Why brands weigh up different influencer agencies
When growing with influencers feels urgent, choosing the right partner can make or break your results. Many brands end up comparing NewGen with INF because both claim to turn creators into sales, yet they feel very different in style and focus.
You are likely looking for clarity on who really understands your audience, protects your budget, and makes your team’s life easier.
Table of Contents
- What performance focused influencer marketing means
- What each agency is known for
- NewGen style and services
- INF style and services
- How the two agencies really differ
- Pricing approach and how work usually runs
- Strengths and limitations to keep in mind
- Who each agency is best for
- When a platform like Flinque makes more sense
- FAQs
- Conclusion: deciding where to place your bet
- Disclaimer
What performance focused influencer marketing means
The primary theme here is performance focused influencer marketing. In simple terms, this is influencer work built around real business outcomes: sales, leads, app installs, or repeat purchases, not just likes and impressions.
Both agencies lean toward this outcome driven style but express it in different ways, from creator selection to reporting and long term brand partnerships.
What each agency is known for
Both shops sit in the influencer marketing world, but they do not serve brands in identical ways. Think of them as two routes to similar goals, with different strengths in audiences, campaign style, and client support.
Most brand teams come to this choice with three key questions in mind about these partners.
- Who actually understands my niche and audience?
- Which team will protect my time and budget best?
- Who can scale with me if we double or triple spend?
Before diving into details, it helps to zoom out on what each side tends to be recognized for in public conversations and case studies.
NewGen style and services
NewGen is typically seen as a younger, creator driven outfit that leans into culture and trends. Their work often centers on social platforms where attention moves fast and authenticity matters more than polished studio style content.
Core services you can expect
Even though exact offerings vary, you will usually see NewGen talk about full campaign support. That often covers the everyday steps brand teams do not have time to manage.
- Influencer discovery and screening
- Creative planning and content briefs
- Contracting and negotiation with talent
- Campaign management and approvals
- Performance tracking and wrap up reporting
Some versions of this work focus heavily on social channels like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, where creator personalities have outsized impact on reach.
How campaigns are usually run
NewGen’s style often feels fast moving and trend aware. They are likely to suggest short, snackable content that matches what users already enjoy on the platform instead of hard sell ads.
Expect them to lean on creative testing: trying different hooks, formats, and creators, then amplifying what works through paid media or extended collaborations.
Approach to creator relationships
You can expect a focus on close ties with a roster of creators, especially younger voices and niche communities. That usually means faster casting and creators who already trust the team.
These relationships can help negotiate better content packages, whitelisting rights, or long term ambassador terms for brands willing to commit.
Typical client fit
Brands that tend to feel at home with NewGen share a few traits. They care about speed, fresh ideas, and hitting people where they actually scroll and watch.
- Consumer brands targeting Gen Z or young millennials
- Fashion, beauty, lifestyle, gaming, and creator first products
- Marketers who want bold creative over traditional brand safety rules
- Teams that like hands on collaboration with agency strategists
INF style and services
INF, by contrast, is often viewed as the more established or structured partner. Their work leans into measured outcomes and polished brand experience, especially for companies already spending serious money on marketing.
Core services you can expect
Like any full service influencer shop, INF is likely to offer end to end execution. What sets them apart is how formal and documented that work may feel from a client perspective.
- Strategic planning around brand goals and timelines
- Influencer casting across multiple tiers, from micro to celebrity
- Contract and compliance management
- Coordination with in house brand, PR, and media teams
- Detailed post campaign reporting and learnings
This structure can be especially helpful for teams that must report back to leadership and justify future budgets.
How campaigns are usually run
INF campaigns often feel more like integrated brand work than quick hit social moments. They may coordinate launches across multiple channels, seasons, and markets, with creators playing specific roles in that larger story.
You can also expect more emphasis on planning timelines, creative approvals, and alignment with legal or regulatory needs, especially in sensitive industries.
Approach to creator relationships
INF will often work with a broad pool of influencers, from small community leaders to large names. Rather than relying mainly on hype, their talent choices may center on audience quality and brand safety.
This can mean slower casting but often stronger alignment with brand values, messaging, and compliance rules.
Typical client fit
INF’s style tends to resonate most with established organizations that treat influencer work as a formal part of their marketing mix.
- Mid market and enterprise brands in multiple regions
- Companies in finance, health, travel, automotive, or telecom
- Marketing leaders under strict brand and legal guidelines
- Teams that want deeper documentation and reporting
How the two agencies really differ
Though both sit in influencer marketing, the choice between NewGen and INF feels very different from inside a brand team. The gap shows up in tone, speed, and the kind of risk each is happy to take.
Style and creative voice
NewGen typically pushes looser, more conversational content built to feel native to social feeds. You will likely see bold, personality heavy work that can sometimes divide opinion internally.
INF tends toward more controlled narratives, where messaging is locked in and creators work within clearer boundaries around claims and brand tone.
Scale and structure
If you are testing small budgets or running scrappier experiments, a nimble partner like NewGen can feel lighter and more flexible.
For companies coordinating across several regions, business units, or languages, the more structured approach common at INF can reduce confusion and internal friction.
Client experience day to day
Working with NewGen may feel like having a plugged in social team at your side, throwing ideas around in real time and moving quickly from approval to content live.
INF usually leans into process: kickoffs, milestones, documented plans, and formal wrap ups. That can slow some creative decisions but helps multiple stakeholders stay aligned.
Focus on culture versus control
NewGen often shapes work around cultural moments and trends, even if that means changing the plan mid flight. This can unlock big wins but requires trust and comfort with ambiguity.
INF will more often anchor work in brand strategy and business calendars, keeping to defined scopes and timelines, with fewer last minute shifts.
