Stagwell’s HUNTER Launches Influencer and Creator Agency, Bobbie

Photo, left to right: Monica Caponigro and Donetta Allen

As influencer marketing becomes central to brand strategy, HUNTER has launched Bobbie - a new agency built to meet rising demand with influencer-first thinking.

Bobbie will provide a solution within Stagwell for influencer-first marketing needs and is reportedly fully equipped to take on small to large scale influencer assignments. This includes end-to-end influencer marketing campaigns, brand ambassador programmes, creator content, affiliate marketing and beyond. HUNTER will continue to offer influencer marketing as a part of the agency’s integrated approach including public relations and social-first programming.

According to research from Influencer Marketing Hub, three-quarters of marketers plan to have dedicated influencer marketing budgets in 2025, up from just 37% in 2017. Over 80% consider influencer marketing essential, yet just 24% have dedicated teams to manage it, according to further research from Sprout Blog. This creates a gap between ambition and execution that Bobbie aims to fill with teams in New York (headquarters), Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, and London to support client needs across North America and the UK.

HUNTER’s chief influencer officer, Donetta Allen, will serve as Bobbie’s president. "Bobbie was born from a simple but powerful insight: real connections between people drive the most meaningful brand experiences,” she said. “Increasingly, the creators people follow aren't just content providers, they're trusted friends who guide purchasing decisions, inspire lifestyle choices, and encourage brand loyalty. At Bobbie, we’ll focus on matching brands with the trusted voices that will communicate messages in a natural, approachable way that does more than reach audiences - we’ll help them build life-long relationships.”

In addition to Donetta’s role as president, Monica Caponigro will serve as managing director. Monica most recently led influencer marketing at Nordstrom after serving as senior vice president of influencer at HUNTER for several years prior.

“As influencer marketing grows its share of the marketing mix, Bobbie is a fresh new solution for clients seeking a partner with specific influencer marketing focus and expertise,” said Gigi García Russo, chief transformation officer at HUNTER. “Donetta and Monica recognized early on that influencers are not a tag-on tactic but a powerful channel to drive tangible business impact. The creator economy has fundamentally changed consumer discovery and behaviour, and Bobbie will empower brands to thrive in this relationship-driven marketplace."

Bobbie is built on the belief that creators hold the key to deeper, more meaningful brand relationships. Proprietary research from the agency found that recommendations from friends remain the top driver of consumer action - and nearly half of Gen Z, along with one in four millennials, consider influencers to be friends. For Bobbie, that underscores the growing power of authentic creator connections in driving behaviour.