Gleam Futures Shuts Down Talent Management Arm, Shifts Focus to Influencer Marketing

In a significant move within the influencer marketing landscape, the trailblazing influencer agency Gleam Futures has officially closed the doors on its talent management arm. The decision marks the end of an era for the company, which had established itself as a prominent representative of top UK and US digital talent over the past decade.

Founded in 2010 by Dom Smales, Gleam Futures gained prominence for managing an impressive roster of influencers, including renowned personalities like Zoella (Zoe Sugg), Alfie Deyes, and Tanya Burr. 

Known as the “OG influencers”, more commonly known as the "Brit Crew" in the UK, these influencers played a pivotal role in ushering influencers into the mainstream as YouTubers. They were some of the first influencers to successfully launch their own brands and become celebrities in their own right.

The journey took an interesting turn in 2017 when ad giant Dentsu Aegis acquired a majority stake in Gleam, eventually becoming the sole owner in 2020. However, 2021 witnessed a significant shift when Dom Smales stepped down from his role.

The agency has seen much success within the influencer marketing and talent management spheres since then, even recently winning Bronze awards for Content Creator of the Year and Game Changer of the Year at the Influencer Marketing Awards 2023.