Obviously vs Apexdop

Why brands look at two different influencer partners

You’re likely weighing two influencer marketing agencies and trying to understand which one fits your brand, budget, and goals. On paper they may look similar, but the way they plan, run, and report on campaigns can feel very different in practice.

Most marketers want clarity on three things: what each team actually does day to day, how they work with creators, and what kind of results they tend to drive for brands like theirs.

What each influencer agency is known for
Inside Obviously’s style and services
Inside Apexdop’s style and services
Key differences in how they work
Pricing approach and how work is scoped
Strengths and limitations to keep in mind
Who each agency tends to suit best
When a platform like Flinque makes more sense
FAQs
Conclusion
Disclaimer

What each influencer agency is known for

For this discussion, treat both businesses as full service influencer agencies. They focus on planning campaigns, sourcing creators, negotiating deals, and managing content for brands that want to grow through social proof.

The primary keyword here is influencer campaign agency. That phrase captures what you’re truly searching for: not software, but expert support that handles most of the heavy lifting with creators.

Both partners lean on similar building blocks. They help you define goals, choose platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, and find influencers who actually reach your target customers instead of random followers.

Where they differ is in scale, the kinds of brands they usually attract, and how hands‑on they expect your team to be during planning and execution.

Inside Obviously’s style and services

Obviously has built a reputation as a large, globally capable influencer agency. They’re known for handling complex, multi‑market campaigns and working with household names as well as fast‑growing challenger brands.

Core services you can expect

Their work usually covers the full journey from strategy to reporting. If you want someone to own the process end to end, this kind of agency is designed for that.

Campaign strategy and creative concepts
Influencer discovery and vetting across major platforms
Negotiation, contracting, and compliance checks
Content briefing, review, and approvals
Campaign management, tracking, and optimization
Reporting on reach, engagement, and sales‑related metrics

How campaigns are usually run

Teams like this tend to follow a clear, repeatable process. First, they clarify your goals, such as awareness, content creation, or sales lift. Then they suggest channel mixes and creator tiers.

They typically combine larger personalities with mid‑tier and micro influencers. This gives you a blend of broad reach and high trust, especially in niche communities where purchase decisions happen.

Throughout the campaign they manage communication with creators, ensure posts go live on time, and adjust direction if certain content styles or creators outperform others.

Creator relationships and network depth

Large agencies often maintain a wide creator network built over many campaigns. They may already know which influencers deliver reliably, which ones create strong content, and who tends to drive conversions.

That history can shorten testing cycles. You’re less likely to waste budget on creators with fake followers or low engagement because they already filter for performance and authenticity.

Typical client fit for Obviously

Obviously generally suits brands that want a partner to steer the ship with minimal micromanagement. Your team sets direction, reviews key choices, then lets the agency execute.

This tends to resonate with consumer brands in beauty, fashion, lifestyle, tech accessories, home goods, and food and beverage that already invest in paid social or PR.

Inside Apexdop’s style and services

Apexdop is treated here as another influencer marketing agency with its own flavor. While less widely discussed than some large global firms, you can think of it as a service provider working on planning and running influencer work for brands.

Services likely offered

Agencies in this lane usually perform many of the same tasks: they help you match budget to goals, find creators, and coordinate the messy details of getting posts live on time.

Campaign planning aligned to your main business goals
Influencer research in your niche and markets
Offer structure, product seeding, and fee negotiation
Brief writing and creative direction support
Timeline management and content tracking
Post‑campaign reporting with key takeaways

Approach to managing campaigns

Smaller or mid‑sized agencies often lean more heavily on direct founder or senior involvement, especially in the early stages of engagement. You may get closer contact with decision makers.

They might move faster on testing, experimenting with different content styles or platforms without large layers of approvals. This can work well for brands that value speed and flexibility.

Working with creators

Aside from pure scale, the main difference tends to be how deep and wide their creator database is. A younger or more niche team may have stronger relationships in specific verticals rather than across every category.

If your niche aligns with their strengths, you can benefit from very personal, long‑term creator relationships that feel like true brand partners instead of short campaigns.

Typical client fit for Apexdop

Apexdop will generally appeal to brands that want attention from a smaller, focused team and are willing to collaborate closely. You might be a growing direct‑to‑consumer brand or an emerging label trying influencer work more seriously.

They may also be attractive if you prefer a more boutique feel instead of a large agency structure.

Key differences in how they work

Even when two influencer partners offer similar service lists, the lived experience can feel very different. Think about these areas as you make your choice.

Scale and capacity

Larger agencies usually have bigger internal teams, more project managers, and formal processes. This tends to handle global or multi‑market campaigns more smoothly, especially with many influencers or legal needs.

Smaller agencies might be more selective with how many clients they take at once. That can translate into faster decisions and fewer layers, but also less capacity for extremely large programs.

Creative point of view

Most teams will claim they are “data driven” and “creative,” but you should look deeper. Examine their public case studies, social feeds, and the types of content they highlight.

Some agencies lean into polished, almost commercial‑style influencer work. Others favor raw, conversational styles more native to TikTok or emerging short‑form trends.

Process and communication style

A structured agency will often give you timelines, project plans, and clear checkpoints. This suits brands with internal approvals and compliance steps that can’t be skipped.

A leaner shop may offer more direct Slack chats or informal check‑ins. If you like quicker, less formal collaboration, that style can save time but requires trust and availability from your team.

Measurement mindset

Both partners will track basics like reach, impressions, and engagement. Where they differ is in how well they tie results back to revenue and customer actions.

