Obviously vs Shane Barker

Why brands look at two different influencer agencies

You are probably weighing two influencer marketing partners and trying to understand which one actually fits your brand, budget, and timeline. Both are service-focused teams that run campaigns, but they show up very differently in day-to-day work.

Most marketers want clarity on three things: how these agencies find creators, how hands-on they are, and what kind of results they usually drive for brands at different stages of growth.

What each agency is known for

The shortened primary keyword for this page is influencer agency selection. That is ultimately what you are doing: choosing the right partner to manage creators and campaigns.

Obviously is widely recognized as a larger influencer marketing agency working with many creators at once, often for well known consumer brands. It is frequently associated with full-service execution.

Shane Barker is best known as a consultant and agency leader focused on digital marketing, influencer strategy, and content. His brand leans toward strategic guidance, education, and tailored campaign builds for clients that want a more advisory style partner.

Before you choose, it helps to understand how each side structures services, how involved they are in daily operations, and what types of brands they naturally attract.

Obviously agency overview

Obviously positions itself as a full-service influencer marketing agency. It tends to work with brands that want large-scale creator outreach handled end-to-end, from sourcing to reporting.

Services typically offered by Obviously

While details shift over time, Obviously usually focuses on managing the complete lifecycle of influencer work. Common service areas include:

Influencer discovery and vetting across major social platforms
Campaign strategy and creative concepts aligned with brand goals
Contracting, negotiation, and compliance with brand rules
Product seeding and logistics for gifted or paid campaigns
Content approvals and day-to-day creator coordination
Reporting with metrics like reach, engagement, and sales impact

Most of this happens behind the scenes. Your team usually sets goals and approves direction while Obviously manages operational details.

How Obviously tends to run campaigns

Campaigns from larger influencer agencies often follow a structured flow. You can expect a defined timeline, formal briefs, and clear milestones from kickoff through reporting.

Obviously is known for running multi-influencer campaigns that may involve dozens or even hundreds of creators. This suits brands looking for reach and repeatable processes more than hands-on experimentation.

Execution often favors consistency and scale. If you want one partner to shepherd a big launch across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, that is the kind of work they commonly promote.

Creator relationships at Obviously

Big influencer agencies usually maintain large internal databases or proprietary lists of creators. While not every influencer has a personal relationship with the team, processes make it easy to reach many profiles quickly.

This can be useful when you need to test several creator niches or markets at once. However, the feeling may be more structured than deeply personal for each individual partner.

Some brands love this scale and speed. Others prefer smaller programs with creators that feel like long-term brand friends. Your preference shapes whether this style fits.

Typical client fit for Obviously

Obviously often works with:

Mid-market and enterprise consumer brands
Companies running frequent product launches or evergreen campaigns
Marketing teams that want a single agency to handle most execution
Brands comfortable with structured processes and clear reporting cycles

If you are seeking reach, consistency, and an established team that has likely seen your category before, this style of partner can feel reassuring.

Shane Barker consulting overview

Shane Barker is known as a recognized voice in influencer and digital marketing. The agency side associated with his name leans into strategy, consulting, and education alongside execution.

Services typically offered by Shane Barker’s team

Services may evolve, but his brand historically highlights a mix of strategic and hands-on work. That can include:

Influencer marketing strategy and campaign planning
Consulting on audience fit, channels, and content styles
Support with influencer discovery and outreach
Content marketing and SEO guidance tied to influencer work
Education, training, or workshops for in-house teams

Rather than only running campaigns for you, the engagement often involves helping your team understand why specific moves are made and how everything connects.

How Shane Barker’s side usually runs campaigns

Smaller teams and consulting-led agencies tend to structure campaigns around deeper planning and customized approaches. Expect more conversations, brainstorming, and feedback loops.

Execution might involve fewer influencers with more careful alignment, or staged testing before wider rollout. The tradeoff is usually more tailored work and slightly slower scaling compared to big volume campaigns.

This style can be especially useful if you are earlier in your influencer journey and still figuring out what works for your audience.

