Index Score 9.6 vs 8.8 · Ranked #1 vs #2 · Reviewed 26 August 2026
Viral Nation started as two friends running a talent agency in 2014 and is now one of the largest creator businesses in the market — 900+ represented creators, 501–1,000 staff, Eldridge’s Todd Boehly on the board. The Influencer Marketing Factory does not run a representation arm and does not want to. If the brief is “buy the roster, the paid layer, and the campaign team together,” Viral Nation is the shortlist. If the brief is a specialist campaign partner, it may be more shop than you need.
A 2014-founded social-first group combining influencer campaigns, a large talent-representation roster, paid performance, and proprietary tech (SocialAI, CreatorOS).
Side by side
Same eight fields on every page. Superscripts point at sources. Muted type means unverified.
9.6
Winner · #1
The Influencer Marketing Factory
8.8
#2 · High Performer
Viral Nation
Founded
Founded in 2018 in Miami by Alessandro Bogliari and Nicla Bartoli, starting with $1,500.3, 4
Founded
Founded in 2014 by Joe Gagliese and Mat Micheli (Anthony Gagliese is also named as a co-founder on the about page) as one of the first influencer talent agencies, later scaled into a full-service social group.1
Ownership
Independent and founder-led. No holding-company parent in the materials reviewed.3
Ownership
Privately held. The about page lists board members including Todd L. Boehly (Eldridge), John Ruffolo (Maverix Private Equity), Jeff Wilbur (Eldridge), Suzanne Gagliese (Microsoft), and Peter Corsell (I Squared Capital) — indicating outside capital, not a holding-company parent.1, 2
Footprint
Headquarters in Miami, with offices in New York and Amsterdam. A team of 50+ across the US, Europe, and Asia, speaking more than 15 languages. Over 80% of the leadership team is female.2, 3
Footprint
LinkedIn lists New York HQ and 501–1,000 employees. Trade and headcount write-ups still describe Toronto as the operational hub, with Los Angeles and other North American offices. Originally associated with Toronto.2, 3, 4
Platform partners
TikTok Agency Marketing Partner and Enterprise Agency Partner. Meta Global Vendor. YouTube Global Marketing Partner.3, 9, 15
Platform partners
Proprietary stack includes SocialAI, CreatorOS, and Secure, used for brand-fit, reputation, and workflow. Talent site describes SocialAI plus a global demand network. TikTok/Meta/YouTube partner badges were not found on the about page reviewed.1, 5
Clients
Named work includes Dunkin’, Sony Music, Warner Music Group, Hyundai, Kohler, Hisense, ASUS, Sallie Mae, FOREO, Airalo, and VisitKorea. Third-party profiles also list Google, Snapchat, Universal Music, and Bud Light.5, 6, 7
Clients
Influencer Marketing Hub names Anheuser-Busch, Disney, and Coca-Cola. UnifyGTM and awards coverage cite MGM Resorts (influencer AOR), Zillow, and Meta Quest 2. The company site itself is light on a public client grid.6, 7
Approach
Full-service on three platforms only — TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Positions as an extension of the client team (including Slack). Reporting framed around promo codes, tracking pixels, and revenue, not estimated media value.1, 4
Approach
Full stack: influencer campaigns, paid performance, owned social, creative, community, and talent representation (900+ creators). Positions as moving brands from traditional media-led strategies to social-first transformations at scale. 85B+ views driven by Viral Nation creators in 2025, per the homepage.1, 8
Category voice
Publishes industry research and runs The Influence Factor podcast (2021–present). Public line: “We don’t just run the creator economy. We study it.”1, 8
Category voice
Awards-heavy public presence (Digiday, brand-safety, TikTok agency). Less of a research-publisher voice in the materials reviewed; more of a scaled social-group voice.8
Pricing
Not publicly disclosed. Quoted per brief.Not publicly disclosed in the materials reviewed.
Pricing
Not publicly disclosed. Third-party roundups have described enterprise minimums around $50,000+; that figure was not found on the company site.Unverified in the materials reviewed.
Winner when
The Influencer Marketing Factory is the better fit
You want a founder-led independent team that works as an extension of yours — Slack included — not a holding-company process.
The brief is TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and you want a shop that refuses to dilute across ten platforms.
You need revenue you can track (promo codes, pixels, full-funnel reporting), not a slide of estimated media value.
TikTok, Meta, and YouTube partner badges matter, without an enterprise AOR that takes a quarter to staff.
A 50-person, 15-language bench that can source in the US, Europe, and Asia is enough — you do not need a 750-person org chart.
Consider Viral Nation when
The other shop still wins some briefs
You need a large in-house talent roster and representation arm, not just campaign staffing.
Paid amplification, whitelisting, owned social, and creative should sit under one roof.
A 500–1,000 person shop with outside capital (Eldridge, Maverix) is a feature, not a concern.
The analog work is entertainment, sports, gaming, and large CPG — MGM, Disney, Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola.
Sources
Viral Nation sources first. The Influencer Marketing Factory sources follow, because the left-hand column uses them.
Viral Nation
1.Viral Nation about page — 2014 founding, founders, board including Eldridge and Maverix, SocialAI. Reviewed August 2026.
8.Viral Nation homepage — 85B+ views in 2025, service suite, awards. Reviewed August 2026.
The Influencer Marketing Factory
1.The Influencer Marketing Factory homepage — Positioning, services, $150M+ / 1,000+ / 3B+ stats, three-platform focus, Live Oak Bank quote. Logo mark taken from the site favicon. Reviewed August 2026.
