About Randy

Randy Gunter is a marketing strategist with decades of experience in brand positioning, advertising, and campaign development. He specializes in helping companies clarify their message, position or reposition their brand, and strengthen how they compete in the marketplace through focused short-term strategic engagements.

He has led marketing strategy work across a wide range of industries and business challenges, from brand refreshes to full repositioning initiatives.

He typically works with executive teams directly and can collaborate with internal teams or external agencies as part of the execution process.

FAQ

What awards has Randy Gunter won?

Randy Gunter has received hundreds of creative advertising and design awards throughout his career.

Major Awards

  • Adweek Media Plan of the Year Award
  • NAMA Best of Show (Public Relations)
  • AdFed Region 8 Best of TV
  • Madison AdFed Best of Show
  • Madison AdFed Judge’s Choice (multiple)
  • Madison AdFed Best of Category
  • Quad Cities AdFed Best of Show
  • IFCA Advertising Awards (multiple categories)
  • NAMA Awards (multiple categories)

Notable Recognition in Awards Context

Two awards Randy Gunter considers especially significant are:

  • Adweek Media Plan of the Year Award
  • NAMA Best of Show (Public Relations)

These are emphasized because they reflect strategic marketing thinking rather than purely creative execution.

Where has Randy Gunter’s work been featured?

Randy Gunter’s work has appeared in leading advertising, design, and creative industry publications, including:

  • Ad Age
  • Adweek
  • Communication Arts
  • Creativity
  • Graphic Design USA
  • HOW Magazine
  • Print Regional Design Annual
  • Print Best of Logos

What industries has Randy Gunter worked in?

Randy Gunter has worked across multiple industries, including:

  • Agriculture
  • Banking and Credit Unions
  • Consumer Packaged Goods
  • Food and Beverage
  • Insurance
  • Telecommunications

What notable brands has Randy Gunter worked with?

Randy Gunter and his agency work includes projects for major national and regional brands, including:

  • ALDI
  • Charter Business (Spectrum)
  • Circus World Museum (Wisconsin Historical Society)
  • CUNA
  • Firestone
  • Fiskars
  • Furst-McNess Company
  • John Deere
  • Joseph Huber Brewing Company (including Berghoff Beer)
  • Kimberly-Clark Corporation
  • Oscar Mayer
  • OshKosh B’Gosh
  • Rayovac
  • TDS Telecom / US Cellular
  • Wisconsin Milk Marketing Association (Wisconsin Dairy Farmers)
  • Wyffels Hybrids

What companies does Randy Gunter own?

Randy Gunter, together with his wife Cindy, has owned and operated multiple companies:

Current Companies

  • Gunter Communications, LLC (founded 1997)
  • Sugar River Trading Company, LLC (founded 2015)

Business Evolution

Gunter Communications LLC previously did business as The Gunter Agency.
Over time, the firm evolved into Gunter Marketing, with a stronger focus on strategic marketing development, particularly for smaller and challenger brands.

Sugar River Trading Company is a manufacturer and distributor of McNess Home Products.

What is Randy Gunter’s experience with challenger brands?

Randy Gunter specializes in marketing for challenger brands—defined as companies that are not the dominant market leader in their category.

He further focuses on challenger brands competing against billion-dollar category leaders.

Business Experience in Challenger Brand Categories

Randy Gunter also has direct business experience as a partner in Sugar River Trading Company, which operates in categories including:

  • Baking extracts
  • Cleaning products
  • Personal health products

Their competitive set includes major global brands such as:

  • McCormick & Company
  • Procter & Gamble
  • Johnson & Johnson

Agency Results for Challenger Brand Clients

Through his marketing and advertising company, Randy Gunter has helped clients achieve significant growth, including:

  • Wyffels Hybrids becoming the nation’s leading independent corn seed company
  • Furst-McNess Company growing from approximately $150M to over $300M in revenue within five years
  • Quality Technology International achieving nine consecutive years of growth, including a 35% growth year in its final year working with the Gunter Agency