HUNTER AND KWT GLOBAL COME TOGETHER TO FORM INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS POWERHOUSE UNDER THE HUNTER BANNER
Combined Agency Within Stagwell (STGW) Helmed by All-Female C-Suite
NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), the challenger network transforming marketing, today announced that two of its award-winning public relations and communications firms, HUNTER and KWT Global, are joining forces as one firm. Operating as HUNTER, the nearly 400-person, full-service global consultancy will expand its offices across New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and London. The alliance strengthens HUNTER's consumer verticals in financial services, travel, and hospitality while expanding its corporate, crisis, and B2B capabilities. The combined agency will leverage its complementary expertise to deliver integrated marketing communications solutions driving cultural relevance and positive corporate reputation across PR, social media, influencer and talent engagement, content, and experiential services.
"This combination is yet another step in making Stagwell the right size to deliver comprehensive, integrated solutions for modern brands," said Mark Penn, Chairman and CEO of Stagwell. "By bringing together KWT Global and HUNTER, we're not just combining two award-winning agencies – we're creating a unified, modern communications solution well positioned to help brands navigate today's complex media landscape."
Frequently recognized as a "Best Place to Work," "Mid-Sized Agency of the Year" and "Consumer Agency of the Year," HUNTER has grown by double digits for five consecutive years. KWT Global, named a "PR Daily Top Agency" and an "Agency of the Future in 2024" has doubled in size over the past three years and is frequently recognized for its industry innovating product offerings, thought leadership and employee development programs alongside its impactful and award-winning client work.
"This is the logical next step in our ambitions to better serve our clients' needs with integrated, culturally relevant, digital-first solutions and foster an environment where our staff are inspired to employ cutting edge communications technology," said Grace Leong, CEO of HUNTER. "HUNTER and KWT Global are already frequent collaborators. By combining resources, we will rally the power of both agencies toward a common goal: to craft, place, share and amplify the narratives of the world's best companies and brands while maintaining our hallmark focus on exceptional client service and our creative, inclusive, and supportive company culture."
"This comes at a time of significant transformation in the communications industry, as clients increasingly seek comprehensive solutions to their marketing challenges," said Gabrielle Zucker, CEO of KWT Global. "Our clients and staff will benefit from HUNTER's award-winning consumer expertise, ability to tap into cultural conversations, and creative prowess while leveraging KWT's ability to create future-forward solutions for communications challenges such as KWT xVoice. By integrating talent across agencies, we'll be able to bring our clients more ideas, more specialized thinking, and more comprehensive solutions."
HUNTER drives growth and earns valuable attention and reputation for clients across food & beverage, travel, home, fashion & lifestyle, technology, retail, health and beauty sectors, including Amazon, Reckitt, Benjamin Moore, Vera Bradley, Danone North America, and TABASCO® Brand Pepper Sauce—the agency's first client 35 years ago and still a client today. KWT Global, known for operating at the intersection of precision and possibility, works across a portfolio of clients spanning travel & hospitality, financial services, health, wellness, luxury, lifestyle, fashion, retail and technology brands, including Tanger, Fairmont, PODS, Technogym, Tommy John, IRONMAN, Lovesac, L'Oreal, Liquid I.V., Experian and Laurel Road.
A collective of female leaders with a long history of driving innovation and growth will be at the helm of HUNTER's evolution:
- Grace Leong will continue to serve as CEO.
- Gigi García Russo continues as HUNTER's Chief Transformation Officer.
- Gabrielle Zucker, KWT Global CEO, has been named Global Chief Client Officer with oversight of U.S. and London client experience.
- Samantha Turtle, who leads HUNTER's Los Angeles office and Entertainment Marketing practice, will assume the role of Chief Operating Officer.
Together they represent an all-female C-Suite and a collective executive leadership team that is 90% female.
About HUNTER:
Founded in 1989, HUNTER is an award-winning consumer marketing communications firm with offices in New York, Los Angeles and London and a footprint across North America. 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 consumer attention on behalf of some of the world's best known and most beloved brands. The agency is a member of Stagwell Inc. (NASDAQ:STGW).
About KWT Global:
At KWT Global, we believe creativity with intention resonates. As an integrated communications agency operating at the intersection of precision and possibility, we empower brands to navigate ever-evolving landscapes with confidence and clarity, blending art and science to create precise programming that captures imaginations, evolves perceptions and drives change. Our team of strategists, marketers, designers, creators, communicators and connectors collaborate across vertical, industry and expertise to build curated programs that address unique business challenges. We are the partner that helps brands evolve to meet their moment, time and time again. The agency is a member of Stagwell Inc. (NASDAQ:STGW).
About Stagwell Inc.
Stagwell (NASDAQ:STGW). is the challenger holding company built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world's most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our specialists in 35+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for our clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.
Contact:
HUNTER
Samara Farber Mormar
smormar@hunterpr.com
Stagwell
Kara Gelber
kara.gelber@stagwellglobal.com
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