Caution

Approval Authority Undefined

Any brand representative can require revisions, undefined approver means undefined delivery endpoint.

Show it
Look in the approvals, deliverables, or acceptance section for phrases like "subject to brand approval", "any representative of the brand", "the brand or its designees", "approval by any brand personnel", or "in the brand's sole discretion".
Decode it
Undefined approver authority means any number of brand employees, contractors, or affiliates can require revisions or block delivery. Multiple reviewers introduce conflicting feedback; each new round of revisions extends your delivery and (if payment is tied to acceptance) holds up payment. There is no clear point at which the work is final.
Fix it
Push for: a named approver (specific individual or title); a named escalation contact; an approval response window (5-10 business days) with deemed-approval if the brand misses it; a cap on revision rounds; and payment tied to delivery rather than acceptance.

What it means

This contract gives the brand approval rights over your work but does not say who within the brand has that authority. In practice, this means any brand employee or contractor can raise objections, request changes, or block delivery, without you having a named decision-maker to escalate to.

Undefined approver authority is one of the most common reasons creator engagements run long and over budget. Multiple reviewers introduce conflicting feedback. Each round of revisions extends the delivery timeline and, if payment is tied to "acceptance", holds up payment. There is no clear point at which approval has been granted and the work is final.

What to check before you sign

  • ·Who specifically has approval authority, a named person, a defined title, or anyone?
  • ·Is there an escalation procedure if reviewers disagree?
  • ·Are revision rounds capped?
  • ·Is a response window defined for approval decisions?
  • ·Is payment tied to approval rather than delivery?

How to fix it

  • easy

    Specify the approver by name or by title (e.g., "the Brand's Marketing Director or their named delegate").

  • moderate

    Set out a primary approver and a named escalation contact, with timeframes for each stage.

  • moderate

    Cap revision rounds at a defined number (commonly two rounds plus a final), with additional rounds at agreed hourly or per-round rate.

  • easy

    Add an approval response window (commonly 5-10 business days); deemed- approval kicks in if the brand does not respond within the window.

Negotiating it

A good opening

"Could we name the approver (or specify by title) and add a 5-business- day approval response window? It helps keep the brand's review process organised and gives me a clear delivery timeline. "

When to walk away

Undefined approval authority combined with no response window, unlimited revisions, subjective approval standards, and payment tied to acceptance, creates a delivery structure where the creator's obligations are open- ended and payment can be held indefinitely. Strong walk- away signal, particularly where the fee is modest.

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Educational guidance, not legal advice. For high-value or complex deals, consult a qualified solicitor.