For brands
Keep investing in growth when cash alone is not enough
Consumers are harder to win. Household budgets are stretched, confidence is fragile and every pound has to work harder.
For brands, that creates a difficult tension. You still need to stay visible, build demand and protect market share, but cash budgets are under pressure and every investment is being questioned.
Active International helps brands unlock value already sitting inside their business and use it to fund media, digital activity, content, travel, events and wider growth opportunities.
Talk to us about your business challenge
Pay differently. Remove barriers. Grow smarter.
We are a growth solutions partner rooted in Corporate Trade: a structured, audited value exchange that helps brands turn underused commercial value into practical business growth.
The challenge for brands
Pulling back from marketing may feel like the safe option. It rarely is. Brands still need to stay visible, create demand and defend share, even when budgets are under pressure.
Corporate Trade gives brands another way to fund the activity they need, using value they may already have.
It can help reduce reliance on cash budget, protect planned investment and create more flexibility around how growth is funded.
You may already have value you can use
Many businesses are sitting on value that is not being fully used. That value might be product, services, stock, travel, gift cards, media value, content value, future commercial commitments or other assets already inside the business.
Active helps turn that value into something useful: media, digital activity, content, production, travel, events, rewards, operational support and wider growth opportunities.
What Corporate Trade means now
Corporate Trade started with media barter: using business assets, often surplus stock, to help fund media.
That heritage still matters, but the model has moved on. Today, Corporate Trade is broader, more flexible and more commercially useful.
It can work across products, services, inventory, travel, content, media value and other business assets. The outcome is a structured value exchange built around a clear commercial goal.
Learn more about Corporate Trade
How the model works
Active connects the different partners needed to make the model work. Value moves across the market, not just between two parties, so each side gets a clear commercial benefit.
For brands
A way to use underused value to fund media, digital, content, travel, events, rewards or other growth needs.
For agencies
A way to protect plans, support activity and help clients unlock more value from the business.
For media owners
A way to access incremental demand and use value in the relationship to support practical business costs.
What value can be used?
More than most people expect.
›Consumer products and surplus stock
›Services and commercial assets
›Travel inventory, including flights, hotels and packages
›Retail gift cards
›Energy and utilities
›Technology and services
›Media inventory
›Content and production value
›Cross-market commercial arrangements
What can it unlock?
Far more than a media buy.
›Media campaigns
›Digital and programmatic activity
›Content and production
›Business travel and accommodation
›Meetings, events and hospitality
›Staff incentives and rewards
›Operational cost savings
›New market support
›Wider commercial growth opportunities
What Active brings together
We are rooted in Corporate Trade, but we bring together a wider set of capabilities to help brands solve commercial challenges and keep moving.
01
Corporate Trade
Structured value exchanges across brands, agencies and media owners.
02
Media and Digital
Media and programmatic capability designed to support the trade model.
03
Content
Ways to fund and produce content through structured value.
04
Business Services
Travel, events, accommodation and rewards that turn asset value into practical outcomes.
05
Commercial Tools
Credit insurance, capital investment, guaranteed ROI models and global support where relevant.
Why brands can trust the model
Corporate Trade works best when the value is clear, the structure is transparent and every party understands the commercial benefit.
We are independently audited by Deloitte every year and operates in full compliance with industry standards.
The media plan still comes first. Corporate Trade supports how the plan is funded and structured.
We make margin through the commercial structure we create. The model only works when value is created for every party involved, so our interests are aligned with yours.
Common questions about Corporate Trade for brands
Is Corporate Trade just media barter?
Media barter is where the model began. Corporate Trade today is broader, more structured and more useful. It can support media, content, digital activity, travel, events, operational costs and wider growth needs.
Do we need surplus stock?
No. Surplus stock can be part of the model, but it is not the only form of value we can work with. Value can also come from products, services, inventory, travel, future commitments, media value, content and other commercial assets.
Does Corporate Trade affect the media plan?
No. Your plan should still be led by audience, channel and performance objectives. Corporate Trade supports how the plan is funded and structured.
Is Corporate Trade only about media?
No. Media is central, but the model can also support content, travel, events, rewards, operational costs and wider growth opportunities.
Is it complicated?
The structure can be sophisticated behind the scenes, but it should not feel complicated for you. We manage the value exchange and guide the process.
Want to see what this could unlock for your business?
We will walk you through a real example built around your challenge, your assets and your growth goals. No jargon. No commitment. Just a straight commercial conversation.
Talk to Active
