A talent agency represents creators and well-known personalities: it works on behalf of the talent, finds and negotiates commercial deals, builds the talent’s brand and gives business and legal support. An influencer marketing agency works on behalf of the brand: it sets the strategy, develops the campaign idea, selects the right talent from across the market, manages production and paid media, and measures the results. The simplest way to tell them apart is to ask who the client is. Heading into 2027, the line is blurring – more agencies combine strategic campaign work with close talent relationships, and brands that understand both roles get better partnerships and fewer surprises in negotiations.

The distinction matters more as the market professionalises. Mediemyndigheten’s report on influencers in the Swedish media market notes that several of the biggest influencers now have their own agents and production companies, and that campaigns and collaborations are planned far in advance. Here is how talent agencies, influencer agencies and influencer networks differ – and which one a brand should contact.

What does a talent agency do?

According to Mediemyndigheten, a talent agency acts as the representative of the influencer. It often works exclusively with its talents, which means collaborations normally have to go through the agency. The agency helps find relevant advertisers, negotiates contracts, builds the talent’s brand and provides business and legal support.

In other words, a talent agency’s job is to grow the talent’s career and income over time. That includes saying no to deals that do not fit, protecting the talent’s credibility with their audience and making sure fees, exclusivity and usage rights reflect the talent’s value.

The term also has a legal meaning in some markets. In California, for example, a talent agency is defined as a person or company that procures or tries to procure employment or engagements for artists, and running one requires a licence from the state Labor Commissioner. In Sweden there is no equivalent licence, but a related rule applies to all advertising: under the law on names and images in advertising, a company may not use another person’s name or image in its marketing without consent.

What does an influencer marketing agency do?

An influencer marketing agency starts with the brand’s business goal and builds the campaign around it. Typical work includes strategy, creative concept, talent selection across many creators and personalities, negotiation, production, activation, paid media, PR, gifting, events, ad labelling and reporting. Because it works for the brand, it can recommend whichever talent fits best – regardless of who represents them.

Collabri, founded in Stockholm in 2023 and working in Sweden and Norway, combines this campaign work with close relationships to talents such as Pernilla Wahlgren, Carolina Gynning, Carina Berg, Laila Bagge, Marko “Markoolio” Lehtosalo and Sofia Wistam. That combination shows in campaigns such as Ellos with Gynning & Berg at Tough Viking, which reached more than 756,000 views, and Dressmann’s “Suit Up”.

How is an influencer network different?

There is a third kind of intermediary. Mediemyndigheten describes influencer networks as intermediaries between advertisers and influencers where the relationship is usually less exclusive: an influencer can be connected to a network without all collaborations having to go through it. Some networks specialise in video or in smaller creators and micro-influencers, and some also offer studios and production help. Affiliate networks, in turn, mainly provide technical systems for tracking clicks and purchases and handling commissions.

Many influencers have no intermediary at all and manage their collaborations themselves, according to the same report.

What are the key differences?

• Who is the client: a talent agency works for the talent; an influencer agency works for the brand.

• Exclusivity: a talent agency often represents its talents exclusively; an influencer agency can work with talent from anywhere in the market.

• Scope: a talent agency focuses on deals, career and brand-building for the talent; an influencer agency focuses on strategy, creative, production, paid media and results for the brand.

• Incentives: a talent agency aims for the best terms and long-term value for the talent; an influencer agency aims for the best fit and results within the brand’s budget.

• Number of talents per campaign: a talent agency offers its own roster; an influencer agency can combine several talents, creators and channels in one plan.

Should a brand contact a talent agency or an influencer agency?

If you already know exactly which personality you want, and only need one collaboration, contacting their representative directly can work. If you need help choosing talent, developing an idea, combining several creators, producing content and buying media – or if you want someone on your side of the negotiation – an influencer marketing agency is usually the better starting point. A good influencer agency will still work with talent agencies, because that is how many well-known personalities are booked.

Whichever route you choose, agree on deliverables, exclusivity, usage rights, paid amplification and ad labelling in writing. In Sweden the brand carries the main responsibility for labelling and cannot contract it away to the creator, according to Konsumentverket.

How do brands work well with talent agencies?

