About us

With Hibou, you're not just another voice in the crowd. You're a voice that counts.

A brand with substance.

A leader in your industry.

Our vision

Hibou means 'owl' in French

The ruler of the forest, who hears every sound, keeps a sharp eye, exudes authority, and is the universal symbol of wisdom.

And exactly that wisdom is missing in our line of work. PR and influencer marketing should be about credibility, but too often it’s about superficial attention-seeking. Silly PR stunts. Press releases for show. Influencers without substance. Likes without impact.

Every online mention is assigned an absurd ‘media value.’ This makes it seem like a lot of attention has been generated, but the next day, everyone has already forgotten about it.

Mission

At Hibou, we believe in authority

An authority doesn’t chase ‘likes’ or try to game the news cycle with empty stunts. An authority doesn’t follow; it leads. It has substance. It makes sure what’s said actually matters. And it’s taken seriously—not just today, but tomorrow too.

That’s why our mission is to help brands become the authority in their own industry. Many of us come from journalism. We know how public conversations are shaped—and how a brand can grow into a real authority.

Real influence doesn’t start with shouting. It starts by watching and listening. By understanding what’s going on in society—and daring to have a point of view. It’s not about ‘likes’. It’s about content that matters. That’s how you build relationships with other experts—whether they’re journalists or influencers who increasingly shape the conversation.

Hibou helps brands build authority: focus on substance, take a stand, grow your influence, and start leading the conversation. Whether you’re big or small, we’ll help you become the leader in your industry. And that’s what makes your brand truly credible.

Our vision

History

We are Hibou, an agency for public relations, data research, brand publishing and influencer marketing.

Hibou was founded in 2018 by Matthijs Rutten as a joint venture with market research agency MWM2. The starting point: communication gets better with knowledge. Gut feeling is a start, where data brings proof. That data-driven view is still the foundation of everything we do, from PR to influencer marketing.

Hibou started out in PR, but quickly expanded into social media and influencer marketing. In 2024, we acquired Contenture, a data-driven agency that specialises in creating and measuring content. The result: a full-service agency.

Hibou is made up of a specialist team of former journalists and creative professionals in data, PR, content and influencers. This allows us to move fast and approach a challenge from multiple perspectives. Edwin van Druten leads Hibou on a day-to-day basis.

The Synths designs, develops and trains digital humans. The studio is a Hibou spin-off and operates independently since 2026, , with its own brand and international ambitions, led by John Meulemans. Find out more about The Synths?

Team