What Backbone Media does

Backbone Media, operating as Backbone Group, LLC, is an integrated marketing agency founded in 1995 (with company material also citing 1997) and headquartered in Carbondale, Colorado. The firm began as a public relations specialist for outdoor brands and has progressively expanded over the past decade into a multi-disciplinary marketing agency. Its eight service lines span Paid Media, Search Marketing (SEM/SEO/AEO), Affiliate Marketing, Public Relations, Creative & Content, Social Media, Influencer Marketing, and Strategy, organized around an internal framework that converges Community, Brand, and Performance.

Technically, the firm operates as a services business with no proprietary software products, relying instead on a partner stack of certified platforms: Google Partner, Meta Business Partner, The Trade Desk (programmatic), Tableau (analytics visualization), Feedonomics (product feed management), and SEMrush AIO (AI visibility tracking across ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews). Its differentiators are domain depth in the outdoor and active lifestyle vertical, a curated 500+ influencer and content-creator network, and thirty years of media relationships that produce tier-1 earned-media placements.

Backbone generates revenue through professional services fees under quote-based, typically annual or project-based retainers and project scopes. Its customer segments are predominantly enterprise outdoor and active lifestyle brands, with adjacent D2C consumer product clients including YETI, Merrell, Ooni, Black Diamond, Smartwool, Turtle Fur, Ski Utah, AG1, Dickies, Gerber, Selkirk, Tincup Mountain Whiskey, and Toad&Co. The agency employs 101-250 people, markets itself through content, organic social (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok), a newsletter, and hosted media events, and is privately held with no disclosed external funding, parent company, or acquisition activity.

Name

Backbone Media

Legal name

Backbone Group, LLC

Website

https://backbone.media

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Backbone Media is a 30-year integrated marketing agency specializing in public relations, paid media, SEO/AEO, affiliate, influencer, and social services for enterprise outdoor and active lifestyle brands. Headquartered in Carbondale, Colorado, the firm also services adjacent D2C consumer brands across spirits, supplements, and footwear.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Integrated Marketing Agency Services

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Media Buying Agencies (54183)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Media Relations & Press Office Services (MPAAADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

PR, Reputation Management & Earned Media Platforms (BPAMALAO), Affiliate & Partner Media Buying (BPAFABAJ), Affiliate Marketing & Partner Networks (BPAMALAI)

Keywords

• Integrated marketing services
• Public relations agency
• Influencer marketing services
• Paid media planning
• Affiliate marketing programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Carbondale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Integrated Marketing Agency Services: Backbone Media generates revenue through professional service fees across multiple marketing disciplines including Paid Media, Search Marketing (SEM/SEO/AEO), Affiliate Marketing, Public Relations, Creative & Content, Social Media, Influencer Marketing, and Strategy. Services are delivered through enterprise field sales and direct client engagements, typically on annual or project-based contracts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Backbone Media is an integrated marketing agency that provides PR, paid media, search marketing (SEM/SEO/AEO), affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, social media, creative/content, and strategic consulting services to outdoor, active lifestyle, and consumer product brands. Services are delivered as professional consulting engagements organized around a proprietary Brand, Community, and Performance framework that integrates earned, owned, and paid channels. The agency pairs 30 years of outdoor industry media relationships with a 500+ influencer network and AI visibility tracking via SEMrush AIO.

Product overview

Backbone Media is an integrated marketing agency serving outdoor, active lifestyle, and consumer brands. The company operates as a multi-service agency organized around Brand, Community, and Performance strategic pillars. Their portfolio includes SEO & AEO (combining search engine optimization with answer engine optimization via SEMrush AIO), Strategy (integrated planning and brand positioning), Data Analytics (GA4, attribution, incrementality), and core service offerings spanning Paid Media, Search Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Public Relations, Creative & Content, Social Media, and Influencer Marketing. The agency also produces a Newsletter for industry insights. These services are delivered as professional consulting engagements rather than standalone software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Paid Media Digital advertising services across multiple platforms and formats including homepage takeovers, newsletter placements, interactive ad units, and paid social campaigns for outdoor and active lifestyle brands.
• Search Marketing (SEM/SEO) Search engine marketing and search engine optimization services including technical optimization, keyword strategy, content optimization, and paid search campaigns.
• SEO & AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
• Affiliate Marketing
• Public Relations
• Creative & Content
• Social Media
• Influencer Marketing
• Strategy
• Data Analytics

