The Shelf vs PopShorts

Why brands weigh influencer agency choices

Choosing the right influencer partner can make or break your next launch. Many marketers look at agencies like The Shelf and PopShorts when they want strong creative ideas, smoother creator management, and real results they can show their teams.

Both firms specialize in building campaigns around social creators, but they shine in different ways. You’re likely trying to figure out which one matches your goals, your budget, and how involved you want to be in the day‑to‑day work.

This page walks through what each agency is known for, how they typically run campaigns, who they serve best, and where they may not be the right fit.

How to think about influencer campaign partners

The primary keyword here is influencer campaign agency choice. That’s really what you’re deciding: which partner can move the needle for your brand without wasting time or budget.

Most teams want three things. First, clear creative direction so content looks on brand. Second, a stress‑free process with creators. Third, honest reporting that proves the spend was worthwhile.

Full service influencer agencies promise all three. The tradeoff is cost and the level of control you hand over. Understanding the style of each agency helps you decide whether their way of working fits your internal team.

What each agency is known for

Both agencies build strategy, match brands with creators, handle outreach, coordinate content, and track performance. They just grew up in different corners of the social world and lean into different strengths.

The Shelf tends to highlight its focus on storytelling, detailed audience targeting, and campaigns that stretch across several platforms. It often positions itself as highly data‑minded and creative at the same time.

PopShorts built its reputation early around short‑form and vertical video, working closely with creators on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and other fast‑paced formats that favor quick storytelling.

If you think about them side by side, one often feels like a narrative‑driven, multi‑channel partner, while the other feels closer to a short‑form, social‑native production house wrapped in an influencer service.

The Shelf at a glance

This agency usually appeals to brands that want carefully planned campaigns rather than one‑off posts. It leans into research, structured creative briefs, and thematic storytelling that can be repeated and scaled.

Services you can expect

While offerings change over time, brands commonly lean on services such as:

• Campaign strategy and creative concepts
• Influencer discovery and vetting
• Contracting and negotiations
• Content planning and approvals
• Program management and communication
• Reporting and performance analysis

The agency often highlights its ability to blend audience data with creative ideas, so briefs are built around who you want to reach, not just the size of a creator’s following.

Approach to running campaigns

Campaigns are typically structured around a central theme or story. You might see multiple content waves, supporting posts from smaller creators, and cross‑platform planning tied to your broader marketing calendar.

Expect a detailed upfront planning phase. They’ll usually map out creator tiers, deliverables, timelines, and content angles before any filming starts. This often suits brand teams with stakeholders who want visibility.

Once live, content is monitored and optimized. That can mean adjusting posting times, content angles, or supporting paid amplification if the strategy includes boosting high‑performing posts.

Creator relationships and style

This type of agency tends to maintain a broad network rather than a small, exclusive roster. The benefit is flexibility; they can source influencers within many niches, demographics, and regions.

Because campaigns are highly structured, some creators may experience a more formal workflow. There are usually clear briefs, brand guardrails, and approval loops, which many bigger influencers are already used to.

For brands, this can feel safe and predictable. For creators, it may feel a bit more controlled, which can be positive or negative depending on how much you want them to improvise.

Typical client fit

Companies that gravitate to this style often fall into a few groups:

• Consumer brands wanting consistent, long‑term storytelling
• Marketers needing to justify spend with detailed reporting
• Teams coordinating influencer work with TV, paid social, and retail
• Brands with approval‑heavy legal or regulatory needs

If you want a partner that will thoroughly plan, manage, and report, and you’re comfortable with a more structured feel, this type of agency can be a strong fit.

PopShorts at a glance

PopShorts is often associated with short‑form, social‑first storytelling. It leans into culture, trends, and highly shareable creative in vertical video formats where attention spans are limited.

Services you can expect

Much like other influencer shops, core services generally include:

• Creative concepting for short‑form content
• Creator sourcing, outreach, and selection
• Production support for video‑heavy ideas
• Campaign management and scheduling
• Social optimization and trend alignment
• Measurement of reach, engagement, and other agreed KPIs

The emphasis is typically on making content that feels native to fast‑moving feeds rather than polished ads repurposed for social media.

Approach to running campaigns

Campaigns often revolve around video hooks, challenges, skits, or bite‑sized stories that can catch interest in the first seconds. Ideas may lean into trending sounds, formats, or cultural moments.

