August United vs Glean

Why brands compare influencer marketing partners

When you’re ready to invest real money into creator campaigns, choosing the right influencer partner can feel overwhelming. Two names that often surface in research are August United and Glean, each promising to connect brands with the right voices online.

Most marketers want simple clarity. You’re trying to understand who will actually move the needle, who fits your budget, and who will be easiest to work with day to day.

This page focuses on the primary keyword phrase influencer agency comparison and walks through how these two firms typically operate, where they shine, and where they may not fit every brand.

What these agencies are known for

Both agencies are full service influencer partners, not software tools. They help brands plan and run creator campaigns from outreach through reporting, usually handling most of the day to day work with creators.

They are often considered alongside other well known firms like Mediakix, Carusele, Viral Nation, and Obviously, especially by consumer brands looking to grow social reach and sales.

Here is the general reputation each has built based on public online information and industry chatter.

What August United is typically known for

This Phoenix based agency is commonly associated with lifestyle and consumer brands looking for larger, story driven creator programs. They often lean into campaign concepts that feel like brand partnerships rather than one off sponsored posts.

Their reputation tends to focus on strategy, creative direction, and coordinating multi creator campaigns across channels like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

What Glean is typically known for

Glean is often mentioned in conversations about influencer marketing where brands want more nimble, performance minded campaigns. Public references suggest a focus on measurable outcomes and closer attention to performance data.

They are usually positioned as an influencer specialist rather than a broad full service ad agency with influencer as one of many offerings.

August United overview

To understand whether this agency fits your needs, it helps to break down what they do, how they run campaigns, and what kinds of brands tend to hire them.

Services and offerings

Publicly available information indicates that this agency typically offers end to end influencer support, including services such as:

• Influencer strategy and campaign planning
• Creator sourcing and vetting
• Contracting and content approvals
• Campaign management and communication
• Reporting on reach, engagement, and key outcomes

They are often part of a broader integrated marketing picture, complementing paid media, content, and social channel management.

Approach to campaigns

Their work is often described using language like “movement” or “community,” which usually signals a focus on brand storytelling, not just one time sales pushes. Expect thoughtful campaign frameworks and themed creator collaborations.

Content typically lives across multiple platforms. This style can work well for brands building awareness and emotional connection, especially in lifestyle, food, and consumer goods.

Relationships with creators

Influencer marketing agencies at this scale usually maintain curated pools of creators they know and trust, plus the ability to scout new voices for each brief. Relationships matter because they speed up casting and improve content quality.

Creators working with story focused agencies often appreciate clear creative direction, detailed briefs, and opportunities for longer term partnerships.

Typical client fit

From public case studies and industry coverage, the agency typically appeals to:

• Mid market and enterprise consumer brands
• Companies ready to fund larger, multi creator campaigns
• Marketing teams that value strong creative concepts
• Brands comfortable with campaign cycles that run for several months

If you are early stage or heavily focused on short term direct response, this style may feel heavy or more than you need.

Glean overview

Glean is often discussed as a newer generation influencer partner, with a greater emphasis on performance metrics and nimble execution compared with more traditional agencies.

Services and offerings

Like most influencer focused firms, Glean generally offers similar core services, with a tilt toward measurable outcomes. Typical elements include:

• Influencer discovery and outreach
• Negotiation, contracts, and guidelines
• Content coordination and approvals
• Campaign tracking and optimization
• Post campaign reports focused on key metrics

The messaging around results and measurable returns often appeals to growth oriented teams and performance marketers.

Approach to campaigns

Where brand storytelling agencies sometimes build large, thematic activations, Glean appears more tuned to testing, learning, and iterating with creators. Think smaller cohorts, clearer performance goals, and faster adjustments.

They may recommend a mix of macro and micro creators, with attention to engagement rates, audience makeup, and cost efficiency.

Relationships with creators

Performance leaning influencer partners still rely on strong relationships. However, they are often more willing to rotate creators based on metrics, trying new partners if results do not meet expectations.

This can be helpful when you want to discover new voices and double down on the ones that deliver real business outcomes.

Typical client fit

Based on public positioning, Glean tends to resonate with:

• Brands focused on measurable outcomes like leads or sales
• Marketing teams comfortable with testing and optimization
• Companies that want more nimble campaigns, not big tentpole moments
• Firms interested in closer tracking and regular performance updates

For heavily image driven, prestige brands, a pure performance focus can sometimes feel too tactical if not balanced with creative vision.

How the two agencies differ

Even though both are influencer marketing agencies, they are not identical. Understanding the differences helps you avoid mismatched expectations and frustrating conversations with sales teams.

Campaign style and creative direction

One agency tends to emphasize brand storytelling and bigger campaign ideas, while the other often leans toward performance and measurable tests. Neither approach is “better”; they simply serve different priorities.

If your leadership asks for bold brand moments, you may prefer a more creative led partner. If they ask for clear return on spend, you may lean performance.

Scale and scope of programs

Story heavy activations often mean larger creator rosters, more content formats, and longer run times. This can be ideal for seasonal pushes or product launches where you want cultural visibility.

Performance oriented programs may start smaller, focus on a manageable group of creators, and scale only when results are proven.

Client experience and communication

Brand led influencer firms usually include robust creative presentations, mood boards, and detailed content frameworks. Meetings may involve multiple team members and cross channel discussions.

