Top Hat Founder Brings Home Pittsburgh 30 Under 30 Award

And we’re so proud!

Champagne and awards. And a cameo by senior designer Ian George.

Top Hat founder Ben Butler, APR found himself on the Pittsburgh Business Times’ 30 Under 30 List this year, joining the company of some out-of-this-world leaders in Pittsburgh’s business and nonprofit communities.

The second annual awards were held at the Ace Hotel in East Liberty, where the Top Hat team spent the evening sharing some killer hors d’oeuvres and getting to know fellow Pittsburgh-area movers and shakers.

Greatly anticipated (by us, the team) was the walk-on song Ben selected to receive his award. It was, appropriately, Entrance Song by The Black Angels. 

Ben founded Top Hat in 2013, fresh out of undergrad. In the five years since then, Top Hat has secured a spot in the marketing and branding community as Pittsburgh’s premier beer marketing agency, working with over 30 industries and bringing in numerous awards, including two Silver Anvils earlier in 2018.

He attributes much of the agency’s success to his tight-knit team:

“This team is the reason the work coming out of the shop is ‘lit.’ [Editor’s note: That may be the most millennial thing you’ll ever hear Ben say.] When I think of making 30 Under 30, I don’t think of making it by myself. Without these people I wouldn’t be anywhere near here. We’re not just co-workers — we’re a group of friends brimming with chemistry, which I think greatly contributes to our success.”

We didn’t really set that Macbook on fire.

For that and much more, we’re a happy team here at Top Hat. To send you off, here’s a heartwarming picture of Ben and Creative Director, Aaron.

Photos by our very talented photographer, Joe Brown.