Pricing approach and how work usually runs
No two agencies quote work in exactly the same way, but influencer marketing pricing tends to follow similar patterns. Expect both options to build custom quotes based on your goals and timelines.
Common pricing pieces
Whether you choose a culture first or structure first partner, these elements usually shape the final number you see in a proposal.
- Number of creators and their audience size
- Platforms used and content volume needed
- Campaign length and seasons covered
- Usage rights, whitelisting, and paid boosts
- Agency management and strategy time
Campaign based work
For short term pushes, both groups may quote project fees tied to a single launch or season. This model is ideal when you are testing influencer marketing or have one key moment to support.
Expect a flat management fee plus creator costs, sometimes broken into planning, execution, and reporting stages.
Retainer and long term partnerships
Once brands see results, they often move into ongoing retainers. This places the agency on call for planning, creator sourcing, and multiple waves of content across the year.
Retainers usually include a fixed agency fee and a flexible budget bucket for influencer compensation and paid amplification.
What can drive costs up or down
Costs rise quickly when you add celebrity talent, strict timelines, complex approvals, or heavy paid media behind influencer content. Multi market coordination and legal review can also add management hours.
On the other hand, working with a tight group of mid tier or micro creators, reusing content smartly, and limiting rounds of edits often keeps budgets more manageable.
Strengths and limitations to keep in mind
Every partner brings trade offs. The right choice is not about perfection, but about fit for where your brand is right now and where you hope to be next year.
NewGen style strengths
- Strong intuition for youth culture and fast moving trends
- Comfort with short form video and emerging formats
- Often more flexible for quick changes and experiments
- Closer ties with creators who value authenticity first
NewGen style limitations
- Less appealing for highly regulated or conservative brands
- Speed and looseness can worry risk averse legal teams
- Processes may feel lightweight for large global companies
A common concern is whether bold creative will still stay within brand and compliance rules when many stakeholders are involved.
INF style strengths
- Clearer structure for large teams and complex approvals
- Comfort managing bigger budgets and multi market work
- Greater focus on reporting and decision ready insights
- Better fit for brands with strict legal or brand rules
INF style limitations
- Creative may sometimes feel safer and less surprising
- Approval cycles can be slower, limiting quick reactions
- Smaller brands can feel overshadowed among bigger clients
Who each agency is best for
To make this practical, it helps to think in use cases. Different types of companies and teams will experience each partner in very different ways.
When a NewGen style partner fits best
- You are building or refreshing a consumer brand for younger buyers.
- Your main channels are TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
- You value fresh ideas, humor, and creator voice over tight scripts.
- Your legal team is flexible and comfortable with social risk.
- You want to test, learn, and iterate quickly across many creators.
When an INF style partner fits best
- You manage a mature brand with several internal stakeholders.
- Compliance, claims, or regulations are serious considerations.
- You need robust reporting to justify marketing investment.
- Your work spans several markets or languages at once.
- You want influencers integrated with PR, media, and offline efforts.
Everyday examples of fit
A startup skincare brand chasing Gen Z might feel more at home with a NewGen type agency that speaks the language of social trends and memes.
A national bank, health insurer, or airline is more likely to feel safe with an INF style team used to slower approvals and documented compliance.
When a platform like Flinque makes more sense
Not every brand needs a full agency on retainer. Some teams want control, data, and discovery tools without paying for a large external crew to run every detail.
How platform alternatives work
Tools such as Flinque let marketers search for influencers, manage outreach, and track performance inside one workspace. Instead of paying agencies for each campaign, you pay for software and keep execution in house.
This model works well for teams that already know their audience and are happy to speak directly with creators or their managers.
When a platform beats an agency
- You have a scrappy internal team eager to learn influencer work.
- Budgets are tight and you prefer to save on agency fees.
- You already work with a group of trusted creators.
- You want visibility into every email, contract, and result.
- You like running many small tests rather than a few big campaigns.
When an agency still makes more sense
If your internal team is stretched thin, or influencer marketing is brand new to you, a full service partner still brings vital value. They absorb complexity, protect your time, and handle the messy human work of talent management.
Platforms shine once your team is ready to own that process and has the bandwidth to manage creators directly.
FAQs
How do I choose between a trend focused and structured agency?
Start with your internal reality. If approvals are strict, go structured. If you can move fast and care about cultural moments, a trend focused partner may serve you better. Match the agency’s style to how your company actually works.
Can smaller brands work with larger influencer agencies?
Yes, but it depends on budget and expectations. Larger agencies often prioritize bigger accounts. If you are smaller, ask about minimum campaign budgets, typical client size, and how they ensure attention for newer brands.
What should I ask during the first call with an agency?
Ask who will be on your day to day team, how they choose creators, what reporting looks like, and examples of work similar to your brand. Also ask about past mistakes and what they learned; honest answers signal maturity.
How long before I see real results from influencer work?
Most brands need at least two or three campaigns to see consistent results. The first wave often teaches which creators, messages, and offers convert. Plan for several months of learning, not a single one off test.
Do I lose control if I hire a full service agency?
You should not. A good partner will invite you into key decisions and protect your voice while handling execution. If you feel shut out from casting, messaging, or reporting, that is a sign to revisit expectations.
Conclusion: deciding where to place your bet
The decision between these two styles of influencer partner comes down to three factors: your audience, your internal realities, and your tolerance for creative risk.
If your buyers live on fast moving social platforms and you prize cultural relevance, a more nimble, creator led shop is likely to feel right.
If your brand is established, regulated, or spread across regions, a structured, process heavy agency can protect your reputation and budget.
There is also a third path: building in house skills supported by a platform, which gives you more control but demands more time from your team.
Map your goals, constraints, and timelines honestly, then choose the partner type that matches how you truly work today, not an idealized future version of your brand.
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.
Jan 06,2026
