Sway Group vs IMA

Choosing between influencer agencies can feel confusing, especially when both have strong reputations. Many brands end up weighing Sway Group against IMA because they want clear answers on reach, creator quality, costs, and how closely the agency will work with their team.

You are usually trying to figure out who will truly understand your brand, handle campaign details, and deliver measurable results without wasting budget.

Table of Contents

• What “influencer agency services” usually means
• What each agency is known for
• Inside Sway Group
• Inside IMA
• How the two agencies differ
• Pricing approach and how you work together
• Strengths and limitations
• Who each agency is best for
• When a platform like Flinque makes more sense
• FAQs
• Conclusion
• Disclaimer

What “influencer agency services” usually means

The primary topic here is influencer agency services. In practice, that usually covers strategy, creator sourcing, negotiations, brief writing, content approvals, and reporting, often across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and blogs.

Both agencies are built to handle most or all of that for brands that do not want to manage creators in-house.

What each agency is known for

Sway Group is widely associated with managed influencer campaigns in North America, especially with a strong history in blogging, parenting, and lifestyle creators. Over time it has expanded into broader consumer and CPG work across major social platforms.

IMA, originally branded as Influencer Marketing Agency, is based in Europe and is known for global work, fashion and lifestyle clients, and polished creative. It often partners with brands that want international reach and highly styled content.

Both are full-service influencer partners, but they come from slightly different roots and geography, which shapes how they work and who they tend to attract.

Inside Sway Group

Core services for brands

Sway Group focuses on fully managed campaigns for brands that want a partner to run the entire process from idea to reporting. Typical services include:

• Campaign strategy and creative concepts
• Influencer discovery and vetting
• Contracting and negotiations
• Briefing and content guidance
• Content review and approvals
• Paid amplification and whitelisting support
• Reporting and performance insights

The agency often emphasizes authentic storytelling, longer-form content, and relatable voices rather than pure celebrity reach.

How Sway Group runs campaigns

Campaign planning usually starts with audience goals, brand guidelines, and required platforms. They then match creators from their network and wider market, propose a roster, and shape concepts around product use, everyday life, and storytelling.

Content often includes multi-post programs, such as TikTok plus Instagram Reels, pinned posts, or blog content that can support SEO.

Creator relationships and network style

Sway Group has roots in curated creator communities, especially within parenting, lifestyle, food, and home categories. Many of these relationships have been developed over years through repeated programs.

This can matter if you want reliable creators who understand brand safety, FTC rules, and how to handle more detailed briefs without losing authenticity.

Typical client fit for Sway Group

Brands that often lean toward this agency include:

• CPG and household brands targeting U.S. families
• Retailers and grocery chains seeking shopper-focused content
• Parenting, baby, and kids’ products
• Food, recipe, and home-focused products
• Mid-market brands wanting hands-on support without building an internal team

Large enterprises also work with them, but the sweet spot is often brands that value deep storytelling with clearly defined audiences in North America.

Inside IMA

Core services for brands

IMA is also full-service, with a strong emphasis on creative concepting and cross-border coordination. Its services typically include:

• Influencer strategy and positioning
• Creator casting across Europe and globally
• Campaign production and coordination
• Content creation with a strong visual focus
• Event-based influencer programs and trips
• Reporting, brand lift, and campaign wrap-ups

The agency is frequently associated with premium lifestyle storytelling and visually strong executions for fashion, beauty, and luxury-adjacent brands.

How IMA runs campaigns

Campaigns typically start with a strong creative angle: a visual theme, narrative hook, or seasonal moment. Once the idea is set, they cast creators whose feeds already match the tone.

You’ll often see multi-country campaigns where creators post in their native language while expressing a unified brand story.

Creator relationships and network style

IMA works with a wide range of creators, from mid-tier to top-tier talent, especially within European markets. Relationships tend to center on style, aesthetic, and audience match.

This is especially useful for brands wanting local relevance in multiple countries while keeping the brand look consistent.

Typical client fit for IMA

Brands that regularly collaborate with IMA often include:

• Fashion and apparel companies with seasonal campaigns
• Beauty, skincare, and cosmetics lines
• Luxury or premium lifestyle brands
• Tech and consumer brands seeking a stylish, global image
• Companies based in or expanding into Europe

The agency is especially attractive for marketers who put visual brand identity and cross-border coordination at the center of their plans.

How the two agencies differ

Both agencies aim to deliver strong influencer agency services, but their histories and locations shape their strengths. This section focuses on practical differences you’ll feel as a client.

Market focus and geography

Sway Group leans more toward North American audiences, with many campaigns focused on U.S. and Canadian consumers. That makes it a natural fit for brands whose main priority is those markets.

IMA has a strong European base and is frequently chosen by brands needing reach in markets like the Netherlands, Germany, France, the U.K., and beyond, often with localized content.

Content style and tone

Content from Sway Group campaigns often feels grounded in everyday life: family routines, recipes, shopping trips, and honest stories. There’s usually a practical angle and strong focus on trust.

IMA’s work is often more polished and fashion-forward, with well-composed imagery and video. Many campaigns feel like mini editorials tailored to social media rather than casual, lo-fi moments.

Audience and category strengths

If you sell groceries, home goods, children’s items, or household products, Sway Group’s historical strength in these niches can be a real advantage.

