Viral Nation vs August United

Why brands weigh influencer agency options

Choosing between leading influencer marketing agencies can feel overwhelming. You are balancing reach, creative quality, risk, and cost, all while trying to prove real impact on sales or signups.

Most marketers want clear answers to a few core questions: who these partners really serve, what they actually do day to day, and how working with them will feel.

The primary focus here is the keyword phrase influencer marketing agency choice. You will see how two well known firms stack up so you can judge which style fits your brand, team, and timelines.

Table of Contents

• What these agencies are known for
• Viral Nation: services and client fit
• August United: services and client fit
• How their approaches and scale differ
• Pricing approach and how work is structured
• Strengths and limitations of each option
• Who each agency is best suited for
• When a platform like Flinque makes more sense
• FAQs
• Conclusion: choosing the right partner
• Disclaimer

What these agencies are known for

Both agencies are recognized for building influencer campaigns that stretch across social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and emerging video channels. Each one, however, carved out a different reputation in the market.

Viral Nation is broadly associated with large scale, high visibility creator campaigns and a footprint that spans multiple regions. Brands often look to them when they want big reach, trend driven content, and access to established creator talent.

August United, on the other hand, is frequently linked with relationship driven campaigns and more collaborative storytelling. Many brands view them as a better fit when they care deeply about long term creator partnerships and values based narratives.

When marketers search for options, they usually want to understand style: one partner feels more like a fast moving production engine, while the other is seen as a storyteller that leans into brand alignment and authenticity.

Viral Nation: services and client fit

The Toronto based firm is best known as a full service influencer and social agency that can handle complex, multi channel programs. They often work with global or fast growing brands that need a lot done quickly.

Core services and capabilities

While details change over time, their services typically cover the full campaign journey from idea to reporting. That makes them attractive to brands with lean internal teams or tight launch windows.

• Influencer discovery, vetting, and management
• Creative strategy and content planning
• Contracting, compliance, and usage rights
• Campaign execution across major social platforms
• Paid amplification and whitelisting of creator content
• Reporting tied to reach, engagement, and basic business goals

In some cases, they also support broader social media work, talent representation, and brand ambassador programs, blurring the line between influencer campaigns and always on social presence.

How campaigns are usually run

Campaigns with this kind of partner typically follow a structured process. Discovery calls lead into creative concepts, influencer shortlists, and phased rollouts across platforms like TikTok and YouTube.

You can expect a heavy focus on playbook led execution. That means clear timelines, standardized deliverables, and reporting cycles. For large organizations, this predictable shape helps with internal approvals and legal checks.

The agency will often bring a roster of creators they have worked with before, plus new talent sourced for your niche. This mix lets them move quickly while still tailoring the program to your brand.

Creator relationships and talent access

Over time, large influencer shops build deep relationships with talent managers and top tier creators. This can unlock access to names that are hard for individual brands to secure on their own.

However, high profile creators come with constraints. Availability, creative control, and legal guardrails all shape what your campaign can include. That is normal, but worth understanding if you expect total flexibility.

This type of agency is often comfortable running large creator rosters at once, coordinating dozens or even hundreds of posts across markets and time zones.

Typical client profile

Marketers who gravitate to this style of partner usually share a few traits. They are under pressure to deliver big reach, tie into cultural moments, and ship content rapidly.

• Enterprise brands launching global or national campaigns
• Consumer apps and gaming brands chasing downloads and hype
• Fast moving DTC brands scaling in multiple countries
• Companies with limited internal influencer expertise

If you need a partner that can deliver scale, manage risk, and coordinate many creators at once, this model often fits well.

August United: services and client fit

Based in the United States, August United is also a full service influencer shop, but with a reputation for community spirit and brand storytelling. Many clients come to them seeking depth, not just volume.

Core services and capabilities

Like most established influencer partners, they tend to handle end to end support, though campaign style can feel more personal and narrative driven.

• Influencer identification and relationship building
• Brand story development and messaging support
• Creator content planning and brief writing
• Campaign management and content approvals
• Event based activations and experiential elements
• Reporting that emphasizes story impact and community response

They often highlight brand values and mission in campaigns, which can appeal to marketers in categories where trust is critical, such as food, wellness, and family products.

How campaigns are usually run

Engagements often start with deeper discovery workshops and audience conversations. Instead of rushing straight to creator names, they may dig into your customer stories first.

