Obviously vs The Station

Why brands weigh influencer agency options

Choosing the right influencer partner shapes how your brand shows up online, how fast you grow, and how much you spend to get there. Many marketers end up comparing two different styles of influencer agencies and trying to work out which one truly fits their goals.

Some teams want large scale programs and data driven decision making. Others care more about hands on creator relationships, storytelling, and niche community reach. You may be somewhere in the middle, trying to balance results, content quality, and budget.

This is where the idea of a premium influencer agency choice becomes important. Instead of asking “Which agency is best?”, it helps to ask “Which one is best for my brand, right now?” That is the question we will unpack step by step.

What these influencer agencies are known for

Both agencies in the Obviously vs The Station comparison operate as full service influencer marketing partners. They help brands find creators, shape campaigns, manage logistics, and report on performance across social channels.

They lean on different strengths. One is typically associated with big, multi channel programs and wide creator networks. The other is often viewed as more boutique, leaning into storytelling and closer creative collaboration.

Both claim to blend art and data. In practice, they express this differently. Some brands are drawn to scale, automation, and robust reporting. Others are pulled toward hands on talent curation, brand voice nuance, and highly polished content output.

Instead of thinking in terms of “winner” or “loser,” it helps to see these agencies as sitting on a spectrum. On one end lies operational power and reach. On the other lies intimacy, flexibility, and deeper attention to creative detail.

Agency one overview

For clarity, let’s call the first agency “Agency One.” This side of the market is known for working with bigger brands, handling large campaign volumes, and running influencers across many platforms at once.

Services and channel focus

Agency One usually supports strategy, creator sourcing, contracting, content planning, posting coordination, and performance reporting. They may also handle whitelisting, paid amplification, and cross posting on multiple networks.

Typical platforms include Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and sometimes emerging channels like Shorts or Reels focused partnerships. Larger brands may tap them for global programs, using the same partner to activate across different regions.

How campaigns tend to run

Work with Agency One often follows a clear, repeatable workflow. First comes a discovery phase to understand your goals, timelines, and main products. From there they propose timelines, creator counts, platform mix, and content formats.

Once aligned, they tap into a wide influencer pool, pitch your brief, and assemble a recommended roster. Campaigns may involve dozens or hundreds of creators, especially for product launches or seasonal pushes.

Content is typically structured around clear deliverables. For example, “two TikTok videos, three Instagram stories, one static post.” Agency One will manage approvals, scheduling, and tracking of links or codes tied to each creator.

Creator relationships and workflow

Because Agency One often works at scale, they lean on standardized processes with creators. Influencers appreciate the steady pipeline of opportunities and predictable communication style.

You may see more templated briefs and guidelines. This can help keep brand safety high and ensure messaging is consistent. It can also feel structured, which some creators like and others may find less flexible.

For brands, this model can be reassuring. You know there is a system in place. You can expect organized spreadsheets, clear deliverable lists, and a firm handle on deadlines.

Typical client fit for Agency One

Agency One often suits brands that already spend on performance or social, and are hungry to scale. Their clients may include:

• Consumer packaged goods companies rolling out national launches
• Beauty and skincare brands eager to flood TikTok and Instagram
• Retailers or marketplaces seeking a steady flow of creator content
• Apps or tech products pushing installs or signups

These brands usually have internal teams who can manage feedback, compliance, and approvals quickly. They want a reliable engine that can run many creator deals at once with predictable outcomes.

Agency two overview

We’ll call the second agency “Agency Two.” This partner is often associated with narrative driven campaigns, deeper creative collaboration, and more boutique style relationships with influencers.

Services and creative attention

Agency Two typically provides strategy, creator selection, content direction, negotiations, and reporting. But their hallmark is often the storytelling layer. They spend more time mining your brand story and shaping concepts around it.

Rather than simply filling a quota of posts, they aim to build themes. Think mini series, recurring characters, or ongoing stories that unfold over several weeks or months.

How campaigns usually feel

When you work with Agency Two, the process can feel more like a creative studio. Initial discussions may dive deeply into your brand voice, customer insights, and what you do not want to see in the market.

They usually recommend a more curated influencer list. Instead of 150 smaller creators, you might work with 10 to 25 carefully chosen partners who embody your brand values and audience.

Content briefs can be more open ended. Creators are given room to interpret the theme, add personal stories, and experiment with formats that fit their audience best.

