SmashBrand

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I work for Snuggle Puppy; we’re a dog product company that sells toys and nutritional supplements for dogs.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SmashBrand?

We needed someone to help us with packaging design.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

SmashBrand did two projects for us. First, they did the retail packaging when we were making one of our dog products available for kids. Then, they did the retail packaging for our dog products.

We had done a lot of preliminary work to figure out where we wanted to bring our product to market and who we wanted to sell it to. SmashBrand then did a pre-market analysis to see who our competitors would be, what their price points would be, and where we would sit in a store. Then, they showed us several different packaging options and tested them with customers so we knew what customers would think of each. After that, we chose a direction, and SmashBrand designed the packaging.

What is the team composition?

We worked with four SmashBrand teammates, including Kevin (Founding Partner), Michael (Managing Partner), who manages data, and Christy (Partner & Director of Strategy), who’s SmashBrand’s brand specialist. They also had a project manager at any given time. There were probably more teammates working behind the scenes.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about $400,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

Our first project with SmashBrand started around August 2021. The second project with them started in November 2022 and ended in April 2023.

How did you come to work with SmashBrand?

I found them online searching for a packaging company. I met Kevin, and we had a great relationship right out of the gate. They had the best capabilities to be able to help us out. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The quality of SmashBrand’s work was exceptional. It was too early for quantitative metrics, but when we showed SmashBrand’s packaging at trade shows, it was very well-received. The product is still in our warehouse, but we’re excited about what SmashBrand's packaging designs are going to bring.

How did the company perform from a project management standpoint?

SmashBrand’s process was super organized, detailed, and in-depth. They always hit their promised deadlines and kept the project moving. They also worked within the budget. Most of our calls with SmashBrand were Zoom calls, and they also used email. Kevin used Loom a lot to send me videos showing where the project was at or responding to a question.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The whole team was awesome. They all did completely different things and brought unique insights. One of the things I liked most about SmashBrand is that they were always prepared to present on the date they committed to.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, it was a good experience all around. 

Do you have any advice for future clients of theirs?

SmashBrand has so many capabilities that you just have to define your scope and be selective about what you want. They’re also continuously adding to their team and capabilities; they’ll accomplish exactly what you’re looking for.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

The company is Curation Foods, and we are a natural food company that sells salads, avocado and guacamole products, and vinegar and olive oil. I am the director of the avocado products division overseeing two of our brands.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SmashBrand?

One of our brands has been around for over 25 years and was feeling a little stagnant in terms of its growth. I was looking to do a brand refresh to bring some relevance to our packaging on the shelves.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started with a brand exploration to see what our strengths and weaknesses were and how our brand fit into the existing market, as well as what kind of packaging our consumers would be excited to bring to a party or a social setting.

From there we broke down three different directions we thought we could go, tested each of those, and narrowed it down to one direction in three varying levels of change. Our team actually went into the project thinking we would make minimum changes because we were worried about consumer retention, but in the end, we decided to go with the overhaul because it was most supported by the data.

The designs they provided in the end revolved entirely around our packaging but included product image renderings, print-ready files, and nutritional information and displays. They have since taken over our communication strategy as well and are doing brand-specific ad work.

What is the team composition?

Four people from their teamwork closely with us, including their owner

How did you come to work with SmashBrand?

I was looking for an agency that had a really strong graphics department and also took analytics into account, and SmashBrand really had both of those aspects in one place.

How much have you invested with them?

The total cost has been around $150,000–$200,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them around February 2019 and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Purchase intention was our main method of gauging the success of the campaign, and we saw a significant increase in likelihood of purchase among both existing customers and users new to the guacamole category, which was really exciting.
We also conducted some shelf presence, relevance, and exposure tests in consumer settings and received really good feedback about the perceptions of our brand.

How did SmashBrand perform from a project management standpoint?

Our team was really impressed by their turnaround time and ability to meet deadlines. They have great communication, so we never feel like our schedule conflicts with their other clients or like they aren’t hearing what we say.

They’re very organized in laying out clear deliverables for the project and are proactive about making and reporting progress towards each of those, so I never feel like I have to follow up to make sure that things are being accomplished.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We do a lot of consumer validation testing for almost everything we launch, which is in line with best practices. The fact that they have those capabilities in house saves a lot of money and time for our team. They are uniquely able to put aside personal feelings and validate all of the recommendations that they give you so that you have strong supporting feedback and data to present to your senior leadership.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can’t pinpoint anything that I wish they did better. I’ve been really happy with all of their work and the dialogues we have that go into making everything work as smoothly as it does.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the president of Nuton. We’re a recently launched brand with several food-based and supplement-based products geared toward the ketogenic diet market.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with SmashBrand?

While we knew our product was part of a growing trend, the market is very competitive. We were struggling to find differentiators for our product. We also wanted help creating a design for packaging and labels.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started by talking through what our needs were. We had the name Nuton picked out, but we weren't totally sold on it. They did some brand development and built a story behind that name. They developed the design for the label on the bottle as well as the box for the first two products we launched. They also helped us with messaging and positioning for those products.

We’ve later launched five additional products. SmashBrand did the art for each of those as well.

What is the team composition?

We’ve mainly worked with four people. Kevin (founder, SmashBrand) was the first one that we talked to, and he helped us finalize our proposal. The creative director oversaw the artwork. The brand director managed images, assets, and copy. One designer did most of the work for our packaging.

How did you come to work with SmashBrand?

I can't remember exactly how we found them, but it was probably through an online search. I contacted them and spoke with Kevin. We talked to a few agencies and determined they were the best fit.

What is the status of this engagement?

The main scope of work took place between March–May 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They were very creative in positioning our brand. Our products are highly competitive, and we get positive customer reviews on Amazon. They helped us choose a bottle that has a very unique pour spout, which customers really love. We originally thought of our products as sports supplements, which tend to skew male. They knew that the market was broader, so they designed the visual identity to be attractive to women without turning off men. As a result, our customers are mainly women and I think the look of the design is what attracts them to our brand. It’s definitely worked out well for us.

How did SmashBrand perform from a project management standpoint?

They were always on top of things. If there was any delay, it came from our team not having what we needed when they needed it. We used Google Hangouts and UberConference to communicate.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We intend to bring SmashBrand back in to work on other brands. Giving them our repeat business is probably the best compliment I could bestow.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I can't think of anything.

Any advice for potential customers?

Having a clear understanding of what you want always helps make a project run smooth. However, they're really good about helping new brands navigate this process. They understood the requirements for food and supplement products. They pointed out things that we weren't even aware of. They’re a great partner for new brands that haven't gone through this process before.