HelloSociety vs IMA: Which to Pick in 2026
A defunct New York Times-owned agency against Europe's largest. One shut down years ago and is not a live option, the other is a global powerhouse under S4 Capital. Here is what to know, plus a software option.
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Which one is right for you
Three buyers, three picks. Find the column that sounds like your team.
Consider HelloSociety if
- You are researching its history only
- You found an old reference to check
- You want context on early influencer agencies
Choose IMA if
- You want a large global influencer agency
- You want full-service strategy and execution
- You want S4 Capital and MediaMonks scale
Choose Flinque if
- You want verified creators and fake-follower checks with no sales call
- You want flat published pricing you can start free
- You want to run discovery in-house, not hand it to an agency
HelloSociety vs IMA vs Flinque
Fourteen factors across all three, from agency type to real minimums. Flinque is the flat-price software option on the right.
| Factor | HelloSociety | IMA | Best valueFlinque |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Researchers, historical reference | Brands wanting a global agency | Teams running discovery in-house |
| Agency type | Defunct, New York Times-owned | Europe's largest influencer agency | Self-serve software, not an agency |
| Engagement model | No longer operating | Custom, enterprise scope | Flat monthly subscription |
| Typical minimum | Not available | Undisclosed | Free, then $49/mo |
| Published pricing | No | No | $0 to $150/mo, public |
| Creator network | Historical, not active | Large global creator network | 10M+ verified, 200 data points each |
| Platforms covered | Formerly Pinterest and social | All social platforms, global | Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X |
| Services | Formerly analytics and campaigns | Strategy, creators, content, production | Discovery, vetting and audience data |
| Campaign management | no:shut down | fully managed | You run it, software assists |
| Content and usage rights | Not applicable | Full-service global campaigns | You negotiate directly with creators |
| Paid amplification | Not applicable | Part of S4 Capital and MediaMonks | Run your own whitelisting |
| Measurement and reporting | Former HelloInsights tool | MediaMonks production scale | Audience and fake-follower data built in |
| Team and locations | Santa Monica, founded 2011, closed | Amsterdam, founded 2010, global | Software with support included |
| Time to launch | Not available | After scoping and strategy | Shortlist in minutes on the free plan |
How we compared: Engagement models and minimums come from each agency's own site plus public reporting and client reviews, cross-checked and dated June 2026. Where an agency hides its pricing we say undisclosed rather than guess a number. The verdicts are ours, not the agencies'.
What each agency actually does
What is HelloSociety
HelloSociety reads more as a history lesson than a live option, which is worth knowing before you shortlist it. It launched around 2011 in Santa Monica, founded by Kyla Brennan inside the Science Inc. incubator, beginning life as a Pinterest analytics product named HelloInsights before turning into an influencer marketing agency. Its standout moment came in 2016 when The New York Times Company acquired it, folding it into the paper's brand-marketing operation T Brand Studio to serve advertisers with influencer campaigns. For a few years it ran social and creator programs under that umbrella. But it was wound down and is no longer an active agency you can hire. So while it appears in older roundups and comparison lists, treating it as a current option would be a mistake. Against IMA's live global scale, HelloSociety is a closed chapter.
There is no current pricing because HelloSociety no longer operates as an agency. What you are really evaluating, if its name came up, is whether an old reference led you here, since it cannot run a campaign today. That is the practical takeaway: any shortlist that includes it needs updating. For historical context it is interesting, an early influencer shop notable enough for The New York Times to buy. But interest is not the same as availability. For a brand that needs a live agency, the comparison is moot on HelloSociety's side. If you want a large, global, very much active influencer agency, IMA runs a different play. And Flinque offers software you can start using today.