Because trends move fast, timelines can be tighter. You may see a stronger focus on speed, iteration, and responsiveness to what’s happening on each platform that week or month.

Brands working with this style of partner usually get content that feels loose, playful, and platform‑native, sometimes with less rigid structure than traditional campaigns.

Creator relationships and style

PopShorts typically works with creators who understand the language of short‑form platforms deeply. These are people used to filming, editing, and publishing quick videos that fit the latest norms.

Briefs might be more focused on the hook and tone than on long brand stories. That gives creators room to improvise but still keeps them aligned with your key talking points.

For brands comfortable with more spontaneity, this can produce standout content. For teams needing every word approved, it may feel fast and somewhat unpredictable.

Typical client fit

Marketers drawn to this approach often look like:

• Brands chasing awareness among younger, social‑native audiences
• Entertainment, gaming, fashion, or lifestyle categories
• Teams wanting big splash moments tied to trends or launches
• Marketers focused on TikTok, Reels, and other vertical video channels

If your goal is buzz, cultural relevance, or viral‑leaning creative, this flavor of influencer partner usually feels very natural.

How the two agencies differ

Even though both firms manage creators and campaigns, there are real differences in tone, planning style, and how content ends up looking in the feed.

Creative style and storytelling

One agency typically leans into multi‑layered narratives that stretch across posts and platforms. You might have themes built around seasons, product lines, or audience segments.

The other tends to focus on creative sprints: sharp video concepts designed to grab attention fast. Think hooks, quick jokes, or simple visual stories that people want to share or remix.

Which you choose depends on whether you value depth of story over time, or short bursts of heightened visibility tied to social trends.

Planning depth and process

Planning intensity is another dividing line. A more methodical partner builds detailed campaign plans and timelines before outreach even starts. That can mean more upfront meetings but fewer surprises later.

A trend‑driven shop may prioritize speed and adaptability. You might see quicker turnarounds, looser structures, and more room to adjust as your campaign unfolds in real‑time.

If your leadership expects rigid launch calendars, the first style may be safer. If your brand thrives on agility, the second can create fresher, in‑the‑moment content.

Focus across platforms

Some influencer firms are built for multi‑channel execution. They’ll think about how ideas play on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, blogs, and even podcasts at once, keeping the creative thread intact.

Others obsess over a smaller set of social platforms, especially those where short‑form video dominates. They focus on mastering the quirks, memes, and best practices of those environments.

Alignment with your channel strategy is crucial. Spreading thin across many networks requires a different mindset from going deep on one or two.

Client experience and communication

On the client side, a heavily planned approach often means structured check‑ins, formal decks, and complete recaps. It can feel closer to working with a traditional creative agency.

A nimble, trend‑driven approach may feel lighter and more conversational, with faster feedback loops around content drafts and performance updates.

*Many brands worry about being left in the dark once a campaign launches.* How often you want touchpoints should influence which partner feels right.

Pricing and engagement style

Neither agency sells like typical software. Pricing usually depends on your scope, how many creators you need, and how involved the agency will be from strategy to reporting.

How pricing usually works

Both agencies generally work with custom quotes. They consider your goals, markets, content volume, and campaign length. Rather than fixed public packages, they build a plan around your budget range.

Common pricing structures include:

• One‑off campaign fees for a defined project
• Monthly or quarterly retainers for ongoing work
• Separate budgets dedicated to creator fees and media boosts
• Occasional add‑on costs for extra content or usage rights

Most of your budget typically goes to creator compensation and production, with a portion covering the agency’s strategy and management time.

Engagement style and commitment

For some brands, working on a single test campaign is enough to learn how an agency operates. Others jump straight into longer retainers if they already know influencer work will be central to their marketing.

A more structured shop may prefer multi‑month engagements so planning and learning can compound. A fast‑moving, trend‑based partner might be more used to burst campaigns around launches.

Ask how each firm prefers to work before you sign anything. Misaligned expectations around duration and scope often cause the biggest headaches.

Strengths and limitations

Every influencer agency has tradeoffs. The key is matching those tradeoffs to your real needs, not an ideal picture of what you wish your team looked like.

Where structured, narrative‑driven agencies shine

• Strong at building campaigns that line up with broader brand strategy
• Comfortable handling complex, multi‑platform efforts
• Provide thorough documentation, reporting, and creative rationale
• Useful for regulated spaces needing tight message control

Limitations can include longer ramp‑up time and sometimes higher minimum budgets, since more planning and reporting work is involved per project.

