A Blackburn design agency is challenging the sector to demonstrate better value during the recession by publishing indicative prices for design work and declaring their margins on bought in services such as print.

Jon Greenwood, Creative Director of Fluid Creative believes that the "cloak and dagger" pricing practices endemic in the industry must be challenged. "Clients should be able to make a judgement on whether they are getting value from their agency and whether pricing is fair, consistent and commensurate with the design input and effort put in by the agency. Too often there is a "finger in the air" approach and clients are short changed."

Bought in services such as print should also be subject to greater transparency, says Greenwood. "We recently uncovered instances where agencies are buying in print and marking it up by up to 100 per cent on its way to the client. How can that represent good value? These practices need to be challenged."

Fluid has committed to publishing indicative prices for all standard items and providing quotations in advance for all non-standard projects. "It's about trust" says Greenwood, "and there are too many agencies abusing that trust in difficult times."