At 84 years old, Hill & Knowlton rebrands

The PR firm Hill & Knowlton understands this concept—sorry, the PR firm Hill+Knowlton Strategies, which is the company’s new name, effective immediately.

What does the rebranding mean, beyond the trendy new nameplate?

Jack Martin, global chairman and CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies, says the company is investing heavily in its digital and research efforts. It plans to hire new talent in various offices and practices in the coming months, and to promote from within the firm.

“Research—providing metrics, analytics, and insights—is vital to helping our clients understand the public,” Martin, who assumed his post at the beginning of this year, said in a press release. “In the political and consumer worlds, participants are forced to study the public and adapt accordingly. If they don’t, they lose. Corporations, too, must keep up, as the public is always evolving as a participant in the marketplace.”

As part of that effort, the firm plans to shift its focus from secondary to primary research, which means it will tailor its research to a client’s needs using focus groups, surveys, field tests, interviews, and more.

Until the rebranding, Hill+Knowlton relied on secondary research that included previous studies performed by government agencies, trade groups, etc.