Left Hand Agency CPG High Five: Top US Experiential Agencies for CPG Brands
- Lauren Ridgley
- Jan 15
- 3 min read
A note: Left Hand Agency can execute experiential through a variety of amazing agency partners. Part of the value we bring to our clients is sourcing and managing these kinds of activations.
But, not every brand wants to work through a media agency, and some brands may already have a media AOR. So, we compiled a list of our top US experiential agencies for medium to large CPG brands.
Smaller brand? We gotcha. There's also a list of smaller experiential agencies who may be a better fit for your budget!
Why they’re here: GMR is a long-standing experiential and sponsorship agency known for executing large-scale, logistics-heavy brand activations. While their site doesn’t publish many standalone, CPG-specific case study pages, their public portfolio clearly shows real experiential execution across major brands and events. They're also from my second home - Milwaukee, WI!
CPG / consumer brand relevance: Food and beverage brands have historically shown up in GMR’s experiential portfolio (including programs like “S’more Smiles With Every Mile”), alongside major sponsorship-driven activations.
Work to explore:
Where they shine: National tours, sampling programs, sponsorship activations, and moments where execution, staffing, and operational scale matter as much as the idea. Note: GMR is owned by Omnicon.
2) MKG
Why they’re here: MKG consistently delivers creative, culture-forward experiential work that resonates especially well with modern CPG and beverage brands. We also love that it's women-led!
Notable CPG / beverage brands: GoGo squeeZ, Dos Equis, Target (Favorite Day)
Work:
Where they shine:Highly visual, playful activations that are designed to be shared — strong for brands that want experiential to drive buzz, content, and trial.
Why they’re here: NVE specializes in immersive, environment-driven brand experiences that feel like culture rather than marketing — a strong fit for beverage and lifestyle-adjacent CPG brands.
Notable CPG / beverage brands: Diageo portfolio brands (including Tanqueray), Anheuser-Busch brands
Work:
Where they shine: Launch moments, immersive environments, and experiential storytelling that elevates brand perception.
Why they’re here: BRC approaches experiential from a deep narrative and brand-world perspective. This is less about pop-ups and more about creating lasting brand memory.
Notable CPG brands: Coca-Cola, Starbucks
Work:
Where they shine: Permanent or semi-permanent installations and immersive brand spaces designed to build long-term equity.
Why they’re here: Analog is an experiential-first shop that delivers design-forward, culturally relevant activations without the overhead of the largest global agencies.
Notable consumer / CPG-adjacent brands: Kiehl’s, Glow Recipe (and other consumer lifestyle brands)
Work:
Where they shine: Pop-ups, launches, and sustainable experiential builds that balance creativity with practical execution.
The Budget Reality Check
Many of the agencies above are built for national tours, major sponsorships, and multi-market activations — which often means six-figure minimums.
If your experiential budget is smaller, that doesn’t mean experiential is off the table. There are lean, independent agencies that specialize in pop-ups, sampling, and local activations — often with more flexibility and lower minimums.
Smaller Indie Experiential Agencies (More Flexible Budgets)
1. joyful
Location: Portland, OR
What they do: Community-first experiential and event marketing for brands that want authentic, local engagement.
Best for: Pop-ups, sampling, festivals, and partnership-driven activations
Website: https://joyfulagency.com
2. Northwest Polite Society (Polite Society)
Location: Seattle, WA
What they do: Street teams, sampling programs, and grassroots experiential that feels human and organic.
Best for: Product trial, local launches, and short-run experiential tests.
Location: Evergreen, CO
What they do: Sampling-focused experiential with strong logistics and field execution.
Best for: Getting product directly into consumers’ hands at scale.
Website: https://handit2network.com
Location: Allen, TX
What they do: Event staffing, brand ambassadors, and experiential execution support.
Best for: Festivals, retail sampling, and on-the-ground brand presence.
Website: https://www.experientialnet.com
Location: Las Vegas, NV
What they do: Experiential fabrication, pop-ups, brand environments, and life brand activations.
Best for: Physical builds, trade-style experiential, and branded environments without mega-agency overhead.
Final Takeaway on the Top US Experiential Agencies
Experiential isn’t one-size-fits-all. The right partner depends on budget, scale, and what you actually want the experience to do — build memory, drive trial, support retail, or all three.
Big agencies are great for big swings. Smaller agencies can be just as effective for focused, well-executed moments.
That’s your High Five for the week.
We’re Left Hand Agency — a media-buying shop built for CPG brands that want smarter growth, not just more ads. We live at the intersection of mental availability (getting remembered) and physical availability (getting found).
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