History
- Back
20 Years of Drumming Up Business
From Humble Beginnings to a High-Impact Agency
In 2003, Joe LaPenna left his corporate job to launch a freelance design business, armed with talent, grit, and a vision for something bigger.
What started as a solo venture quickly evolved into a full-service creative agency. Joe partnered with Tom Stitt to create Drum Creative in 2005 eventually buying the whole business in 2016. Two decades later, Drum Creative has helped hundreds of businesses define their brand, tell their story, and build beautiful, strategic websites that convert.
Want help drumming up more business with an agency that’s got a 20-year history?
From Humble Beginnings
The Web Bubble Burst in 2003
Joe started freelancing during the dot-com crash.
Talk about timing.
A Powerful Partnership In 2005
Joe’s collaboration with Tom Stick clicked.
Drum Creative was born.
Packaging That Popped
First worked with Fruit of the Loom and Copper Sole socks.
Big brand wins.
We get asked all the time about our name.
We drew inspiration from the long tradition of drums in advertising when shaping our brand identity.
Moving Forward
Then vs. Now
Marketing Through the Years
We didn’t just watch the trends—we adapted with them and even
led them.
2005
Google Ads were a baby.
MySpace ruled social media.
“Responsive” meant a good client who returned your calls.
2025
AI helps write emails (but humans still make them worth reading).
Your website is your storefront.
Story-driven marketing is no longer optional—it’s essential.
The Real MVP: Our Team
Through every pivot, project, and deadline, we’ve had one consistent advantage: the people.
From our founding duo to our growing crew of designers, developers, copywriters, and strategists, Drum’s heartbeat is collaboration. (Also snacks. But mostly collaboration.)
A Few Things That Didn’t Exist When We Started…
(Yep—we helped name that!)
So, What’s Next?
Well, we don’t have a crystal ball, but we do have:
- A passion for storytelling
- A hunger to stay current
- A team that’s just as fired up today as we were in 2003
Whether you’ve been a client, teammate, collaborator, or just a curious website visitor—we’re glad you’re here.
Want to work with a team that’s been growing businesses for 20 years?
Thanks for Being Part of the Story
We’d love to help you drum up more business.