Open Influence vs The Digital Dept

Why brands weigh different influencer partners

Choosing an influencer marketing partner can feel risky. You are trusting an outside team with your brand’s voice, budget, and relationships with creators.

Many marketers look at agencies like Open Influence and The Digital Dept when they want more structured, data informed campaigns instead of one off collaborations.

The goal is usually simple: find a partner that understands your audience, can work smoothly with creators, and knows how to turn content into measurable business results.

Table of contents

• Influencer campaign agency choice
• What each agency is known for
• How Open Influence tends to work
• How The Digital Dept tends to work
• How their approaches feel different
• Pricing style and ways of working
• Strengths and limitations of each
• Who each agency is best for
• When a platform like Flinque makes sense
• FAQs
• Making your final choice
• Disclaimer

Influencer campaign agency choice

The primary theme here is influencer campaign agency choice. Most brands are not comparing software. They are choosing between service partners that provide strategy, creator sourcing, content management, and reporting.

Understanding each agency’s style, scale, and sweet spots will help you match them to your internal team, timelines, and goals.

What each agency is known for

Both agencies operate in the influencer and creator marketing world, but they grew up with different strengths and reputations.

How Open Influence is generally perceived

Open Influence is often viewed as a larger, globally minded influencer agency. They are associated with social led campaigns that combine creative concepts, structured processes, and performance tracking.

They tend to highlight data backed creator selection, polished content, and the ability to work across multiple platforms and regions.

How The Digital Dept is generally perceived

The Digital Dept is usually seen as a more boutique style digital and influencer partner with an emphasis on culture and creativity.

Their focus leans toward campaigns that feel native to the internet, with strong creative ideas and a closer, hands on relationship with talent.

How Open Influence tends to work

Because Open Influence is known as a full scale influencer marketing agency, brands often turn to them when they want structure, reach, and a repeatable process.

Services often associated with Open Influence

Service offerings can vary, but brands commonly look to them for end to end influencer campaign management. That usually includes strategy, creator sourcing, content approvals, and reporting.

They are also known for cross channel social campaigns that may include Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and sometimes emerging platforms.

• Influencer and creator sourcing across regions
• Campaign strategy and creative concepts
• Content guidelines and brief development
• Contracting, usage rights, and compliance
• Reporting on reach, engagement, and outcomes

Approach to campaigns

Open Influence typically leans into structured workflows. Campaigns tend to start with clear objectives, audience definitions, and platform choices.

They often use data signals such as past engagement rates, content style, and audience demographics to recommend creators that fit brand goals.

The content creation process is usually more systemised. Briefs, concept approvals, and review rounds help larger companies maintain brand safety.

This level of structure can slow spontaneous ideas, but it helps bigger teams feel comfortable with risk, regulation, and internal approvals.

Relationships with creators

With a wider creator network, Open Influence is positioned to match brands with many types of talent, from micro to larger influencers.

Relationships may feel more formal because there are more moving pieces, project managers, and legal steps between brand and creator.

That said, seasoned creators often appreciate agencies that know how to negotiate fair rates, clarify deliverables, and manage timelines.

Typical client fit

Open Influence tends to attract brands that need scale, structure, and multi market campaigns. These are often mid sized and enterprise companies.

• Consumer brands with national or global reach
• Marketing teams with multiple stakeholders
• Brands needing strict brand safety and approvals
• Companies wanting repeatable, multi wave programs

How The Digital Dept tends to work

The Digital Dept usually sits closer to the creative studio side of influencer work, with a focus on ideas that feel internet native and culture aware.

Services often associated with The Digital Dept

They generally offer influencer campaign planning, talent sourcing, content production support, and social content strategy.

Because they are smaller than global networks, brands may experience a tighter crew working closely on each project.

• Creator and talent identification
• Concept development and storytelling
• Social content planning and production support
• Campaign management and coordination
• Performance tracking and wrap reports

Approach to campaigns

The Digital Dept often leans into creative angles and cultural relevance. Campaigns may feel more like collaborations with creators instead of rigid ad briefs.

They may prioritise ideas that feel native to TikTok, Reels, or YouTube Shorts, where authenticity and humor beat overly polished content.

Internal processes can still be structured, but brands might experience more flexibility and room for experimentation.

This suits marketers who want campaigns that feel less like ads and more like content people would actually share.

Relationships with creators

Smaller and boutique leaning agencies often build deeper relationships with a tighter group of creators.

That can mean faster communication, better understanding of each creator’s strengths, and content that feels aligned with their natural style.

For some brands, this leads to repeat partnerships and a more “creator first” feel. For others, it can limit the scale of campaigns.

Typical client fit

The Digital Dept may be a strong fit for brands prioritising creativity, cultural relevance, and a closer relationship to talent.

• Emerging and challenger brands seeking attention
• Companies wanting bold, less traditional concepts
• Teams comfortable with organic feeling content
• Brands focused on specific markets or niches

How their approaches feel different

When people search for Open Influence vs The Digital Dept, they are usually sensing that each agency has a distinct style.

Those differences often show up in scale, process, and the balance between structure and flexibility.

Scale and reach

Open Influence’s size and global presence often make them better suited to large, multi country campaigns with many creators.

The Digital Dept’s more boutique positioning can shine when depth and creativity matter more than massive volume.

Process and structure

Open Influence tends to have defined playbooks, templates, and reporting structures backed by technology.