Ask how they handle affiliate links, discount codes, landing pages, or brand lift studies. This reveals whether they truly think beyond vanity metrics.

Pricing approach and how work is scoped

Influencer agencies don’t work like software subscriptions. Pricing is customized to your scope, platforms, and how much of the process they handle. You should expect quotes, not set plans.

Common pricing structures

Both agencies are likely to charge through some mix of project fees, retainers, and pass‑through influencer payments. Management costs cover planning, communication, briefs, and reporting.

One‑off campaign fees for seasonal or launch pushes
Monthly or quarterly retainers for ongoing programs
Creator fees and product costs passed through to you
Optional extra charges for travel, production, or paid boosting

What usually drives cost up or down

Your budget is shaped by several practical levers. The number of influencers, post volume, and whether content is repurposed into ads all add or reduce cost.

More markets, languages, and platforms generally mean more coordination work. Celebrity‑level influencers increase spend quickly, while micro communities cost less but need more of them.

How to discuss budget with each team

Be transparent about your ceiling early. A good agency will advise where to cut and where to invest to avoid spreading budget too thin. Ask them what minimum spend is needed to learn something meaningful.

You don’t always need massive budgets, but you do need enough scale for patterns to appear in performance.

Strengths and limitations to keep in mind

Every partner comes with trade‑offs. Being honest about what you value now versus later will prevent frustration for both sides.

Where larger agencies often shine

Experience running thousands of collaborations across industries
Established process for contracts, legal checks, and brand safety
Ability to handle large volumes of creators at once
Broader global reach and language skills inside the team

A common concern is that big agencies may feel less personal or flexible for smaller budgets.

Where boutique teams may stand out

More direct access to senior people and decision makers
Faster iteration on creative ideas and campaign tweaks
Niche knowledge in specific categories or regional markets
Potentially more experimental approaches to new formats

The trade‑off is usually capacity limits and fewer in‑house specialists for complex legal or data needs.

Risks to watch with any influencer partner

Overpromising on sales impact without enough testing time
Poor creator vetting leading to fake followers or low engagement
Weak reporting that hides underperforming content
Misalignment on content tone, resulting in posts that feel like ads

The best safeguard is detailed scoping before signing, plus clear expectations around reporting and decision rights.

Who each agency tends to suit best

Instead of asking which agency is “better,” it’s more helpful to ask which is better for you right now. Your brand stage, goals, and internal resources shape the answer.

When a larger, global‑style agency is a fit

You’re planning multi‑country or multi‑language campaigns.
Your internal team is small and needs full coverage.
You already run paid social and want to plug in influencer content.
You require strict legal, compliance, or brand safety processes.
You have mid to high six‑figure yearly marketing budgets or more.

When a boutique or growing agency makes sense

You want senior eyes on your brand, not just junior execution.
You’re testing influencer marketing beyond one‑off gifting.
You prefer tight communication and quick feedback loops.
Your category is niche and you value deep vertical knowledge.
Your budget is meaningful but not at enterprise level yet.

Questions to ask yourself before choosing

How much control do you want over choosing creators?
Is your priority reach, content assets, or direct sales?
Do you need constant campaigns, or a few big pushes?
How strict are your internal brand guidelines and legal rules?
How comfortable is your leadership with experimentation?

When a platform like Flinque makes more sense

In some cases, neither agency style is perfect. If you have someone in‑house who can manage relationships but need help finding creators and organizing campaigns, a platform can be a better match.

What a platform‑based option offers

Flinque, for example, positions itself as a software platform rather than a full service team. You use it to search for creators, manage outreach, organize collaborations, and track performance, while keeping strategy close to your chest.

This appeals to brands that want more control or already have social media managers comfortable talking with influencers daily.

When to lean platform instead of agency

You have marketing staff and just need better tools.
You prefer building long‑term creator relationships yourself.
You want to avoid ongoing retainers but can handle the workload.
You’re willing to learn some trial and error within the software.

If your team is very small, though, a platform alone might feel overwhelming. In that case, an agency or a hybrid mix of both sometimes works best.

FAQs

How do I decide between two influencer agencies if my budget is limited?

Ask each team how they’d phase work across three to six months. Look for realistic expectations, a clear testing plan, and focus on a few strong bets instead of thin coverage across many creators and platforms.

Can smaller brands work with bigger influencer agencies?

Sometimes yes, but it depends on the agency’s minimums. Some keep a dedicated team for emerging brands, while others focus only on enterprise budgets. Ask directly about typical campaign ranges before going too deep.

How long does it take to see real results from influencer campaigns?

Expect at least one to three months for early signals and three to six months to understand repeatable patterns. Single campaigns can spike awareness, but consistent learning cycles usually drive sustainable performance.

Should I let the agency pick all the influencers?

Collaborate instead of fully delegating or micromanaging. Share non‑negotiables about brand fit and red flags, then let the agency propose a roster. Review and approve, but avoid picking creators only based on personal taste.

Is it worth paying for influencer content if I also run paid ads?

Yes, if you plan to reuse creator content in your paid media. Influencer posts often outperform studio ads because they look native to feeds. Make sure usage rights for ads are clearly negotiated up front.

Conclusion

Your choice between these influencer partners comes down to needs, budget, and how involved you want to be. A larger agency often suits complex, multi‑market campaigns and brands that value structure and scale.

A more boutique team can be ideal if you want closer contact, quicker experimentation, and a more tailored feel. Platforms like Flinque step in when you’d rather keep control in‑house and just need better tools.

Start by writing down your top three goals, realistic budget range, and how much time your team can invest. Share that openly with each partner and pay close attention to how they respond, not just what they promise.

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.