Creator relationships around Shane Barker’s brand

Consulting-centric agencies often rely on curated networks and trusted creators built over time, plus new outreach when a brief requires it. The focus is on fit and performance over raw numbers.

That can lead to stronger relationships with a smaller group of influencers who understand the strategy in more detail. Communication may feel more personal, on both the brand and creator sides.

For some marketers, this fosters better long-term partnerships. Others may prefer the reach that large-scale networks offer.

Typical client fit for Shane Barker’s services

Shane Barker’s brand tends to attract:

Brands needing help shaping their influencer approach from scratch
Companies that want education alongside execution
Teams that value consulting, workshops, or strategy documents
Brands that do not need hundreds of creators at once

This type of partner can feel like an extension of your marketing brain, especially when you want to learn and build internal knowledge, not just outsource tasks.

Key differences in how they work

When people search for “Obviously vs Shane Barker,” they are really asking how a larger, execution-heavy agency differs from a more consulting-driven partner. The answer often comes down to structure, scale, and involvement.

Approach and strategic depth

Both care about results, but they typically express that differently. Obviously leans into operational strength and streamlined processes optimized for delivering many campaigns reliably.

Shane Barker’s brand usually emphasizes strategic thinking, education, and cross-channel digital marketing insight. You may spend more time aligning around big-picture goals and content direction.

Neither path is inherently better. The right approach depends on whether you want someone to “just run it” or walk beside you as you shape your own influencer playbook.

Scale and volume of creators

Obviously often runs high-volume influencer programs with multiple creators and repeated waves of content. That is well suited for brands chasing broad awareness and frequent launches.

Shane Barker’s services tend to focus on curated selections and tailored matches, often with more conversation around each partnership. This often fits brands testing channels or optimizing smaller but deeper programs.

Think of it as large-scale orchestra versus smaller, more intentional band. Both can sound great when matched to the right audience and stage.

Client experience and communication style

Larger agencies usually offer clear points of contact, defined timelines, and polished reporting decks. Interaction is structured, and much of the heavy lifting happens after alignment.

More consulting-led teams often invite you into the thinking process. Expect working sessions, more frequent feedback loops, and deeper collaboration on messaging and creative angles.

*A common concern from brands is that they might get lost as a small fish in a big agency pond.* That is why many marketers weigh personality, responsiveness, and cultural fit alongside pure capabilities.

Pricing and how engagements work

Influencer marketing agencies rarely publish simple price tags because so many factors affect cost. Instead, both sides tend to work with custom quotes shaped around scope and goals.

How pricing often works with Obviously

For larger agencies, pricing usually mixes agency fees with creator costs. Main components typically include:

Strategy and management fees for planning and coordination
Influencer fees based on audience size and deliverables
Production or content editing costs if needed
Possible retainers for ongoing, multi-month relationships

Brands with bigger budgets and frequent campaigns often opt for retainers. Others might start with one-off projects built around a specific launch or season.

How pricing often works with Shane Barker’s services

Consulting-focused teams commonly blend strategic fees with execution costs. That may involve:

Consulting retainers for ongoing strategic support
Project-based pricing for campaign builds
Influencer fees passed through with management costs
Training or workshop fees if education is part of the plan

Because strategy and teaching are core parts of the value, you may see clear line items for planning, frameworks, or audits, not just campaign management.

Factors that raise or lower overall cost

No matter which partner you choose, similar elements shape your budget:

Number of influencers and platforms used
Type and volume of content requested
Geographies and languages involved
Paid usage rights and whitelisting needs
Length of partnership and retainer terms

If you share realistic budget ranges upfront, most agencies can shape proposals that show what is possible at different levels, instead of guessing wildly.

Strengths and limitations

Every influencer partner comes with tradeoffs. The real question is which mix of strengths and limitations works best for your current stage and goals.

Strengths of a larger full-service agency

Access to many creators across multiple platforms and regions
Structured systems for briefs, approvals, and reporting
Capacity to run several campaigns at once
Experience with bigger brands, legal needs, and internal approvals

This setup is helpful when your internal team is stretched thin and wants a dependable machine for creator programs.