Campaigns can involve fewer creators with richer content, or ambassador style programs that unfold over many months. This approach is designed to build familiarity and loyalty rather than one off bursts.

For some brands, that slower burn can be more aligned with long sales cycles or complex products that need explanation rather than quick hype.

Creator relationships and collaboration style

Relationship driven agencies often talk about treating creators like partners rather than media placements. That means more creative input from the talent side and space for their voice.

Practically, that can look like collaborative workshops, co created scripts, and content series instead of single sponsored posts. It may also mean more back and forth during approvals.

While this can take more time, it often results in content that feels less like an ad and more like a natural part of the creator’s feed.

Typical client profile

Brands drawn to August United’s style usually care about fit and storytelling as much as pure reach. They might be growing steadily rather than racing for massive overnight spikes.

• CPG and food brands focused on family or lifestyle audiences
• Health, wellness, and fitness companies
• B2B and niche brands wanting deep education and trust
• Values driven organizations that prioritize brand safety

If your leadership team talks often about authenticity, long term brand building, and community, this style may feel more natural.

How their approaches and scale differ

While both are full service influencer partners, they often show up differently once work starts. The contrast is less about capability and more about emphasis and style.

Think of one as optimized for reach and operational muscle, and the other more tuned for storytelling and depth. Neither is right or wrong; it depends on your goals and timelines.

Scale and campaign intensity

On the scale side, larger influencer networks and broader geographic reach typically mean you can execute ambitious, multi region campaigns. This can be essential for global launches or entertainment brands.

Meanwhile, a shop that leans toward curated, relationship heavy work might run fewer creators per campaign but squeeze more story out of each collaboration. That can make sense for brands measuring sentiment, saves, and replies.

Creative style and tone

A fast moving, high volume partner usually champions trend led, visually bold content that jumps out in feeds. Expect short form video, punchy hooks, and fast editing.

A storyteller oriented agency often favors deeper narratives, longer formats, and thoughtful captions. They may pay closer attention to how content threads across multiple posts and platforms over time.

Ask yourself which style fits your brand voice. A fintech startup and a heritage food brand might need very different approaches.

Client experience and communication

Larger operations often run structured account teams with defined roles, clear ticketing processes, and consistent reporting cycles. That can be reassuring if your brand is complex and compliance heavy.

More boutique or relationship led teams may offer a tighter, more personal touch. You might talk directly with senior strategists more often, but capacity for last minute scope changes can be tighter.

Before choosing, consider how much hand holding your internal team needs and how quickly decisions can be made on your side.

Pricing approach and engagement style

Influencer agencies rarely publish fixed price lists because programs are highly customized. Still, pricing tends to follow a few familiar patterns across the industry.

How brands are usually charged

Most engagements blend several elements. Understanding these buckets will help you interpret quotes and avoid surprises later.

• Agency fees for strategy, management, and coordination
• Creator fees based on audience size and scope of work
• Production costs for shoots, editing, or travel
• Paid media budgets for boosting creator content
• Retainer fees for ongoing support and reporting

Agencies generally offer either project based pricing for specific campaigns or monthly retainers for always on programs and repeated launches.

Factors that influence cost

Several elements drive costs up or down regardless of which partner you pick. Being clear on these before you brief any agency will help you control budgets.

• Number of creators and total content pieces
• Platforms involved and required formats
• Rights usage, especially if you want to reuse content in ads
• Geographic reach and language needs
• Turnaround time and seasonality

High profile talent, complex approvals, or heavy production all add cost. If budget is tight, prioritize fewer creators with stronger fits rather than broad but shallow reach.

Engagement style and expectations

With larger, more operational agencies, retainers are common for brands that want continuous campaigns. This can unlock consistent support and easier planning.

Story driven partners may be equally open to both retainers and well defined projects, especially when they can design multi month arcs with recurring creators.

In all cases, make sure reporting expectations, success metrics, and internal approval processes are written into the statement of work.

Strengths and limitations of each option

Every influencer partner has tradeoffs. The right choice for one brand might be overkill or misaligned for another. Being honest about these pros and cons will help you avoid buyer’s remorse.

Where a large scale partner shines

• Can coordinate many creators and content pieces at once
• Has experience with big brand safety and legal needs
• Often brings tried and tested playbooks for major launches
• May provide access to top tier creators across categories

Limitations may include less flexibility for tiny tests and a process that feels heavier for smaller teams. Some marketers also worry about content feeling formulaic if not actively pushed toward originality.

