Inside Tilt’s 20-year rise from scrappy shop to national brand builder

Baton Rouge branding agency Tilt has spent the past 20 years proving that growth doesn’t have to follow the traditional agency playbook. 

As Business Report writes in its latest issue, the firm, led by partners Scott Hodgin, Lonnie Carnaggio and Brendan Bayard, recently moved into newly renovated offices in the Spanish Moon building on Highland Road after nearly two years of work, marking a major milestone in its evolution.

From the start, Tilt ditched account executives, putting its creative teams directly in front of clients to strip away noise and deliver stronger work. That hands-on model, combined with steady word-of-mouth referrals, has fueled year-over-year growth and built a national client base while keeping the team intentionally small at 11 employees.

The agency is especially known for food and beverage packaging, helping brands like Blue Plate, Bayou Rum and Camellia stand out on crowded shelves, but its partners say the real secret is culture. With zero staff turnover in five years, Tilt is betting that creativity, flexibility and a refusal to get greedy are the foundation of long-term success.

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