Brand Prospect Researcher#

Find and score brands actively investing in influencer/creator marketing. Built for talent managers and self-managed creators who need to know which brands are spending right now so they can pitch with confidence.

Prerequisites#

• web_search tool (required) — for trade press, job postings, partnership news
• web_fetch tool (required) — for reading full articles
• gram CLI (optional) — for Instagram campaign activity signals. If unavailable, skip Instagram checks and note in output.

Check gram availability:

bash

which gram

If not found, proceed without Instagram data and flag it in the report.

Workflow#

1. Collect User Configuration#

Ask the user (or use defaults):

ParameterDefaultDescriptionnichegeneralVertical to scan (fashion, beauty, food, fitness, tech, lifestyle, gaming, travel, etc.)num_prospects20Number of brands to returncategoriesallWhich signal categories to scan (trade press, jobs, Instagram, partnerships)geo_focusUSGeographic market focustimeframe3 monthsHow recent signals should be

If user provides a niche, tailor ALL searches to that vertical.

2. Scan Trade Press for Campaign Activity#

Run web searches across major trade publications. Adapt publication list to the user's niche:

Cross-industry: Ad Age, Adweek, Marketing Dive, The Drum, Campaign Fashion/Beauty: BoF, WWD, Glossy, Fashionista, Allure Food/Bev: Food & Wine, Eater, BevNET Tech: TechCrunch, The Verge, Wired Lifestyle/Home: Architectural Digest, Domino, Apartment Therapy Gaming: IGN, Polygon, Kotaku Fitness: Well+Good, Shape, Men's Health

Search queries (run 5-8 variations):

text

"[niche] influencer campaign 2026"
"[niche] brand creator partnership"
"[niche] influencer marketing launch"
"brand ambassador [niche] campaign announcement"
"[niche] creator collaboration new"
site:adage.com OR site:glossy.co "[niche] influencer"

For each result, extract: brand name, campaign type, date, publication, URL.

3. Search for Hiring Signals#

Job postings for influencer marketing roles = strong active-spender signal.

text

"influencer marketing manager" "[niche]" hiring 2026
"creator partnerships" job posting [geo_focus]
"influencer relations" "[niche]" open role
site:linkedin.com/jobs "influencer marketing" "[niche]"

Extract: company name, role title, posting date, URL.

4. Find Partnership Announcements & Product Launches#

text

"[niche] brand launch 2026"
"[niche] new product launch influencer"
"[niche] brand agency change" OR "agency of record"
"[niche] rebrand 2026"

Brands launching products or changing agencies are actively allocating budget.

5. Check Instagram Campaign Activity (if gram available)#

For top candidate brands from steps 2-4, check Instagram for activity signals:

bash

gram search "[brand name]" --limit 5
gram user info [brand_handle]

Look for:

• Recent sponsored/partnership posts
• Tagged creator content
• Campaign hashtags
• Follower growth (indicates ad spend)

If gram is unavailable, skip and note: "Instagram verification skipped — install gram CLI for deeper signal data."

6. Search for Contact Information#

For each high-scoring brand, search for:

text

"[brand name] influencer marketing contact"
"[brand name] PR contact email"
"[brand name] head of influencer marketing" linkedin
"[brand name] partnerships" site:linkedin.com

Extract: name, title, email (if public), LinkedIn URL.

7. Score Each Brand#

Score each brand 1-100 based on signal strength:

SignalPointsActive campaign in trade press (last 3 months)+25Hiring influencer marketing roles+20New product/rebrand launch+15Agency change or new agency hire+15Instagram campaign activity confirmed+10Multiple signals from different sources+10Contact info found+5

Tiers:

• 🔥 Hot (70-100): Multiple strong signals, actively spending now
• 🟡 Warm (40-69): Clear intent signals, likely receptive
• 🔵 Cool (20-39): Some signals, worth monitoring

8. Output Format#

markdown

# Brand Prospect Report: [Niche]

**Generated:** [date]
**Niche:** [niche]
**Geo Focus:** [geo]
**Sources Scanned:** [count]
**Prospects Found:** [count]

## 🔥 Hot Prospects

### 1. [Brand Name] — Score: [X]/100
**Category:** [industry]
**Signals:**
- [Signal 1 with source link]
- [Signal 2 with source link]
**Why Now:** [1-2 sentences on why this brand is actively spending]
**Contact:** [Name, Title, LinkedIn/email if found]
**Campaign Type:** [What they're likely buying: posts, stories, ambassadors, events]

---

### 2. [Brand Name] — Score: [X]/100
...

## 🟡 Warm Prospects
[Same format, briefer]

## 🔵 Watch List
[Brand names with single signals — worth monitoring]

## Methodology
- Trade press scanned: [list publications]
- Job boards checked: [list]
- Search queries run: [count]
- Instagram checked: [yes/no]
- Date range: [timeframe]

Error Handling#

IssueActiongram not installedSkip Instagram checks, note in report, still deliver resultsNo results for nicheBroaden search terms, try adjacent verticals, report limited findingsRate limited on web_searchSpace queries, reduce total searches, prioritize trade pressNo contacts foundNote "Contact research needed" — don't block the reportVery niche verticalSupplement with general influencer marketing news, flag lower confidence

Tips for Best Results#

• Narrow niches (e.g., "sustainable fashion" vs "fashion") yield more targeted results
• Run quarterly to catch seasonal campaign cycles
• Cross-reference with your existing outreach to avoid duplicates
• Hot prospects should be pitched within 1-2 weeks of signal detection