. For 90 days or two channels, 50–80%. For six months or a broad category, 100% or more: you are reserving a significant part of your calendar and turning down other proposals.

If the brand wants automatic renewal, the premium is paid for each period. If it wants worldwide exclusivity, add a surcharge on the territorial base. If it includes paid media or whitelisting, those are separate lines: exclusivity does not cover the use of your image in ads.

• 30–60 days, one category, one channel: +30% to +50%.
• 90 days or two channels: +50% to +80%.
• 6–12 months or broad category: +100% or more.
• Automatic renewal: paid per period, not once.

How to limit it

Narrow the category with a list of brands or products, not with a generic word. Limit the territory to the markets where the brand actually operates. Limit the channels: 'Instagram and TikTok only', not 'all networks'. And set an end date with explicit renewal.

You can add carve-outs: allow collaborations with brands that do not compete directly, or reserve the right to accept campaigns from another category even if the brand belongs to the same group. You can also offer right of first refusal: the brand has priority to renew, but if it does not exercise it, you are free.

Clauses that must accompany it

Exclusivity needs clear consideration: amount, payment dates and what happens if the brand does not publish or cancels. If the campaign collapses, exclusivity should not keep blocking you without compensation. Add that the clause lapses if the brand fails to pay or if the project is cancelled.

Also include the scope of exclusivity against third parties: if the brand has agencies or partners, the clause cannot extend to its whole group without a price. And put in writing that organic content and collaborations already committed before signature are excluded.

The premium is calculated, not improvised

Start from the fee and the calendar. If you close two campaigns of USD 800 per quarter in that category, a 90-day exclusivity costs you up to 1,600. A 30% premium on 800 is 240: it does not cover the gap. Showing that maths changes the conversation, because the brand sees you are quantifying rather than inflating.

If their budget does not stretch, the natural alternative is a 30-day window or a narrower category, not a lower premium. The restriction is negotiated in size and time, which is where it makes sense.

• Opportunity cost = lost campaigns × fee.
• Shorter window before a wider category.
• Category defined by brands, not 'the sector'.

Group and agency exclusivity

A brand with several product lines may ask for exclusivity 'across the group', which can include categories that do not even compete. Ask for the list of brands and products, and charge for each additional category you are blocked from.

With agencies, the clause is usually drafted in favour of all their clients. Accept it as written and you are blocking an entire sector for the price of one campaign. Limit it to the specific brand and put in writing that the agency cannot extend it.

• List of brands and products, closed.
• One premium per blocked category.
• The agency does not extend the clause to other clients.

Exclusivity with no signed contract

If the brand asks for exclusivity but there is no contract, reply in writing that the category hold starts on the day of payment and not before. Without that sentence, a verbal promise can block your sector for free for weeks.