The path from Mexico City to reaching the world’s most valuable brands isn’t on most agency roadmaps, but Pedro Garassino didn’t get the memo. After 17 years in marketing across Argentina and Mexico, he founded BOURBON Agency in February 2022 to address the lack of professional processes in influencer marketing campaigns.

“I saw a huge opportunity in professionalizing workflows,” Pedro states. “A lot of campaigns back then didn’t have proper KPIs or closing metrics. Coming from PR, there wasn’t as much attention to the full agency process.”

His career began in Argentina when “digital marketing basically meant creating microsites.” As he notes, “back then, digital was generally under BTL; it wasn’t really visible or established as its own area yet.” As his expertise grew, Pedro worked with global brands like Volkswagen before accepting an offer to launch the Mexican operation of an Argentine agency.

The decision to establish BOURBON Agency came at just the right moment. “I truly believe in energy and how destiny gives you signs. That’s what guided me,” he says. The agency was born from a successful collaboration on a streaming campaign with well-known influencers. “The first campaign we landed was for a fintech in Mexico. Then came a huge Argentine e-commerce company that’s also incorporated in the U.S., and we just kept growing.”

Today, this Mexico City-based firm serves brands seeking results from creator partnerships. Their most notable achievement? “We created the first influencer marketing strategy for one of the top streaming brands in the world outside the U.S. It took a year of work with their marketing team, and now it’s expanding to other countries,” says Pedro, revealing ongoing conversations to expand services across the brand.

Process, Precision, and Performance

BOURBON Agency employs a methodical approach to a discipline often criticized for its lack of rigor. Pedro has developed a structured process for executing influencer campaigns from start to finish.

“Never start a campaign without knowing how we’ll measure success—formulas, projections, benchmarks, everything upfront,” he emphasizes. This philosophy is reflected in a structured workflow that begins with clear objectives aligned with the consumer journey. “We align the brief with the consumer journey—awareness, consideration, conversion. Then we build the strategy covering platforms, talents, and creativity,” Pedro explains.

For talent selection, BOURBON takes a performance-driven approach rather than focusing solely on follower counts. “For scouting, we consider numbers first—reach, views, engagement rate, and metrics we calculate as part of internal formulas. But we prioritize results over follower counts. A creator with fewer followers might deliver more views,” notes Pedro.

Rather than providing rigid scripts that can make content feel contrived, the agency develops what Pedro calls “creative triggers”—customized content frameworks adapted to each creator’s unique voice and style. “We develop creative triggers adapted to each talent’s tone,” he says.

The reporting phase combines quantitative metrics with qualitative insights. “For reporting, we track KPIs, projections, reach, engagement, and content counts. We mix quantitative data with qualitative feedback on content quality and audience response,” Pedro details.

A Regional Network With Global Impact

BOURBON serves clients throughout Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, and parts of Central America. This broad regional presence allows the agency to work across diverse creator channels and cultural contexts with specialized knowledge.

Developing and executing the first influencer marketing strategy for the aforementioned global streaming brand outside the United States required not only creativity and technical expertise but also a detailed understanding of regional audiences. The yearlong collaboration with the brand’s marketing team has proven so fruitful that the strategy is now expanding to additional countries.

“Being recognized without having to shout our name,” Pedro says about the most rewarding aspect of his journey. “Our work speaks for us. Even a competitor agency asking, ‘Who are these guys? They’re not on social media.’ That’s exactly what we want—to be recommended based on results.”

Rather than strategies flowing from North America to Latin America, BOURBON’s work suggests that the next wave of creator economy practices may increasingly emerge from Latin markets.

Regional Differences

Creating successful influencer campaigns across Latin America requires addressing the various regional differences in regulations, platform usage, and creator networks.

“Two big things have changed,” Pedro notes about industry shifts. “Organic as we know it doesn’t exist anymore. Audiences know when influencers are paid. We need to adapt creatively, but not pretend.”

The second major change involves increasing regulation. “Countries are creating influencer marketing guidelines,” Pedro explains. “For example, Mexico’s PROFECO issued a best-practices manual. Just as the pharma industry had been implementing this approach due to its regulations, now all brands are adopting this practice for influencer communication.”

Beyond regulatory considerations, the agency stays attuned to platform-specific trends that vary across the region. “Platforms and formats change—stories vs. reels vs. TikTok with rights for paid media,” Pedro points out. These changes affect not only creative approaches but also how campaigns are structured, measured, and priced. “Influencer pricing adapts constantly” in response to these platform shifts, requiring agencies to continually refine their valuation models.

A key part of BOURBON’s expertise lies in relationship management. “This is a world of contacts,” Pedro emphasizes. “Getting to the right contact is key because many people can reach out to a creator, and intermediaries can inflate budgets.”

New Approaches

While establishing its position in the region, BOURBON Agency is actively exploring the role of artificial intelligence in influencer marketing. As Pedro reveals: “We’re experimenting with creating an influencer in-house, entirely AI-driven, tailored to what brands need. It’s still in beta, but very interesting.”

Moreover, Pedro has clear objectives for BOURBON’s continued growth. “Strengthen client relationships, add more audiovisual production support, and explore expansion into the U.S.,” he shares about goals for the coming year.

The marketing veteran’s advice for working in the changing influencer marketing field emphasizes clarity and genuineness: “Always pursue clear objectives. Nurture relationships throughout the process. Tell meaningful stories—apply real creativity.” Equally important is what to avoid: “Stop pretending content is ‘organic’ when it’s paid. Don’t ignore budgets vs. results—know if a talent’s cost matches ROI. Don’t neglect legal and accounting structures—brand safety and compliance are critical.”

These principles reflect BOURBON’s overall philosophy: that influencer marketing works best when it combines creative storytelling with rigorous processes and transparent relationships. “We exist to create stories through effective campaigns and an integral vision of influencer marketing,” Pedro concludes. “We aim to professionalize the work and show measurable results.”

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