Where a relationship driven partner shines

• Builds deeper ties between creators and your brand
• Focuses on story and community response, not only reach
• Can feel more collaborative and personal during planning
• Often a strong fit for brands with clear missions or values

Constraints may include smaller creator rosters for very niche categories and less capacity for huge, last minute global pushes. *A common concern is whether this style can still deliver the scale leadership expects.*

How to weigh these tradeoffs

Start with your biggest pressure point. Is leadership demanding viral reach, or are they more worried about trust, sentiment, and brand fit?

Then consider internal bandwidth. Teams with strong in house social skills may just need execution muscle. Others might want more strategic guidance and storytelling help from day one.

Who each agency is best suited for

To simplify your decision, it helps to picture the kind of marketer who tends to be happiest with each style of partner.

When a large, trend led partner fits best

• You are launching nationwide or global products on tight deadlines.
• Your category is fast moving, like gaming, apps, or entertainment.
• You measure success by impressions, installs, or major sales spikes.
• Your legal and compliance needs demand robust processes.
• Your budget can support significant creator and media spend.

When a story driven partner is the better match

• Your brand voice is thoughtful, values based, or educational.
• You care deeply about long term community and repeat exposure.
• You want creators to feel like true ambassadors, not ad slots.
• Your category rewards trust, such as wellness or parenting.
• You prefer fewer, deeper collaborations over huge rosters.

Questions to ask yourself before choosing

• How quickly do we need results that leadership can see?
• Are we comfortable with trend based content, or do we need evergreen stories?
• How much internal time can we dedicate to feedback and approvals?
• Is our budget better spent on many creators, or a smaller core group?

Your answers will help you narrow down which style of agency should sit at the top of your shortlist.

When a platform like Flinque makes more sense

Not every brand needs a full service influencer partner with large retainers. Some teams mainly want better tools to discover creators, track outreach, and keep campaigns organized.

This is where a platform based option such as Flinque can be relevant. Instead of handing everything to an agency, your team uses software to manage the process in house.

Why some brands prefer a platform

• Budgets are modest, but internal staff can handle execution.
• You want to test influencer marketing before big commitments.
• You prefer owning creator relationships directly.
• You run many small campaigns across different products or regions.

Tools like Flinque typically focus on discovery, outreach workflows, and performance tracking, helping marketers run influencer programs without long term agency retainers.

If you have at least one person able to spend real time managing creators and content, a platform can be a cost efficient way to build a repeatable program.

FAQs

How do I know which agency style is right for my brand?

Clarify your main goal: fast reach or long term trust. If you need large scale launches and complex coordination, a big operational partner fits. If you want deeper stories and lasting creator ties, a relationship driven agency may be better.

Can smaller brands work with these influencer agencies?

Some smaller brands can, especially if they have meaningful budgets or strong growth plans. However, minimum campaign sizes and retainers may be high. If budgets are tight, consider a platform like Flinque or a smaller boutique agency.

What should I prepare before speaking with any agency?

Come with clear goals, target audiences, must have platforms, and rough budget ranges. Examples of content you like, non negotiable brand rules, and internal approval timelines also help agencies craft realistic proposals and timelines.

How long does it take to launch a campaign?

Timelines vary, but four to eight weeks from kickoff is common. You need time for strategy, creator selection, contracts, content drafts, approvals, and scheduling. Complex legal reviews, multiple regions, or heavy production can add more weeks.

Should I prioritize big follower counts or niche creators?

It depends on your goal. Big creators can bring fast awareness but are costly and less targeted. Niche creators often drive better engagement and trust within specific communities. Many successful brands use a mix of both.

Conclusion: choosing the right partner

Choosing between major influencer agencies is less about who is objectively better and more about who is better for you. Style, scale, and storytelling priorities all matter.

If you need global reach, trend led creative, and serious operational muscle, a large, established shop that handles complex campaigns may be the best move.

If your brand wins on trust, depth, and values driven stories, a more relationship centric agency that focuses on long term creator partnerships can pay off.

For teams with limited budgets but enough internal capacity, platforms like Flinque offer a middle path, letting you keep control while still professionalizing your influencer efforts.

Start with your goals, budget, and internal bandwidth. Then talk openly with shortlisted partners about expectations, reporting, and success metrics. The right fit will feel aligned not just on services, but on how you want to show up for your audience.

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.