Hackstone.

What Hackstone. does

Hackstone is a private, Baltimore-based video production agency (legal name: Hackstone) operating from 333 W. Ostend St., Baltimore, MD, with a team of approximately 9 members (firmographic range 11–50). Founded and led by CEO & Creative Director Dan Hack, the company functions as a full-service creative production house delivering branded video campaigns, performance ads, animation, motion graphics, and D2C/E-Commerce video for both enterprise clients and agencies. Its core technology centers on in-house production capabilities — live-action filming, 2D/3D animation, motion graphics, post-production editing, and ultra-high-speed cinematography at 1000 frames per second — combined with a proprietary "Three-Brain Campaign Approach" methodology that aligns creative with survival, emotional, and logical brain decision-making, and a specialty "Synesthesia Marketing" technique designed to activate multi-sensory responses.

Name

Hackstone.

Legal name

Hackstone

Website

https://hackstone.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hackstone is a Baltimore-based video production agency that delivers branded video campaigns, performance ads, and animation for enterprise and mid-market clients across automotive, gaming, healthcare, government, and DTC verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Video Production Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Live-Action Stunts, Action & Specialty Unit Production (MPADABAJ)

Keywords

• Video production services
• Creative production agency
• Performance advertising campaigns
• Brand film production
• Animation and motion graphics

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Video Production Services: Custom video production agency providing creative development, filming, animation, and post-production services for brand campaigns, performance ads, corporate videos, and branded entertainment. Revenue is generated through project-based fees for campaign development and production.
2. Performance Marketing Campaigns: Pay-for-performance campaign management including strategy, creative production, targeting, and ad management with focus on ROAS and lower CAC.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hackstone is a Baltimore-based creative production house that develops and produces high-performing video marketing campaigns for clients and agencies. Its core deliverables include performance ads, corporate videos, product demos, brand films, strategic organic content, and 2D/3D animation and motion graphics, supported by in-house strategy, creative development, filming, post-production, and cross-channel ad management. The agency differentiates itself using a proprietary "Three-Brain Campaign" methodology and ultra-high-speed production capabilities aimed at maximizing ROAS, conversion, and engagement metrics.

Product overview

Hackstone is a creative production house specializing in commercials and high-performing video marketing campaigns for clients and agencies. Their core offerings include Performance Ads (pay-for-performance campaigns for higher ROAS and lower CAC), Animation & Motion Graphics (2-D/3-D in-house capabilities), D2C/E-Comm Video, Strategic Organic Content, and Brand Films. Their 'three-brain' campaign approach combines emotional storytelling with data-driven strategy to outperform traditional campaigns. The company serves diverse industries including E-Comm/Direct-To-Consumer, Higher Education, Healthcare, Government, Finance, Automotive, and Retail.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Performance Ads Pay-for-performance video ad campaigns built around higher ROAS and lower CAC, including testing, audience targeting, and creative iteration for brand and agency clients.
• Corporate Video Brand essence films and instructional corporate video content designed to inform and engage customers and executives.
• Strategic Organic Content Social, video, and personality-driven content designed to build brand visibility and organic reach across owned channels.
• Product Demos Product video demonstrations intended to drive engagement and sales for brands through clear, visual storytelling of offering features.
• Animation & Motion Graphics In-house 2D and 3D animation and motion graphics services providing diverse visual storytelling for brand campaigns.
• Branded Films Marketing-disguised-as-entertainment brand films built to create emotional resonance and media buzz beyond traditional advertising formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• ROAS of 9:1 for Fat Snax Amazon campaign
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Bethesda SoftworkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for Fallout 76 Skyline Valley trailer production. Hackstone produced a custom 1950s pre-Great War telethon set for the game announcement trailer in collaboration with Bethesda and agency partner AKQA.
• AKQAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Agency partnership for Bethesda Softworks Fallout 76 Skyline Valley campaign. AKQA served as the creative agency while Hackstone handled production.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tool of North America: Boutique commercial and branded content production company working across film, digital, and integrated campaigns for brands and agencies. Closely comparable in size, service mix (production + post), and direct-to-brand + agency-partnered delivery model.
• AKQA: WPP-owned global creative network that plans and produces digital, brand, and performance advertising campaigns. Already a strategic partner to Hackstone (e.g., Fallout 76 Skyline Valley), but also a competitor for the same enterprise video production RFPs at scale.
• Observatory: Independent creative agency producing brand campaigns, digital content, and film for ambitious consumer and tech brands. Comparable mid-sized independent agency competing for similar enterprise direct-to-client video and integrated campaign work.
• Brand New School: Creative production studio specializing in commercials, content, animation, and experiential work for brands and agencies. Comparable in offering (full-service creative + production + post + motion graphics) and in serving both brands directly and acting as agency production partner.
• David & Goliath: Independent full-service advertising agency producing brand, digital, and video campaigns for ambitious brands across auto, CPG, entertainment, and tech. Closely comparable mid-sized independent agency competing for similar enterprise direct-to-client and agency-resold video production work.
• Humble: Boutique video-first creative production studio delivering branded films, performance ads, animation, and content for brands and agencies. Closely comparable in size, service stack (production + animation + post), and dual B2B brand / agency-partner GTM.
• Innocean USA: In-house creative agency for Hyundai/Kia that also serves external clients with brand, digital, and video campaign work. Comparable enterprise/DTC creative agency positioning with strong performance and branded film capabilities similar to Hackstone's three-brain approach.

Broad incumbents

• 72andSunny: Large independent creative agency producing brand campaigns, films, and integrated digital work for global brands (Google, Activision, Reese's). Overlaps with Hackstone on enterprise branded film and performance campaign RFPs, but operates at significantly larger scale.
• Anonymous Content: Global production company behind feature films, commercial spots, and branded content for Fortune 500 advertisers. Overlaps with Hackstone on high-end commercial and branded film production, though it operates at much larger scale and budget tier.
• The Mill: Globally established creative production and VFX studio delivering commercials, branded content, and digital experiences for the world's largest advertisers. Operates at larger scale and serves many of the same enterprise brand categories (auto, CPG, tech) as Hackstone.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/hackstone
• Facebookfacebook.com/hackstonefilm
• Instagraminstagram.com/hackstonefilm
• Xx.com/hackstone
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hackstone

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hackstone.