thin egos
thick skin

Robust services. Unshakeable resolve.

Pixel art illustration of a vibrant stylized hand emerging from a colorful base, ideal for creative branding projects.

Services Team Awards

01.

Research

Quantitative and qualitative solutions to identify your audience, validate your product, and create a strong bedrock for your brand.

Market Research

Buyer Persona Development

Sensory Panels

S.W.O.T Analysis

Product/Service Viability Studies

Sales Data Analysis

Competitive Analysis

Customer Surveys and Feedback Analysis

Social Media Listening and Sentiment Analysis

02.

Branding

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Building cohesive brands through an array of design, creative, and multimedia.

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Brand & Brand Family Development

Rebranding

Packaging Design

Advertising Creative

Print Design

Digital Design

Interior Installations

Photography

Videography

03.

Web

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Pixel-perfect designs, scaleable digital ecosystems, and advanced development capabilities for any challenge.

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Website Design

Website Development

Hosting & Caretaking

eCommerce Development

Headless & Static Websites

Custom API & Advanced Integrations

Converting Sites to WordPress

Threat Analysis & Security

Platform Audit & Gameplanning

A few platforms we build with

WordPress

Shopify

React/Next.js

Contentful

Vercel & Netlify

Sanity CMS

Webflow

HubSpot

MODX

Vermont Information Processing (VIP)

YouTube & Wistia API

Untappd for Business

Oracle & SAP to WordPress

Custom CMS

ChatGPT AI & Grok AI

04.

Strategy

Accredited integrated marketing, advertising, and communications.

Marketing & Channel Audits

Marketing & Ad Plans

Channel Planning

Business Planning

Advertising Budgetting

Public Relations

Product Development

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

05.

Execution

Daily assistance, on-demand services, and tactical implementation.

Design Retainers

Web Retainers

Marketing Retainers

Social Media Management

Ad Buying

Email Marketing

Fractional CMO

Full Service Retainers

the
team

Small team, big results.

ben butler, founder and head developer for Top Hat, pittsburgh

Ben Butler, APR

Founder | Development & Strategy
Certified Cicerone®

Smiling woman in casual attire representing a creative team in graphic design and digital marketing.

Pixel art characters including a cat and a wine glass in a minimalist design style.

Ashley Tate

Art Director

Confident man smiling with arms crossed, showcasing personal branding and lifestyle design elements.

Pixel art representation of a shark and a vibrant electric guitar against a black background.

Luc Boprey

Senior Graphic Designer

Creative professional with vibrant purple hair and tattoos, smiling against a plain background.

Pixel art illustration of a cactus and a beer mug symbolizing a playful branding concept.

Katie Ormsby

Senior Graphic Designer

Jordan Sigmund

Senior Graphic Designer

Jake Hill

Senior Graphic Designer

Brian Dove

Senior Graphic Designer

Pixel art style video game controller next to a stack of colorful books symbolizing digital learning.

Jonny Stalnaker

Senior Web Developer

Photographer playfully posing with a DSLR camera to capture creative moments.

Pixel art representation of a bird and a stack of cash, highlighting creative digital design concepts.

Brian Kaldorf

Photographer

Marketing professional smiling in a casual black cardigan, representing a full-service agency.

Pixel art representation of a red beret and a golden croissant on a black background

Margaux Ferretti

Multimedia Specialist

Smiling individual wearing a grey Cotopaxi sweatshirt, showcasing a friendly and approachable demeanor.

Pixel art illustration featuring a brown boot and an orange guitar for digital design projects.

Matt Ferretti

Digital Ad Strategist & Buyer

Jeffrey Gitchel, General Counsel for Top Hat

Jeffrey Gitchel, Esq.

General Counsel

Who we do it for

Since 2013, we’ve worked with over 50 different industries and just about every scenario imaginable. If you have a problem, We can solve it. Design, programming, web engineering, ads, or marketing. We’re here.

Two cartoon construction workers discussing project plans with tools and blueprints against a bright yellow background.

Illustration of a tree stump with the text Finance and Excel surrounded by floral elements.

Isometric illustration of a logistics hub featuring vehicles, buildings, and storage units in a vibrant color scheme

SaaS

Complex product, simple story. We turn technical platforms into brands and websites that convert, from fintech to utility software, we make software feel human.

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Medical professionals in white coats promote the Magee Womens Research Institute fertility issue publication.

Mother and daughter engaged in creative activities with art supplies at a dining table.

Landing page design for the 9-90 Research Summit focused on womens health and innovative research.

Classroom setup with empty desks, colorful educational posters, and a teacher at the desk.

Nonprofits

Mission-driven work deserves brand-driven results. We help nonprofits and research institutions look as credible as their impact, and move people to act.

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Yellow tour bus passing over a city bridge with a skyline in the background.

Barbershop exterior featuring modern signage and brick building design in a commercial setting.

Branded storefront of Iron Born, a pizzeria featuring modern signage and inviting entrance.

Personal trainer assisting client with bridge exercise using weights in a bright home gym setting.

Three metallic trophies labeled BEST IN GRASS in gold, silver, and bronze against a colorful gradient background.

Startups

Zero to launch, fast. We're nimble enough to spin up an entire brand, product, or platform at will so you show up looking established from day one.

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Dobil Pittsburgh Website Redesign and Redevelopment

Modern office interior featuring a wooden slatted wall design with the company name numo prominently displayed.

Inspirational company wall graphics showcasing core values in bold typography and vibrant colors.

Hands of a professional interacting with a laptop while discussing digital marketing strategies.

B2B

We speak both languages: the plant floor and the boardroom. B2B branding, web, and marketing that shortens sales cycles and makes complex offerings easy to buy.

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Metal worker using a welding machine to create sparks in a workshop environment.

Manufacturers / Industry

You build world-class products. Your brand and website should make that obvious. We create industrial branding and sites engineered to win RFQs, not just look good.

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Billboard advertising Iron City Beer with four illustrated lager cans and tagline about family ownership.

Collection of cannabis product packaging including vape pens and live rosin displayed on colorful background.

VRB personal care product packaging displayed in a tactical pouch showcasing modern branding design.

Colorful coffee packaging redesign from Press House featuring modern graphics and unique flavor labels.

Consumer Brands

From craft beer cans that win "best-looking in America" to shave brands that stand out on a crowded shelf, we build consumer brands people actually reach for. Identity, packaging, web, and marketing. All under one roof.

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Fitt.co website redesign and redevelopment

Website redesign and redevelopment for Caddyshanks, a national golf media company

Dad Day new website design and development, built by Top Hat

Media Companies

Content moves fast. Your brand and platforms should keep up. We build identities and digital products that scale with audience, from newsletters to full content platforms to custom API engines.

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Home builder website showcasing dream home promotions and community search functionality.

Business cards featuring modern design elements and contact information for a real estate agent.

Professional woman working on web design projects at a modern kitchen table with a laptop.

Real Estate & Homebuilding

From agents to home builders to property management, we build brands that sell the lifestyle with standout identities, listing- and inventory-driven websites.

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Modern open-office layout for a graphic design agency featuring collaborative workspaces and individual desks.

Business team posing confidently outdoors with a city skyline in the background, emphasizing teamwork and leadership.

Construction worker carrying a concrete pump pipe while wearing safety gear and sunglasses.

Professional Practice

Architects, attorneys, and expert firms live and die by reputation, so we build brands that make your credibility obvious before the first meeting. Portfolio- and authority-driven websites, sharp identities, and marketing that turns "who are they?" into "them, obviously."

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