Mumbai, June 18: OktoBuzz, the Mumbai-based brand solutions and strategic marketing agency known for its work with brands like Westside, Aldo, Bath and Body Works, Hamleys India, Godrej Locks and Amazon Audible, today announced the launch of ‘The Zero Retainer’, an industry-first initiative challenging the decades-old fixed-retainer model that has long defined agency-client relationships.
In the inaugural edition of ‘The Zero Retainer’, OktoBuzz will select only two Indian e-commerce brands to participate in a unique growth experiment where the agency charges no traditional retainer fee. Instead, OktoBuzz will earn solely through a revenue-share model tied to growth generated across marketplace and e-commerce channels. Under this model, no fixed agency retainer will be charged and brands will continue to own and manage their media spends directly. OktoBuzz will earn a percentage of revenue generated through agreed digital commerce channels and if sales do not grow, OktoBuzz will not earn either.
Speaking on the initiative, Neha Shah Majithia, Co-founder, OktoBuzz, said, “For years, brands have asked agencies to think like partners. Some of them eventually asked us a tougher question: are you willing to get paid like one? That question sparked a lot of conversations inside our team. What we realised was that a growing number of brands weren’t looking for another vendor relationship. They wanted an agency that would take ownership of growth, and share accountability for the outcome. The Zero Retainer (E-commerce Edition) was born from that thinking. It’s a bold model, but a simple one. If we help create growth, we share in the success.”
The initiative reflects OktoBuzz‘s broader philosophy that brands often don’t have a positioning problem; they have a clarity problem and once that clarity is achieved, marketing starts working harder. Recognized among India’s top 14 most effective independent digital agencies on the Effie Index, OktoBuzz has built its reputation on combining strategic thinking, brand-led communication, strong creative and content capability, and digital-first, performance-oriented execution.
OktoBuzz‘s confidence in this model stems from its proven track record of driving e-commerce growth for brands including Hamleys, Vithoba and Godrej Locks, with results achieved through marketplace optimization, performance marketing, creative testing, content enhancement and growth strategy execution.
Deuben Alvares, Lead – E-commerce, OktoBuzz, said, “With proven success driving growth for brands like Hamleys, Vithoba, and Godrej Locks, we know what delivers results in e-commerce and marketplaces. The Zero Retainer model reflects that confidence, eliminating upfront fees and aligning our success directly with our clients’ growth. It’s a performance-first partnership where we share both the risk and the rewards.”
The initiative was launched on June 16, 2026 and the last date to apply for the same is June 21, 2026.