Where short‑form, trend‑focused agencies shine

• Great for buzzy content that feels native to short‑form platforms
• Often faster from idea to live content
• Helpful when you want to lean into current memes or cultural moments
• Can be more experimental with formats and tone

On the flip side, results can be less predictable, and heavily trend‑driven content may age quickly once the moment passes or platform tastes shift.

Common concerns brands raise

*Many marketers quietly worry, “Will this agency really understand our brand?”* That fear shows up when early concepts miss the mark or creators feel off tone.

Another frequent concern is transparency: seeing exactly where budget goes, how creators are chosen, and what will happen if content underperforms or needs re‑shoots.

Address these candidly in your early calls. Ask for examples where the agency had to adjust course mid‑campaign and what they learned from it.

Who each agency is best for

Once you understand style and tradeoffs, it becomes easier to picture which partner fits your brand stage, industry, and internal capacity.

Brands that fit structured storytelling agencies

• Mid‑size and enterprise consumer brands with multiple stakeholders
• Marketers planning integrated launches across many channels
• Teams that rely on detailed decks, forecasts, and recaps
• Brands where long‑term positioning matters more than quick spikes

If you have a clear brand book, firm approval processes, and a desire for repeatable frameworks, this kind of partner aligns well.

Brands that fit short‑form, trend‑driven agencies

• Consumer brands chasing momentum on TikTok, Reels, or Shorts
• Launches needing cultural heat over a short window
• Marketing teams comfortable with humorous or edgy content
• Companies targeting younger or highly online audiences

When your biggest goal is standing out quickly in noisy feeds, and you can stomach a bit of unpredictability, this style can produce memorable wins.

Questions to ask yourself before choosing

• Do we value depth of planning or agility more right now?
• Is our leadership more focused on brand metrics or short‑term spikes?
• How strict are our legal and compliance needs for creator content?
• Can we support an ongoing relationship, or do we just need a one‑off?

Your honest answers to these will highlight which agency style feels natural rather than forced.

When a platform alternative makes more sense

Sometimes neither route feels perfect. Maybe your team wants control over creator relationships, or your budget doesn’t stretch to full service retainers with either firm.

In those cases, a software‑driven option like Flinque can be worth exploring. It’s built as a platform, not an agency, letting brands handle discovery, outreach, and campaign tracking directly.

You trade some done‑for‑you support for lower ongoing fees and more internal ownership. This works well for teams that already understand influencer marketing but want better tools.

Flinque can also sit alongside a specialist agency. Some marketers use a platform for always‑on seeding, then bring in an external team for bigger tentpole moments.

FAQs

How do I know if my budget is big enough for these agencies?

Both firms typically build custom proposals, so there’s no universal minimum. If you can support fair creator fees plus management time, it’s worth a conversation. Be upfront about your budget range early so neither side wastes time.

Should I choose one agency for everything or use several?

Many brands start with one main partner to simplify communication and learning. Later, they may add specialists for certain regions or platforms. If your spend is modest, focus on building one strong relationship first.

Can these agencies work with creators I already know?

Usually, yes. Most influencer agencies are comfortable blending your existing creator relationships with new talent they source. Clarify how they’ll handle contracts, fees, and communication for people you bring to the table.

How long should I run an influencer campaign?

It depends on your goal. Product drops or events may only need a few weeks. Brand building often benefits from multi‑month or always‑on programs. Discuss timelines and learning periods during early planning sessions.

What should I prepare before speaking with either agency?

Have clear goals, example brands or campaigns you like, rough budget ranges, target audiences, key markets, and non‑negotiable brand rules. Bringing this to your first call makes it much easier for any agency to propose the right approach.

Making the call for your brand

When you strip away the buzzwords, you’re really choosing between different creative styles, planning depths, and ways of working. Both agencies can deliver strong results, but only if their natural strengths match your real needs.

If you need detailed planning, cross‑channel consistency, and careful message control, a structured, narrative‑led partner will likely feel right. If your biggest priority is quick, social‑native content that rides trends, a short‑form specialist may be better.

Be honest about your budget, your appetite for risk, and how much control you expect. Talk to both teams, ask for case studies close to your situation, and notice which conversations feel clearer and more aligned.

Influencer marketing works best when your brand, your partners, and your creators are all pulling toward the same picture of success. Choose the agency that helps make that picture real, not just the one with the flashiest reels.

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.