Influencer Marketing Factory vs IMA

Why brands look at these two influencer partners

Many brands reach a point where social media content and ads are not enough. They want real people talking about their products, at scale, in a way that still feels genuine.

That is usually when names like The Influencer Marketing Factory and IMA start to show up in research.

Both are full service influencer marketing agencies, not software tools. Each helps brands find creators, plan campaigns, and track results across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

Yet they are not identical. They differ in the types of clients they attract, how global their reach is, and the way they build creator relationships.

The rest of this page is meant to help you understand where each agency shines, where they may feel limited, and how to choose the right partner for your brand.

Table of Contents

• What each agency is known for
• The Influencer Marketing Factory in more detail
• IMA in more detail
• How these agencies differ day to day
• Pricing approach and engagement style
• Strengths and limitations on both sides
• Who each agency is best suited for
• When a platform like Flinque might be better
• FAQs
• Conclusion: choosing the right fit
• Disclaimer

What each agency is known for

The primary keyword for this page is influencer agency comparison. At a high level, both teams live in the same world, but they built different reputations over time.

The Influencer Marketing Factory is widely associated with TikTok and data driven creator work. It gained visibility by riding early waves on newer platforms.

IMA, often called Influencer Marketing Agency, is usually linked to global lifestyle brands and polished, multi country campaigns with strong creative direction.

When marketers ask about “Factory vs IMA,” they are usually looking for clarity on four things.

• Which agency understands their audience and product category best
• Which team has the right creator network and market coverage
• How hands on they need to be during campaigns
• How flexible budgets and scopes can be over time

The Influencer Marketing Factory in more detail

This agency is a full service partner focused on matching brands with creators who can drive measurable results, not only views.

They often highlight work across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and user generated content. Many brands come to them for help turning short form video into sales or app installs.

Services and support you can expect

The team typically covers the full flow from planning to reporting. That means brands can plug them in as an external influencer department.

• Strategy for channel mix, creator types, and content angles
• Influencer discovery and vetting using data and manual review
• Negotiation of fees, contracts, and content rights
• Creative briefs and content guidelines for creators
• Campaign management and timeline tracking
• Reporting on reach, engagement, and down funnel results

For many performance focused teams, the appeal is the mix of creative work and measurable outcomes.

How they tend to run campaigns

The Factory often leans into testing and iteration. Brands may start with a pilot group of creators, test several hooks, and then scale what works.

Content is usually built to feel native to each platform. Think TikTok style storytelling, quick cuts, and trend aware formats rather than polished TV style ads.

Once results start to show, the agency may help roll winning content into paid social, whitelisting, or creator licensing for use on brand channels.

Creator relationships and roster style

Rather than acting as a traditional talent agency, this team tends to work with a wide pool of creators, selected per campaign, across many niches and audience sizes.

They might combine large, well known creators with micro and nano influencers who bring community driven trust. That helps spread risk and reach.

For brands, this often means more choice, but also more decisions around tone, brand safety, and content volume.

Typical client fit

The Influencer Marketing Factory often appeals to brands that care about performance and tracking, not just brand buzz.

• Consumer apps wanting installs and signups
• Ecommerce brands focused on conversions or product launches
• Brands aiming to jump into TikTok or short form quickly
• Marketing teams comfortable with fast paced content testing

They can also fit larger companies, but much of their public work highlights modern, digital first businesses.

IMA in more detail

IMA is one of the earlier influencer marketing agencies in Europe, often associated with long term partnerships and global brand storytelling.

They have worked with premium and lifestyle brands that care deeply about look and feel, not only short term clicks.

Services and areas of focus

Their offer also covers end to end influencer work, but with a slightly different flavor and emphasis on brand building.

• Influencer strategy tied closely to broader brand plans
• Creator casting aligned with brand identity and visual style
• Creative concepting around seasonal campaigns or launches
• Content production support and coordination when needed
• Event based influencer activations and trips
• Measurement of brand impact and campaign reach

IMA often highlights curated creator selections and strong aesthetic alignment, especially for fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands.

How IMA typically runs campaigns

Execution is often built around clear storylines and long term brand moments. Think seasonal launches, capsule drops, or integrated cross channel pushes.

Creators are selected with heavy attention to fit, not just follower counts. Visual consistency and message coherence matter a lot.

Campaigns can span several markets and languages, with content tailored to each country but still aligned to a global concept.

Creator network and global reach

IMA often leans on a network of creators across Europe and beyond, with strength in lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and travel content.

They commonly work with mid tier and macro influencers, as well as rising talent whose style fits premium and aspirational brands.

That can be helpful for brands looking to show up in the same places as well known global names.

Typical client fit

IMA often resonates with marketing teams who think in seasons, collections, and long term brand equity.

• Fashion labels and luxury brands
• Beauty and skincare companies with strong imagery
• Lifestyle and travel brands focused on inspiration
• Large or growing brands planning multi country efforts

They are usually a match for teams willing to invest in polished storytelling and deeper creative direction.

How these agencies differ day to day

The biggest differences show up in tone, process, and how each side thinks about success.

The Factory tends to lean more into performance, experimentation, and creator driven content formats, especially on TikTok and newer channels.

IMA often leans into brand building, visual consistency, and curated casting across global campaigns, especially for lifestyle categories.

In practice, that means your experience as a client can feel different, even with similar scope on paper.

Approach to strategy and planning

With the Factory, strategy often starts from KPIs like signups, purchases, or app installs, then moves back into content ideas and creator choices.

With IMA, planning may start from your brand story, positioning, and seasonal calendar, then translate that into influencer angles and content themes.

