Former Walmart client/agency team Dana Hork and James Wood have teamed up to launch a new ad agency called Beers With Friends.  

Their pitch: Deliver marketing solutions in five-day ideation “sprints” they’re calling “beer runs,” which are available in single servings or in packs of four, six, and twelve. 

They say the model allows brands to tap into a curated team of experts for intensive 5-day problem-solving sessions, providing an alternative to the traditional agency of record structure. 

"We’ve spoken to over 200 brand marketers in the last year, and what we hear over and over is that they are looking for low-risk ways to try new things, and their AORs, if they even have them, aren’t always the best option," says Co-Founder and CEO Hork. 

 "Beers With Friends is the agency I wish I had when I was brand-side,” adds Hork, who earlier was head of social media at Walmart.  

BWF launches with a roster of clients, including Virgin Galactic, Perfect Bar, Hally Hair, Dig, Gorgie, Don’t Ban Equality, and Thoughtful, an AI-powered self-improvement platform backed by entrepreneur Marc Lore and former New York Yankee great Alex Rodriguez. 

“We don’t want to be your agency of record, we want to be your agency on speed dial,” asserts Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer Wood, who previously served in a number of senior creative roles at Publicis Groupe and before that Mcgarrybowen.