Performance leaning partners often prioritize frequent reporting, dashboards or data summaries, and practical recommendations about what to tweak next.

Pricing and engagement style

Influencer agencies rarely publish simple price lists, because costs change based on scope, creators, and timelines. Still, their overall style of pricing does follow some patterns.

How agencies like August United typically price

Story focused influencer partners often build custom quotes around campaign concepts. Pricing can include:

• Strategic and creative development fees
• Project management and coordination costs
• Influencer fees and production budgets
• Reporting and post campaign insights

Some brands engage via campaign based projects, others via retainers if they run influencer work year round.

How agencies like Glean typically price

Performance leaning specialists often structure pricing to make experimentation easier. That may include:

• Minimum campaign budgets
• Management or service fees
• Creator costs tied to deliverables
• Optional paid amplification costs

Retainers may exist for ongoing programs, but shorter test campaigns are also common, especially for new clients.

Factors that influence cost for both

Regardless of which firm you pick, similar variables drive total spend:

• Number and size of creators involved
• Platforms used and content formats
• Usage rights and length of content licensing
• Geographic reach and language needs
• How quickly you need to launch

Keeping your brief focused and realistic is one of the best ways to control overall costs.

Strengths and limitations

No influencer partner is perfect. Each has strong fits and natural limits, many of which come from the same traits that make them attractive.

Where a brand storytelling agency shines

• Creating memorable, on brand narratives across many creators
• Managing complex, multi channel campaigns
• Working smoothly with internal brand and creative teams
• Supporting broader brand building, not just immediate sales

A common concern is that this style can feel slow or expensive for marketers chasing fast performance wins.

Where a performance focused agency shines

• Testing many creators and content styles more quickly
• Optimizing around concrete metrics and targets
• Helping brands understand what truly drives results
• Making it easier to justify spend to finance teams

The tradeoff can be fewer big “brand moment” campaigns, and sometimes content that feels more transactional if creative quality is not prioritized.

Limitations to keep in mind for both

• They may not be ideal for very small budgets or early experiments.
• Both require time from your team for reviews and approvals.
• Creator performance is never guaranteed, even with careful vetting.
• Long contracts can feel restrictive if your strategy changes quickly.

Who each agency is best for

Thinking about real world situations often makes the choice clearer. Here is where each style of agency typically fits best.

Best fit scenarios for a brand storytelling partner

• Established brands launching new products nationwide
• Companies planning seasonal moments like back to school or holidays
• Brands wanting co created content they can repurpose in paid ads
• Teams focused on long term brand lift and loyalty

Examples might include consumer packaged goods, national restaurant chains, or lifestyle retailers wanting wide cultural visibility.

Best fit scenarios for a performance leaning partner

• Ecommerce brands needing trackable sales impact
• Apps and subscriptions measuring installs or sign ups
• Direct to consumer brands already strong on paid social
• Marketers comfortable making decisions based on data

This can also work for B2B or niche categories that benefit from specialist creators and deeper educational content.

When a platform like Flinque makes more sense

Full service agencies are not the only option. Some brands prefer platform based tools that bring influencer discovery and campaign management in house.

Flinque, for example, is positioned as a platform alternative rather than an agency. It aims to help marketing teams find creators, manage outreach, and coordinate campaigns without paying large ongoing service retainers.

Situations where a platform may be better include:

• Smaller budgets where agency fees eat up too much media spend
• In house teams who enjoy hands on creator relationships
• Brands running many small, always on creator programs
• Marketers who want to own data and creator lists long term

The tradeoff is that you do more of the work yourself. For some teams this is a benefit; for overstretched teams, it can be a challenge.

FAQs

How do I choose between these two influencer agencies?

Start with your main goal. If you want big creative campaigns and long term brand lift, lean toward a storytelling focused partner. If you need measurable sales or leads and prefer frequent optimization, a performance leaning agency is often a better match.

What budget do I need for a full service influencer agency?

Budgets vary widely, but true full service influencer partners generally make the most sense once you can commit at least a meaningful five figure campaign budget, plus room for creator fees and testing. Very small budgets are usually better suited to platforms or direct outreach.

Can I test influencer marketing before signing a long contract?

Many agencies will support pilot campaigns or limited scopes before committing to longer retainers. When talking with sales teams, ask specifically for a test program, clear success metrics, and how the engagement would scale if the pilot performs well.

Should I use both an agency and an influencer platform?

Some brands combine both. Agencies may handle major launches or complex campaigns, while internal teams use a platform for always on seeding and smaller creator relationships. The right mix depends on internal capacity, budget, and how central influencer is to your strategy.

What should I prepare before reaching out to any influencer agency?

Clarify your goals, target audience, key products, rough budget range, and timelines. Pull recent performance data from your social and paid channels. Having a solid brief helps agencies respond with realistic ideas, clearer pricing, and honest feedback on fit.

Conclusion

Your ideal influencer partner depends less on agency names and more on what you truly need. Creative led firms often shine for big, narrative campaigns, while performance oriented partners support faster testing and measurable outcomes.

Look at your goals, appetite for risk, internal bandwidth, and budget flexibility. Shortlist a few agencies, ask direct questions about fit, and request case studies that match your industry and objectives. If you prefer to stay lean, consider testing a platform first.

Disclaimer

All information on this page is collected from publicly available sources, third party search engines, AI powered tools and general online research. We do not claim ownership of any external data and accuracy may vary. This content is for informational purposes only.