Both can be data aware, but the weight they give to creative storytelling versus direct response can vary.

Scale versus curation

The Factory often runs campaigns with many creators, especially when testing different hooks or audiences, using data to refine over time.

IMA may work with a smaller, more curated set of influencers whose look and feel closely match brand guidelines.

Neither is right or wrong; the question is whether you want breadth and testing, or tighter curation and control.

Client experience and involvement

Brands working with the Factory may see more experiments, more moving parts, and frequent performance updates.

With IMA, the experience may feel closer to working with a creative agency, with moodboards, concepts, and detailed casting decks.

In both cases, you can ask for more or less control. The default flavor, though, tends to feel a bit different.

Pricing approach and engagement style

Neither agency sells simple monthly “plans” the way many software tools do. Costs typically depend on your goals and scope.

Budgets are usually shaped by creator fees, agency management time, content production needs, and whether paid amplification is included.

Brands commonly see two broad ways of working with these teams.

Project based influencer campaigns

You might bring the agency in for a single launch, seasonal push, or clear, time bound initiative. The budget is built around that project.

This can work well if you want to test influencer marketing with a defined spend and goals before committing to longer term work.

Ongoing retainers and long term help

Larger brands often prefer ongoing relationships. In those cases, the agency becomes a regular partner across multiple drops, promotions, or markets.

Costs are typically structured as a mix of retainer for management and separate creator fees for each campaign wave.

Factors that raise or lower total spend include number of markets, influencer tiers, content rights, volume of deliverables, and reporting depth.

Strengths and limitations on both sides

Every agency makes tradeoffs. Understanding these helps you decide if the tradeoffs match your priorities.

Where The Influencer Marketing Factory tends to shine

• Comfortable operating on newer platforms like TikTok
• Strong focus on metrics, testing, and performance insight
• Ability to work with a wide range of creator sizes
• Good fit for app launches and ecommerce pushes

A common concern is whether the fast paced, experimental style might feel messy for brands that want tighter visual control.

Where the Factory may feel less ideal

• Brands wanting extremely strict visual guidelines on every post
• Teams expecting deep involvement in each creator relationship
• Very traditional brands uncomfortable with looser content styles

Where IMA often stands out

• Polished, curated campaigns for lifestyle and fashion brands
• Experience with global, multi country influencer work
• Strong emphasis on creative direction and brand fit
• Good at integrating influencers into larger brand moments

Some marketers worry that a very curated approach might trade away some of the raw, native feel that drives social performance.

Where IMA may feel limiting

• Brands wanting aggressive performance testing and quick pivots
• Smaller teams with limited budgets seeking many small creators
• Products that rely more on utility than aesthetic storytelling

Who each agency is best suited for

You will get the most value when the agency’s default strengths line up with your goals and comfort level.

When The Influencer Marketing Factory may be your best bet

• You sell a consumer app, ecommerce product, or subscription.
• You care about measurable outcomes and are open to testing.
• You want to lean heavily into TikTok, Reels, or YouTube Shorts.
• You are comfortable trusting creators with more flexible content.

This fit is especially strong for growth teams that think in experiments, funnels, and rapid iteration.

When IMA may be the better option

• Your brand lives in fashion, beauty, lifestyle, or travel.
• You want influencers woven into a larger brand story.
• You need multi country coordination and global reach.
• You value curated casting and polished creative direction.

This often suits teams with strong brand guidelines and a focus on long term equity over short term spikes.

When a platform like Flinque might be better

Sometimes you do not need a full service agency at all. You might just need better tools and structure for working with creators directly.

Flinque is an example of a platform based alternative. It is not an agency but a system for brands to run influencer discovery and campaigns in house.

This can make sense if you already have a marketing team, want to manage creator relationships yourself, and prefer to put budget into influencer fees instead of agency retainers.

Platforms like this often appeal to smaller brands, or to larger teams that want long term internal capability rather than relying fully on external partners.

FAQs

How do I choose between these two agencies?

Start with your main goal. If you want performance testing and strong TikTok focus, lean toward the Factory. If you want curated, global brand storytelling, IMA may fit better. Then match their strengths to your budget and internal team capacity.

Can smaller brands work with these agencies?

It depends on your budget and scope. Both can sometimes support smaller brands if there is enough spend for creators and management. If your budget is tight, a platform like Flinque or direct creator deals might be more realistic.

Do these agencies only work with big influencers?

No. Both use a mix of creator sizes. The Factory often leans more into micro and mid tier influencers for testing. IMA may use more mid and macro talent, especially for premium and global campaigns where visibility matters.

How long does it take to see results?

Most campaigns need at least several weeks for casting, briefing, and content approval, plus time for posts to roll out. For performance goals, expect one to three months before you can judge clear trends and decide whether to scale.

Should I hire an agency or build an in house team?

If you need speed, expertise, and existing creator networks, an agency is usually faster. If influencer marketing will be a core, long term channel and you have time to learn, building in house with support from a platform can be more cost effective.

Conclusion: choosing the right fit

Choosing between these influencer partners is less about which agency is “better” and more about which one matches how you like to work.

If you are excited by testing, short form video, and measurable growth, the Factory’s performance oriented style can be powerful.

If you are building a lifestyle or fashion brand with global ambitions, IMA’s curated, story driven campaigns may feel more natural.

Your budget, risk comfort, creative preferences, and internal team size all matter. Map those clearly, then speak with each agency about specific campaigns, not just generic capabilities.

And if you prefer to keep control in house, look at platform options such as Flinque to support a more self directed path into influencer marketing.

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.