Creator relationships and casting

Agency Two is often known for close ties with a roster of trusted creators. Over time, they build strong relationships and help talent develop recurring characters or content pillars around your brand.

This can lead to more authentic storytelling. Audiences see creators partnering with brands they genuinely like, across multiple touchpoints, not just one sponsored post.

However, this also means scaling very fast can be harder. Curation takes time. Finding the perfect match between brand and creator is more delicate than simply filling a list.

Typical client fit for Agency Two

Agency Two tends to attract brands that care deeply about how they look and sound. These might include:

• Luxury or premium lifestyle brands aiming for polish and exclusivity
• Design driven consumer products with strong visual identity
• Mission led brands wanting thoughtful storytelling and cause driven content
• Entertainment, fashion, or culture oriented companies

These marketers are often willing to trade some raw scale for better content quality and audience connection. They may prioritize long term brand lift over short term conversion spikes.

How their approaches feel different

On paper, these agencies may look similar. Both offer strategy, sourcing, management, and reporting. In practice, the day to day experience can feel quite different once your campaign is underway.

Scale and volume versus depth

Agency One often excels at scale. If you need hundreds of creators live in weeks, they have systems ready. Your brand may cover multiple markets at once and push strong volume through social feeds.

Agency Two usually focuses on depth. Campaigns feature smaller groups of creators but with more involved collaboration. You might hold workshops or creative sessions with influencers to shape the direction together.

Structure versus flexibility

Agency One’s structure keeps everything organized. Timelines, trackers, and deliverables are clear. This reduces risk and helps big internal teams stay aligned, especially when legal or compliance reviews are required.

Agency Two leans toward flexibility. Content may shift in response to audience reactions mid campaign. Creators are given more room to adapt formats, which can lead to magic but also requires trust.

Data style and reporting

Both agencies use data, but how they emphasize it can vary. Agency One may focus heavily on reach, impressions, clicks, and conversions at large scale. Dashboards and roll up numbers are often central.

Agency Two may still track those metrics but weave in qualitative insights. You might see more narrative on how audiences reacted, what comments revealed, and which creative angles sparked the most discussion.

Client experience

If your team prefers predictable processes, regular status updates, and strong documentation, Agency One may feel comforting. You know where things stand and can easily report back internally.

If you enjoy creative back and forth, experimenting, and shaping campaigns together with creators, Agency Two may feel more energizing. The tradeoff is more moving pieces and less rigid predictability.

Pricing and how work typically starts

Neither side usually offers simple SaaS style plans. Influencer work is fueled by creators, creative scope, and media value, so pricing remains customized. Still, some patterns tend to hold across similar agencies.

How agencies generally structure fees

Both agencies often combine different cost components:

• Strategy and management fees for planning and day to day oversight
• Influencer fees covering creator time, content, and usage rights
• Production or editing costs for higher end video or photo work
• Paid media budgets for boosting top performing posts

Some brands engage on a per campaign basis. Others lock into ongoing retainers, especially when they want always on influencer activity throughout the year.

Factors that influence budget

Differences in focus can change how money is allocated. Agency One may push for more creators at varying tiers, from nano to macro, to test broadly and learn quickly.

Agency Two may recommend fewer but more premium partners, which can mean higher per creator costs yet fewer total contracts. Additional creative direction or concept work may also appear in their scopes.

Starting a relationship

Usually both agencies begin with a discovery session. They’ll ask about goals, past influencer efforts, brand guidelines, risk tolerance, and internal approval steps.

Next comes a proposal that outlines suggested strategy, sample creator profiles, estimated timelines, and broad budget ranges. Details get refined through calls or workshops before contracts are finalized.

It’s common to start with a test campaign. Brands often treat this as a pilot to evaluate working style, responsiveness, reporting quality, and early performance before committing to a longer relationship.

Strengths and limitations

No influencer agency is perfect for every brand. Each path carries clear benefits and natural tradeoffs. Understanding these up front protects you from mismatched expectations later.

Where Agency One tends to shine

• Running large, multi creator campaigns quickly across platforms
• Working with internal teams that need detailed reporting and tracking
• Coordinating legal approvals and brand safety guidelines at scale
• Testing many creators to identify top performers for future work

*A common concern for brands is whether big scale programs can still feel authentic.* Some marketers worry that heavily structured briefs may flatten individual creator voices.