Quantifiable outcome

• Merrell achieved 8.8X ROAS on conversion campaigns through Backbone's influencer program with 68 influencers producing 580+ content pieces.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationBackbone is a Google Partner, holding certified status for Google Ads and related Google marketing platform capabilities.
• Meta (Facebook & Instagram)coreTechnology or IntegrationBackbone is a Meta Business Partner with certified capabilities in Facebook and Instagram advertising and insights.
• The Trade DeskcoreTechnology or IntegrationBackbone holds partner status with The Trade Desk for programmatic advertising capabilities.
• TableausupportingTechnology or IntegrationBackbone is a Tableau Partner utilizing the platform for data visualization and analytics reporting for clients.
• FeedonomicssupportingTechnology or IntegrationBackbone is a Feedonomics Certified Agency Partner, utilizing the platform for product feed management and optimization for e-commerce clients.
• The Conservation AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBackbone maintains an affiliation with The Conservation Alliance, a nonprofit organization that funds environmental groups working to protect wild places.
• Protect Our Winters (POW)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBackbone maintains an affiliation with Protect Our Winters (POW), a nonprofit that mobilizes outdoor recreation communities to act on climate change.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Edelman: Edelman is the world's largest independent PR firm with a broad portfolio spanning consumer marketing, corporate communications, and digital — competes with Backbone for enterprise consumer-brand budgets but lacks Backbone's specialized outdoor vertical depth.
• Hill+Knowlton Strategies: Hill+Knowlton is a global communications and public relations firm offering integrated marketing, corporate, and consumer PR services — a broad incumbent whose consumer-marketing practice overlaps with Backbone's brand storytelling, paid media, and influencer work.
• Golin: Golin is a global integrated PR and marketing agency delivering earned media, social, influencer, and digital services to enterprise consumer brands — comparable in offering breadth but operating as a larger network across many verticals.
• Wieden+Kennedy: Wieden+Kennedy is a globally recognized independent creative agency with deep roots in outdoor, sports, and active lifestyle (e.g., Nike) — competes with Backbone for outdoor/active brand budgets at the high end with a much larger creative-led footprint.
• AMP Agency: AMP Agency is a full-service marketing agency offering brand strategy, paid media, social, influencer, and content production for enterprise consumer brands — a comparable multi-disciplinary offering competing for the same enterprise client RFPs.

Direct peers

• Outside PR: Outside PR is a public relations and communications agency focused on outdoor, adventure, and active lifestyle brands, with comparable service offerings spanning PR, social media, and influencer marketing for similar outdoor-industry clients.
• Switchback PR: Switchback PR is an outdoor and active lifestyle communications agency offering PR, social media, and content services to brands in the outdoor recreation space — closely aligned with Backbone's outdoor vertical, earned-media-led positioning, and similar client profile.
• Verde Brand Communications: Verde Brand Communications is a PR and integrated marketing agency specializing in the outdoor, active lifestyle, and consumer goods categories — directly comparable to Backbone's vertical focus, earned media heritage, and mid-market/enterprise brand client base.

Emerging players

• Mekanism: Mekanism is an independent creative and integrated marketing agency offering advertising, PR, social, and influencer services for challenger and growth-stage consumer brands — partial overlap with Backbone's service portfolio, particularly for non-outdoor consumer clients.
• Praytell Agency: Praytell is an integrated marketing and communications agency focused on PR, social media, influencer, and creative for consumer brands — overlapping service mix with Backbone's eight disciplines, though Praytell serves broader consumer categories rather than specializing in outdoor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BackboneMediaColorado
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/backbone-media-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/backbonemedia
• TikToktiktok.com/@backbone_media?_t=8br0yzxyUdK&_r=1
• Xx.com/backbone_media

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Backbone Media