Squad, an influencer marketing platform and its talent buying arm the Reiman Agency has partnered with Famous Birthdays to introduce a “Sponsor” button that connects brands directly with creators for marketing campaigns. This pilot integration combines Famous Birthdays’ database, which reaches 25 million monthly visitors, with Squad’s influencer marketing platform.

The Current Challenge

Alden Reiman, Managing Director of the Reiman Agency at Squad, explains the complex landscape brands face when trying to connect with creators: “Unlike traditional [entertainment], where you’ve got tools like IMDb Pro where it’s very easy to find reps to start engaging with talent and get to deal flow dialog, it’s not always the case in digital.”

The current process is particularly challenging for newer brands entering the space. “When you’ve been playing in the sandbox for a while, the buyers have a really good understanding of how to get in front of the talent that they want,” Reiman notes. “But there are guys out there that are really just tough to reach. There’s no email on their YouTube, there’s no email on their Instagram, and they’re sure as heck not going to respond to a DM.”

This fragmentation in the market particularly affects less established brands Reiman explains. Many creators are inaccessible through traditional channels, making it difficult for brands to initiate conversations about potential partnerships.

How It Works

The partnership integrates Squad’s services directly into Famous Birthdays’ platform through a “Sponsor” button placed on creator profiles. Currently implemented across 2,500 profiles during the pilot phase, the button appears next to creator information, allowing brands to initiate contact through Squad’s system.

The integration builds upon Famous Birthdays’ existing strengths in creator discovery. The platform’s proprietary ranking system and verification process helps brands identify relevant talent based on actual user engagement rather than paid promotion. “You can’t pay to be on Famous Birthdays. [Our rankings are] based on user demand and their engagement,” Britton explains.

When brands click the button, they’re prompted to provide information about their company and campaign goals. Squad then leverages its network to facilitate connections, handling every aspect of the deal-making process. “We’re negotiating every term,” Reiman explains, from initial contact through final execution.

The system operates like a “broker house” or trading floor, maintaining a fast-paced deal flow environment. “Our deal flow – I mean, we’ve had things coming in this morning that are closed. We don’t close our doors, we don’t shut down for the holidays,” Reiman notes, emphasizing the platform’s and teams ability to execute deals quickly.

Anthony Adamovich, CEO and founder of Squad, adds that the system goes beyond simple matchmaking: “When marketers use the new ‘Sponsor’ button, Squad leverages its expansive network of influencers and creators to suggest alternative talent options at various price points.” This approach helps brands maximize their reach while staying within budget constraints.

Platform Capabilities

The integration utilizes Famous Birthdays’ proprietary, manually verified insights about creators and celebrities. Evan Britton, Famous Birthdays founder, explains: “Throughout 2024, Squad has significantly impacted the creator economy. They’ve hired several experienced industry executives, acquired a top-tier influencer marketing agency and developed a suite of AI-powered technology.”

The platform and agency team handles various types of deals, including digital campaigns, live event sponsorships, and brand partnerships. Its multilingual capabilities – with availability in Spanish, Portuguese, and French – enable global market access.

Market Need

The partnership addresses several critical gaps in the creator economy. First, it solves the accessibility problem that has long plagued brand-creator relationships. Traditional methods of reaching creators – through social media DMs, talent agencies, or personal networks – have proven inefficient and often unsuccessful, especially for newer brands.

“This space is filled with smoke and mirrors. It’s filled with middlemen buyers, and people who don’t know what they’re doing,” Reiman notes. The partnership aims to bring structure and transparency to what has historically been a chaotic marketplace.

The multilingual capabilities of Famous Birthdays, combined with Squad’s deal-making expertise, also addresses the growing need for global creator marketing solutions. This international approach allows brands to easily expand their reach across different markets and demographics through a single platform.

“This is a relationship business,” Reiman emphasizes. “Great marketing to me is the intersection of what is relevant and what is unexpected.” The partnership between Squad and Famous Birthdays aims to facilitate these relationships at scale, making creator marketing more accessible and efficient for brands of all sizes.