Limitations of a larger full-service agency

Potential for your brand to feel like one of many accounts
Less room for highly experimental or unusual ideas
Processes that may feel heavy for very small teams
Minimum budget levels that early-stage brands cannot reach

*Some marketers worry they might pay for scale they do not yet need.* That is worth discussing clearly during sales conversations.

Strengths of a consulting-driven influencer partner

High strategic involvement and tailored planning
Education that leaves your team smarter and more confident
Closer alignment of creators to long-term brand story
Flexibility for brands still testing channels and formats

This approach feels more like a collaborative relationship than a handoff, especially valuable when your team wants to own the strategy eventually.

Limitations of a consulting-driven influencer partner

May not scale as quickly for very large, global campaigns
More time spent in planning can lengthen timelines
Limited fit for brands that just want turnkey execution
Still requires internal bandwidth to engage in strategy

Being honest about how much time your team can invest helps avoid frustration on both sides.

Who each agency is best for

If you strip away names and reputations, you are deciding between two different working styles. Matching that style to your situation is the key to successful influencer agency selection.

When a full-service influencer agency fits best

You need to activate many influencers quickly across regions.
Your internal team is short on time and wants execution handled.
You already understand your audience and main messaging.
You prefer defined processes, reports, and predictable workflows.
Your budget can support ongoing retainers or large projects.

When a consulting-led influencer partner fits best

You are new to influencer marketing or shifting your approach.
You want your team to learn and build long-term skills.
You value deep input on content, messaging, and channel mix.
You prefer smaller, highly aligned creator groups at first.
You are open to workshops, audits, and strategy sessions.

Neither choice is permanent. Many brands start with a strategic partner and later move to a larger agency, or the other way around, as needs change.

When a platform might make more sense

Sometimes neither agency path is perfect. If your budgets are modest or you want more control, a platform-based option like Flinque can be worth exploring.

Why some brands choose a platform

Platform tools let you discover creators, manage outreach, and track campaigns in-house, without committing to high agency retainers. This suits teams willing to do more of the work themselves.

You keep direct relationships with influencers, experiment at your own pace, and pay primarily for access to technology rather than full-service management.

Brands that often benefit from this route include startups, lean marketing teams, and companies testing influencer marketing before committing to larger budgets.

Situations where a platform shines

You have time and people to manage outreach and coordination.
You want to build your own long-term creator roster.
You need flexibility to pause or ramp up without long contracts.
You are comfortable learning by doing and iterating quickly.

Think of it as building an internal mini-agency with the help of software, rather than outsourcing everything to an external team.

FAQs

Should I choose a big influencer agency or a smaller consulting team first?

If you are still figuring out your audience, start with a strategic partner. If your message and product-market fit are clear and you just need scale, a larger agency often makes more sense.

How long does it usually take to see influencer results?

Most brands begin to see directional results within one to three campaigns. Strong momentum usually takes several months of consistent effort, testing, and refinement with the same or similar creators.

Can I switch from an agency to a platform later?

Yes. Many brands start with full-service support, learn what works, then transition to a platform-based approach when they feel confident managing influencers directly.

What should I prepare before talking to any influencer agency?

Clarify your main goals, target audience, approximate budget range, preferred platforms, and timing. Sharing past marketing results, creative guidelines, and brand voice examples also speeds up useful proposals.

How do I know if my influencer budget is realistic?

Discuss your goals honestly with a few partners and ask what is achievable at different spend levels. If expectations and budgets feel wildly misaligned, you may need to adjust either your goals or partner type.

Conclusion

Choosing between a large full-service influencer agency and a more consulting-driven partner is really about your goals, budget, and how involved you want to be.

If you need big reach, repeatable campaigns, and heavy lifting done for you, a larger agency is likely to fit. If you want tailored guidance, learning, and careful alignment, a strategic partner may be stronger.

For leaner budgets or teams that enjoy hands-on work, platform options such as Flinque can offer powerful tools without long-term retainers. The best choice is the one that matches your stage, resources, and appetite for collaboration.

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.