If your brand is fashion, beauty, or premium lifestyle, IMA’s track record with style-focused creators often lines up better with your brand DNA and visual standards.

Client experience and collaboration style

Both agencies manage most day-to-day campaign details, but the collaboration style can feel different. Sway Group tends to emphasize hands-on guidance for brands newer to influencer work.

IMA often feels like a creative partner for brands that already know their aesthetic and want that interpreted through high-impact social storytelling.

Pricing approach and how you work together

Neither agency uses SaaS-style plans or publicly shared flat pricing. Costs are usually built around custom scopes that match your campaign needs, creator tiers, and timelines.

Common pricing elements you might see

With both agencies, budgets are often broken into several pieces:

• Influencer fees, based on audience size and content volume
• Agency management fees for planning and execution
• Production costs, especially for complex shoots or travel
• Paid promotion budgets for boosting content
• Optional add-ons like extra content rights or usage periods

Brands with larger budgets can typically activate more creators, more content, or more markets, while smaller budgets may push toward tighter scopes and fewer posts.

Engagement models

Most work is done either as one-off campaigns or multi-month retainers. One-off engagements are common when testing an agency or running a seasonal push.

Retainers usually make sense if you plan ongoing influencer activity with multiple waves, product drops, or markets over a year.

Strengths and limitations

Every agency has areas where it shines and areas where it might be less ideal. Knowing these helps you avoid misalignment early.

Where Sway Group tends to shine

• Deep experience with family, parenting, and lifestyle content
• Comfort with blog plus social formats and evergreen storytelling
• Access to creators trusted by U.S. consumers in everyday categories
• Strong fit for CPG launches and retail-driven campaigns

Many brands worry that influencer content will feel fake or scripted. Sway Group’s focus on relatable creators and practical stories can help ease that concern.

Potential limitations with Sway Group

• Less naturally positioned for highly stylized, luxury-focused work
• Not as inherently centered on European markets as some global firms
• May be less ideal if your audience is primarily Gen Z in non-U.S. regions

Where IMA tends to shine

• Highly visual, aesthetic campaigns for fashion and beauty
• Multi-country coordination across Europe and beyond
• Access to style-forward creators who already match premium brands
• Strong fit for brands wanting global or pan-European storytelling

IMA can be particularly strong when influencer content is a visible part of brand identity, not just a performance channel.

Potential limitations with IMA

• May feel more polished than some brands want for “everyday” stories
• European focus can be less essential for strictly North American goals
• Premium positioning may be less aligned with smaller, low-budget tests

Who each agency is best for

Best fit for Sway Group

You may lean toward Sway Group if your brand:

• Sells CPG, grocery, or household products aimed at families
• Targets U.S. or North American consumers first
• Wants relatable storytelling over high-gloss editorial style
• Values longer-form content like blogs alongside social posts
• Needs a partner that can walk newer teams through influencer basics

Best fit for IMA

You may lean toward IMA if your brand:

• Operates in fashion, beauty, or premium lifestyle
• Needs cross-border campaigns in Europe or global markets
• Prioritizes brand image, aesthetics, and cohesive visual identity
• Is comfortable with more polished, editorial-style creator feeds
• Already has a strong brand look and wants it amplified

When a platform like Flinque makes more sense

Full-service agencies are powerful, but they are not always the right fit. Some brands prefer more direct control and lower ongoing fees.

Flinque is an example of a platform-based alternative. Instead of an agency running everything, your team uses the software to handle creator discovery, outreach, and campaign coordination in-house.

Situations where a platform can work better

• You have a small marketing team but want to build internal expertise.
• Your budget is limited and agency retainers feel too high.
• You want to test influencers on a small scale before scaling up.
• You plan frequent, smaller bursts of activity rather than big launches.

Platforms like Flinque usually appeal to hands-on teams comfortable managing details, messaging, and negotiation themselves, in exchange for lower fixed costs.

FAQs

How do I decide which influencer agency to contact first?

Start with your main markets, product category, and content style. If you’re U.S.-focused and sell everyday products, Sway Group may align more. If you’re European or style-driven, IMA often fits better. Then send a brief to both and compare proposals.

Can either agency handle TikTok and short-form video?

Yes. Both agencies work across major platforms, including TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. The difference lies more in content tone and creator types rather than whether they can technically run a short-form video campaign.

Do I need a big budget to work with these agencies?

You don’t necessarily need a huge budget, but you do need enough to cover creator fees and agency management. Brands with extremely small budgets often find more flexibility using platform tools or testing micro-influencers directly.

Can I keep the content rights after a campaign ends?

Content rights are normally negotiated case by case. You’ll often pay extra for extended usage, paid ads, or whitelisting rights. Always clarify how long you can use content, where, and in what formats before finalizing contracts.

Is it better to hire one agency globally or split by region?

It depends on your structure and goals. One global agency can simplify coordination, but splitting by region can give you deeper local insight. Many brands start with a lead market and then expand once they see what works.

Conclusion

Choosing between these agencies comes down to where your customers live, how you want your brand to feel, and how involved you plan to be. Sway Group leans into relatable, everyday storytelling for North American consumers.

IMA leans into polished, style-led storytelling for brands with European or global ambitions. Your budget, creative expectations, and appetite for hands-on work should guide your final choice.

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.