What HelloSociety does well
- Notable history, bought by The New York Times
- Early mover in influencer marketing
- Useful as context on the field's evolution
- Started as a Pinterest analytics tool
Where it falls short
- No longer operating, cannot be hired
- Appears in outdated roundups
- No current pricing or services
- Not a live option for any campaign
What is IMA
IMA is everything HelloSociety is not: large, global and very much active. Founded in Amsterdam in 2010 by Emilie Tabor and Maddie Raedts, it staked its whole business on influencers and rose to become the largest such agency in Europe, then merged with MediaMonks under the S4 Capital group in 2019. That tie-up matters: it pairs IMA's influencer expertise with MediaMonks's global production scale, so campaigns can run worldwide with serious creative and execution muscle behind them. It is full-service, covering strategy, creator selection, content and production across every social platform, serving major global brands. Where HelloSociety is a closed chapter, IMA is an operating powerhouse with the backing of a publicly listed digital group. Next to HelloSociety's defunct status, IMA is the live global option.
Pricing is custom and unpublished, scoped to enterprise campaigns, so it begins with a conversation. What you are buying is scale plus production: influencer expertise from a European leader, the global creative and production muscle of MediaMonks and the backing of the S4 Capital group. For a brand that wants a large, capable, genuinely active agency, that combination is the draw. The tradeoffs are the enterprise ones. It is built for major brands and global campaigns rather than small budgets, with no self-serve tier. The holding-group scale is also heavier than a single small activation needs. But unlike HelloSociety, it is a real, current choice. For a brand that wants to run discovery itself rather than hire an agency, Flinque is the other route.
What IMA does well
- Europe's largest influencer agency
- Backed by S4 Capital and MediaMonks
- Global production and creative scale
- Full-service across every platform
Where it falls short
- Built for major brands and global campaigns
- No self-serve tier, fully managed
- Holding-group scale, heavy for small budgets
- Custom enterprise pricing, undisclosed
Head to head
The split here is simple: one of these is not a live option. HelloSociety was an early influencer agency notable enough for The New York Times to buy. But it has been wound down and cannot be hired. IMA is Europe's largest influencer agency, active and global, backed by S4 Capital and MediaMonks. One is history. The other is an operating powerhouse.
If HelloSociety came up on a list, treat it as outdated and look at live options. Neither of these is the do-it-yourself discovery middle: 10M verified creators across four platforms with a fake-follower score on each, at one published price, where you pick the creators yourself.
Which should you actually pick
Forget the pitch decks for a second. Match the partner to the situation you are in.
You need a live global agency
HelloSociety is defunct, so for a large, active, full-service agency with global production scale, IMA is the choice.
→ Pick IMAYou found an old HelloSociety reference
Treat it as outdated. HelloSociety no longer operates, so any shortlist including it needs updating to live options.
→ Note it is defunctYou want to run discovery in-house
No retainer, no scoping call. You want to search 10M verified creators across four platforms with a fake-follower check on each. Start free on Flinque and upgrade at $49 only if you keep using it.
→ Pick FlinqueYou want verified creators without a retainer
IMA runs enterprise campaigns and quotes custom. Flinque's free plan lets you find and vet verified creators with no card, then scales at a flat $49 a month.
→ Start with FlinqueFlinque: verified discovery at a flat price
If both feel like too much retainer and too little control, Flinque does one job and does it well. Find and vet real creators yourself, fast, then run the campaign in-house. No pitch deck, no monthly retainer, no discovery call to learn the price.
- 10M+ verified creators
- 4 platforms: IG, YouTube, TikTok, X
- 200 data points per creator
- 12 search filters
- Fake-follower check on every profile
- Free, $49, $150, published
See Flinque in action
Short walkthroughs on pricing, discovery and vetting from the Flinque team.
What Are Influencer Networks? Why Most Brands Pick the Wrong Creators
Influencer Discovery Platforms That We Made Easy and Affordable
Common questions about HelloSociety and IMA
What is the main difference between HelloSociety and IMA?
Is HelloSociety still operating?
Which should I pick, HelloSociety or IMA?
What happened to HelloSociety?
What makes IMA notable?
How does each find creators?
Is IMA built for small brands?
Is there a software alternative to both agencies?
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