This brings predictability, but can feel heavier for teams moving fast or testing new ideas.

The Digital Dept may run leaner processes, with direct access to senior people and faster creative decisions.

This can feel more personal, but may have fewer layers of built in redundancy and documentation.

Creative style

Open Influence often leans toward polished, brand aligned creative that works well across multiple countries and channels.

The Digital Dept may lean more into experimental concepts, social trends, and formats that feel native to where your audience lives online.

Client experience

With a larger agency, you are more likely to interact with a wider account team and specialised roles.

That can be reassuring if your internal structure is complex, but occasionally leads to slower answers.

A smaller team may feel like an extension of your in house staff, with fewer handoffs and more continuity.

However, capacity can become a constraint during very busy seasons or rapid growth.

Pricing style and ways of working

Both influencer agencies typically use custom pricing rather than public menus. Costs depend heavily on scope, talent, and content rights.

How agencies usually charge

Most influencer partners, including these two, tend to combine several cost components into each project.

• Agency fees for strategy, management, and reporting
• Creator fees covering content and usage rights
• Production costs if there is studio or video work
• Paid media budgets to boost top performing posts
• Retainers for ongoing relationships and planning

Engagement models you may see

Short term projects are common for product launches, seasonal pushes, or tests.

This is often a one to three month engagement focused on a defined set of deliverables.

Longer retainers work better when you want always on creator content, recurring reporting, and a year long social calendar.

Retainers may be structured around quarterly planning with flexible campaigns within that frame.

What tends to influence cost most

The number and size of creators has the biggest impact. Large creators can command significant fees, especially on TikTok and YouTube.

Content formats matter too. High quality video, multi platform usage, and longer term rights all raise costs.

Agency involvement also shifts price. A very hands on team doing strategy, production, and media buying will cost more than basic matchmaking.

Strengths and limitations of each

No agency is perfect for every brand. Understanding each side of the coin helps you align expectations early.

Open Influence highlights

• Strong fit for large scale, multi creator campaigns
• Clear processes for approvals, compliance, and reporting
• Ability to work across several markets and platforms
• Appealing to enterprise brands needing structure

Open Influence challenges

• Processes may feel heavy for scrappy teams
• Creative ideas can skew toward safer, brand ready content
• Minimum budgets may be higher than some smaller brands expect

The Digital Dept highlights

• Closer, more personal working relationship
• Flexible, culturally tuned creative thinking
• Good fit for brands wanting content that feels native
• May work well with emerging and niche creators

The Digital Dept challenges

• May not match the global scale of larger networks
• Processes can vary more by project and client
• Bandwidth may be limited during peak periods

A common concern brands have is whether an agency will truly “get” their voice and stay consistent across many creators.

Who each agency is best for

Instead of asking which agency is better overall, it is more helpful to ask which partner is better for your situation.

When Open Influence may be the better fit

• You manage a national or global brand with strict guidelines.
• Your internal team wants detailed reporting and clear processes.
• You plan to run multi market or multi wave influencer programs.
• You need a partner that can coordinate many creators at once.

When The Digital Dept may be the better fit

• You want bold, internet native creative that feels less like ads.
• Your brand competes on culture, not just media spend.
• You value a tight working relationship with senior creatives.
• You are open to testing new formats and styles quickly.

When a platform like Flinque makes sense

Sometimes neither full service option is ideal. If you have strong internal marketers and just need better tools, a platform based solution may be enough.

Flinque is an example of a platform that helps brands discover creators, manage outreach, and run campaigns without long term agency retainers.

Instead of paying for a full external team, your in house marketers use the software to handle sourcing, communication, and performance tracking.

This works best when you:

• Already have social or influencer managers on staff
• Want to keep relationships with creators directly in house
• Need flexibility to ramp spend up and down quickly
• Prefer to invest more budget in creators than in management fees

However, if you lack time, process, or confidence in running complex campaigns, a full service agency may still be worth the added cost.

FAQs

Do these agencies only work with big brands?

Both can work with a range of clients, but larger agencies often lean toward mid market and enterprise brands because their processes and fees suit bigger budgets and scopes.

Can I test an agency with a small campaign first?

In many cases, yes. Shorter pilot campaigns are common, though minimum budgets still apply. It is worth asking each agency how they structure tests and what they need to do meaningful work.

Will I get to choose the influencers myself?

Typically, agencies propose a list of recommended creators based on your brief. Most will invite your feedback and final approval, as long as it aligns with the agreed timeline and scope.

How long does it take to launch a campaign?

Timelines vary, but four to eight weeks from brief to launch is common for structured campaigns. Rush projects are sometimes possible but may limit creator options and creative development.

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

If you run ongoing, high volume influencer activity, building internal skills can pay off. Agencies make more sense when you need outside expertise, creative firepower, or support for large, complex campaigns.

Making your final choice

Both agencies can run solid influencer work. The better choice depends on how much structure you want, how bold your creative can be, and how wide you need to scale.

If you value global reach, formal processes, and detailed reporting, a larger, established influencer agency may suit you best.

If you care more about agility, creative experimentation, and closer ties with creators, a boutique partner could be a better match.

And if your team is ready to run campaigns directly, a platform like Flinque can give you tools without long term retainers.

Start by mapping your goals, internal bandwidth, and risk comfort. Then speak candidly with each potential partner about budgets, timelines, and working style to see who feels most aligned.

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.