Driving smarter storytelling through always-on intelligence‍

At HUNTER, data has always been part of the creative process, but HUNTER continues to refine and expand how data is used. Today, insights fuel every stage of the work: from early cultural mining and big-idea ideation all the way through day-to-day media relations, influencer planning, and real-time optimization.

“Our teams don't just ask for data at the end to validate an idea, they come to us at the very beginning to help shape it. Insights guide the spark, the story, and the sell-in.” - Rich Small, EVP, Insight, Measurement & Strategy

Driving this end-to-end intelligence is the HUNTER Intelligence Team, a group of strategists and analysts who support the full agency. We bring together QuestDIY surveys, cultural and consumer trends, social/search listening, and media intelligence to ensure every idea, pitch, and program is grounded in relevance and built to perform.

This is no passive function. The Intelligence Team manages survey design, conducts analysis, and delivers actionable insights embedded directly into client decks – bypassing dashboards and integrating data at the point of creative development. This continuous intelligence loop keeps HUNTER culturally sharp, strategically disciplined, and creatively breakthrough.

Building a culture-first model that meets the Gen Z moment

As client expectations evolve – especially around connecting authentically with Gen Z – so has HUNTER's approach. The agency now leads with a cultural intersection model, mapping brand × consumer × culture to pinpoint where clients can show up meaningfully.

“We look at – brand × consumer × culture – to connect authentically, especially with Gen Z.” – Rich Small, EVP, HUNTER Intelligence

This model helps teams identify white space in saturated arenas like sports, enabling brands to go beyond plug-and-play activations. For example, when supporting a wound care client, Hunter identified sports contexts with high injury mentions – a niche, ownable entry point into a broader cultural conversation.

Case in point: Reframing Spring for an allergy brand

When a long-standing allergy client sought a fresh angle for allergy season, the answer came from flipping the script on spring itself.

“For our allergy brand, we took a cultural view of Spring and used a quick survey to support the story.” - Rich Small, EVP, HUNTER Intelligence

Here’s how it unfolded:

• Challenge: Allergy season had become a creative rut – same story, different year.
  
  
• Cultural scan: Hunter reviewed spring-themed online conversations, identifying trends like “spring awakening” and outdoor behavior.
  
  
• Rapid survey: A QuestDIY survey uncovered emotional truths – from barriers to outdoor enjoyment to the unexpected rise of “allergy envy.”
  
  
• Application: These new proof points didn’t just support ideas – they sparked them. They anchored brainstorms and partner activations, guiding messaging and creative across agency collaborators.
  
  

“We even explored ‘allergy envy’ – and a high percentage agreed.” - Rich Small, EVP, HUNTER Intelligence

What clients see: Surprise, speed, and value

HUNTER's approach isn’t just smart – it’s fast. Thanks to QuestDIY, the team can set up, field, and deliver surveys within 24 hours, a speed that gives them a real-time edge in editorial, social, and strategic planning.

“Clients are surprised and intrigued by how data-driven we’ve become.” - Rich Small, EVP, HUNTER Intelligence

Rather than relying solely on client-provided data, HUNTER proactively brings its own insights to the table – not only shaping big ideas but also informing daily PR and social execution.

“It’s not just a lofty stat; it’s daily data application guiding what the team does every day.” - Rich Small, EVP, HUNTER Intelligence

Enabling data at scale (and with heart)

With strong leadership support, HUNTER has invested in one of the most robust tech stacks in PR, paired with the right talent to unlock its full value. But more than tools, the real shift is mindset – a willingness to play, explore, and evolve.

“Don’t be afraid to explore… you lose out on the play aspect of your job if you don’t.” - Rich Small, EVP, HUNTER Intelligence

What’s next?

As the team continues to scale data-driven storytelling, advanced visualization is on Rich’s wishlist – the ability to make insights not just clear, but visually compelling for clients. The goal? Make data not only clear, but beautiful – a storytelling asset in its own right.

“Sometimes a powerful visual will impress a client just as much as the stat itself.” - Rich Small, EVP, HUNTER Intelligence

About HUNTER

Founded in 1989, HUNTER is an award-winning integrated marketing communications firm with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and London and partnerships that extend our reach globally. Beginning with research-driven consumer insights, HUNTER executes strategic, integrated programs that drive cultural relevance, increase engagement and earn measurable business results for consumer products and services. The 300+ person firm employs a powerful blend of marketing solutions including strategic planning, social and digital media, talent and influencer engagement, media relations, experiential and multicultural marketing, and content creation and distribution for all platforms and channels to earn attention and drive positive reputation on behalf of some of the world's best known and most beloved companies and brands. The agency is a member of Stagwell Inc. (NASDAQ:STGW).

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