Talent agencies get many requests, and the ones that get a quick, positive answer are clear and respectful of the talent’s brand. Explain the product, the idea, the audience, the timeline and what you want the talent to do. Be open about usage rights, paid amplification and any exclusivity from the first contact, because these affect the fee more than anything else. Leave room for the talent’s own voice – a personality who can shape the content in their own way usually delivers something their audience believes in. And think long term: a talent who has had a good experience with a brand is far more likely to say yes to the next collaboration.

What changes for talent and influencer agencies toward 2027?

Four shifts are worth knowing about:

• Longer partnerships. Digiday reported research from Billion Dollar Boy showing that 73 percent of marketers planned to invest in more ambassador programs within a year. Long-term ambassadorships require both talent-side and brand-side expertise.

• Talents become media companies. Mediemyndigheten describes how leading Swedish influencers run production companies, own brands and roles in traditional media. Expect more professional negotiations and higher demands on creative freedom.

• AI and likeness rights. The EU AI Act’s transparency rules have applied since 2 August this year, with further requirements on 2 February 2027. Contracts will increasingly need to cover whether a talent’s face or voice may be recreated or altered with AI – and how that is disclosed.

• Platforms make direct booking easier. Meta’s Creator Marketing Hub, launched globally in September according to Marketing Dive, lets brands find creators and turn their content into ads in one place. That makes it easier to reach smaller creators directly, while well-known personalities are still mostly booked through their representatives.

Key takeaways

• A talent agency works for the talent; an influencer marketing agency works for the brand.

• Talent agencies often represent talent exclusively, so collaborations normally go through them.

• Influencer networks are usually less exclusive, and affiliate networks mainly provide tracking and payments.

• Brands that need strategy, several talents, production and paid media usually start with an influencer agency.

• Toward 2027, expect longer partnerships, more professional talents and new contract terms for AI and likeness.

Frequently asked questions

Is a talent agency the same as an influencer agency?

No. A talent agency represents creators and personalities and manages their careers and deals. An influencer marketing agency works for brands and builds campaigns. Some agencies combine elements of both.

Do I have to go through a talent agency to work with a celebrity?

Often, yes. Many well-known personalities are represented exclusively, so collaborations normally go through their agency. An influencer marketing agency can handle that contact and negotiation for you.

Who pays the talent agency?

Arrangements vary and are agreed between the talent and their agency. As a brand, ask how fees are structured – including any agency fee on top of the talent fee – so you understand the total cost.

Can a brand use a personality’s name or image without an agreement?

No. Under Swedish law on names and images in advertising, a company may not use another person’s name or image in marketing without their consent.

Want help finding the right personalities and building a campaign around them? Contact Collabri at info@collabri.se. You can also browse our talents and client projects.

Read also

• Collabri’s Talent Network: Well-Known Faces Across Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland

• Influencer Marketing Agency: What It Does and What It Costs in 2027

• How to Choose an Influencer Marketing Agency in 2027 – A Checklist

• What Is Influencer Marketing? A Complete Guide for 2027

Sources

• Mediemyndigheten – Influencers på den svenska mediemarknaden (2026): https://mediemyndigheten.se/rapporter-och-analyser/influencers-pa-den-svenska-mediemarknaden/

• California Department of Industrial Relations – How to Obtain a Talent Agency License: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/talent_agency_license.html

• Riksdagen – Lag (1978:800) om namn och bild i reklam: https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/lag-1978800-om-namn-och-bild-i-reklam_sfs-1978-800/

• Konsumentverket – Influencers reklaminlägg – regler för företag: https://www.konsumentverket.se/marknadsratt-foretag/influencers-reklaminlagg-regler-for-foretag/

• Digiday – WFA sees 54% of multinational brands boosting influencer spending – with more relying on agencies to find creators (2025): https://digiday.com/marketing/wfa-sees-54-of-multinational-brands-boosting-influencer-spending-with-more-relying-on-agencies-to-find-creators/

• Paul, Weiss – EU Finalises Transparency Rules for AI-Generated Content (2026): https://www.paulweiss.com/insights/client-memos/eu-finalises-transparency-rules-for-ai-generated-content

• Marketing Dive – Meta streamlines creator, brand tie-ups with new marketing hub (2026): https://www.marketingdive.com/news/meta-streamlines-creator-brand-tie-ups-with-new-marketing-hub/830593/

This article was written with the help of AI and reviewed by Collabri.