merit
In 2024, when Joe Stella and Rene Ryan set out to name their new agency, one stood out: BackPocket. Clients had always said they were “in their back pockets” with ideas, strategies, and fresh thinking. It wasn’t just a name—it was a promise to be the trusted, go-to partner, always ready with support and innovation.
One evening, while dining in Iowa during his son’s basketball tournament, Joe snapped a picture of the restaurant's beer menu and sent it to Rene. At the top was a beer from Backpocket Brewing. “A sign,” Joe texted.
Even more so, Backpocket Brewing was located in Rene's hometown of Iowa City. It wasn’t just a sign—it felt kismet.
When they officially launched BackPocket Agency, Rene reached out to Backpocket Brewing to explore a collaboration. Backpocket Brewing’s response was overwhelmingly positive, supportive, and downright excited about the possibility of partnering on a special inaugural beer. That warm, down-to-earth response resonated deeply with the spirit of BackPocket Agency, an agency founded on the idea that work should be joyful, authentic, and real.
Having spent 20 years in the industry working side-by-side, Joe and Rene had seen firsthand the chaos caused by the influx of M&A and private equity in the marketing world. They witnessed how nonprofits and mission-driven organizations, often cash-strapped, were being priced out of quality work due to industry changes. The agency where they had worked for over a decade had been acquired twice in two years. With each acquisition, their nonprofit and association clients—whom they deeply cared about—were being squeezed out by new rate structures.
They wanted to build an agency that prioritized relationships over revenue and made high-quality marketing accessible to organizations that needed it most. To mark the official launch of BackPocket Agency, they wanted to create something special to drum up excitement, get people talking, and invite them to connect.
The idea was to create a promotional beer that would bring people together over a cold drink to talk shop and celebrate the start of something new. This beer wasn’t just a product—it was a way to show BackPocket Agency's values: collaboration, authenticity, and the joy of building something real and lasting.
Backpocket Brewing got to work on crafting an IPA that would be as refreshing and bold as BackPocket Agency—and BackPocket Agency stuck to what it does best: crafting the story behind the brew.
Our content team collaborated to create a name and descriptor for the beer that would succinctly and perfectly communicate the spirit of our Indie Agency:
Blending bold flavor with an inspiring tale, BackStory IPA celebrates the launch of BackPocket Agency. Scrappy, smart, and strategic, the founders took a wild risk, leaving behind big agency life to build a start-up full of joy. This bold IPA is a toast to our leap from big agency complexities to indie agency simplicity.
Our designer created a label that not only reflected our brand’s essence but also conveyed our dedication and reliability. The design includes:
A denim backdrop, symbolizing the hard work and authenticity at the core of our brand.
Our brand font, reimagined in a script version, to highlight our mission of storytelling with a personal, trustworthy touch.
Iconography that adds playful elements while reinforcing the trust we’ve built with our audience through creativity and commitment.
BackPocket Agency has leveraged the beer to grab attention at trade shows, sparking conversations at their booth and, most importantly, generating new leads. By scanning a QR code, attendees could enter a drawing to win a case of BackStory IPA, turning interest into engagement.
In early 2025, the agency sent a case of the beer to its clients as a thank-you for trusting an indie agency and to bring their brand into their clients' homes, making the connection feel personal.
At the end of the year, during their holiday party, BackPocket invited team members, families, and industry partners to toast a successful first six months of business with a glass of BackStory IPA, celebrating the journey together.
Looking ahead in 2025, the beer will anchor “BackPocket Hang Outs,” casual get-togethers where creatives, clients, and friends can come together to chat shop or simply raise a glass to independence.
Next up? BackPocket’s second annual beer—a clean, refreshing lager with a crisp finish and a hint of malt sweetness. Smooth yet flavorful, it’s the perfect easy-drinking brew to bring people together, spark conversation, and celebrate meaningful collaborations. Look for it later this year!