Where Agency One may feel limiting

• Creative ideas might feel more standardized across creators
• Smaller brands can sometimes feel overshadowed by bigger clients
• Fast processes may leave less time for deep experimentation

Where Agency Two stands out

• Story driven campaigns that feel true to the brand and creator
• Closer relationships with a curated set of influencers
• High production values and thoughtful creative direction
• Potential for long term partnerships instead of one off posts

Brands often love the creative output and stronger emotional connection with audiences. Content from these campaigns can double as assets for ads, email, or websites because it looks and feels premium.

Where Agency Two may fall short

• Scaling fast into hundreds of creators can be harder
• Greater focus on storytelling may feel slower to test and iterate
• Premium creative direction and talent can push budgets higher

If your leadership team expects immediate, measurable impact at massive volume, you’ll need to align expectations before choosing a boutique leaning partner.

Who each agency fits best

Translating all this into real decisions requires clarity about your own stage, goals, and internal capacity. The “right” partner differs for a startup versus a global brand with big budgets.

When Agency One is usually a better fit

• You need to activate many creators at once for a major launch.
• Your leadership expects broad reach and large impression numbers.
• You have internal resources for fast approvals and feedback.
• You want consistent reporting to share with senior stakeholders.
• You value predictable processes and standardized workflows.

When Agency Two tends to be the smarter pick

• You care deeply about brand storytelling and visual identity.
• You prefer fewer but more on brand creators and content.
• You are ready to invest in creative experimentation and nuance.
• You want audiences to feel a real emotional connection, not just see ads.
• You’re building a long term presence, not a one time spike.

Questions to ask yourself before choosing

• Is my main need reach, content quality, or direct sales?
• How much internal time can my team give to this partnership?
• Can we handle slower creative cycles if they mean better content?
• Are we ready for the costs that come with premium creators?

Being honest with yourself on these points will make any conversation with an influencer agency more productive and grounded in reality.

When a platform like Flinque makes sense

Full service agencies are not the only path. Some brands want more control, lighter fees, or the ability to test influencer marketing before committing to large retainers.

In those cases, a platform based option like Flinque can be appealing. Instead of outsourcing everything, you use software to find creators, manage outreach, and run campaigns in house.

Why some brands choose a platform

• They have internal marketers who enjoy hands on control.
• Budgets are limited, so high agency retainers are hard to justify.
• They want to learn influencer marketing fundamentals themselves.
• They prefer visibility into every message, contract, and post.

A platform can also be layered into an existing agency relationship. Some teams use software for always on micro influencer programs while saving agency support for major launches.

When a platform may not be enough

If your team is already stretched thin, even great software won’t fix bandwidth issues. You still need time to write briefs, chase approvals, answer creator questions, and analyze performance.

For brands seeking high touch creative direction, complex global campaigns, or heavy legal oversight, partnering with an experienced agency often remains the more realistic path.

FAQs

How long does it take to launch an influencer campaign with an agency?

Most full service agencies need four to eight weeks from kickoff to posts going live. Timelines depend on creator count, content complexity, legal reviews, and how quickly your team can approve briefs and assets.

Can I test a small influencer campaign before committing long term?

Yes. Many agencies will structure a pilot project with a smaller creator group and limited scope. This lets you evaluate fit, workflow, and early performance before entering a longer or larger agreement.

Do influencer agencies own the content creators produce?

Typically, content rights are defined in contracts. Creators own their work by default, and brands license it for certain uses and timeframes. Agencies help negotiate these rights so you know where and how content can be reused.

Should I prioritize follower count or engagement when choosing creators?

Engagement and audience fit usually matter more than raw follower numbers. A smaller creator with loyal fans may drive better results than a huge account with lukewarm interest in your category.

How do I measure success from influencer marketing?

Common measures include reach, impressions, engagement rate, website traffic, discount code redemptions, and sales attributed to links. Many brands also track brand search, sentiment, and content quality for long term impact.

Conclusion: choosing with confidence

Your ideal influencer partner depends less on buzz and more on fit. One agency may excel at scale, structure, and broad testing. The other may win on storytelling, depth, and premium creator partnerships.

Start by clarifying your goals, internal bandwidth, and budget. Decide whether you value speed and reach or creative nuance and long term relationships. Speak openly with potential partners about expectations and decision makers.

Do not hesitate to run a pilot. Working together on a real campaign reveals more than any sales deck. Whether you choose a large scale agency, a boutique partner, or a platform like Flinque, the best path is the one that matches your brand’s stage and appetite for involvement.

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.