Driving smarter storytelling through always-on intelligence
Before: Ideas first, stats second.
Now: Data first, ideas informed.
That simple shift is reshaping how HUNTER operates across its diverse practices – from food and beverage to beauty and lifestyle and corporate.
“Before, teams came with ideas and asked for stats. Now they come first for data to inform the ideas.” – Rich Small, EVP, HUNTER Intelligence
At the center of this transformation is the HUNTER Intelligence Team, a group of strategists and analysts who serve the entire agency. Their mission? Equip PR, social, and influencer teams with insights from QuestDIY surveys, social/search trends, and media intelligence – all to ensure ideas are backed by real-world resonance.
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.
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 Quest DIY 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
HUNTER Public Relations is an independently owned and operated, full-service marketing public relations firm specializing in generating awareness for national consumer and corporate brands. With an unmatched combination of strategic creativity, client service, traditional media relations acumen and social media savviness, HUNTER creates and executes highly-effective programs that help meet clients’ business objectives.
