CPG Branding that wins on shelf, guaranteed.
Strategic branding and positioning transformed G Fuel from a niche sports supplement to the premier energy drink for gamers, driving brand growth to $350 million in sales and establishing market leadership in the competitive gaming beverage category.
Process.
- Position: Fortune 500 strategies combined with a proprietary methodology to create unique brand positioning that realizes full market potential.
- Design: Rooted in a deep understanding of high-value consumer segments, resulting in a rebrand that drives product trial and fosters repeat purchases.
- Test: Utilize data-driven insights and consumer feedback to refine and validate branding, iterating for maximum shelf impact and purchase intent.
Innovation.
Our Innovation Capabilities.
Define and refine incremental areas of opportunity for your brand to inform your pipeline and focus your resources.
Better understand your competitors’ positioning, messaging, product formulations and consumer reviews.
Generate fresh, innovative product ideas that resonate with your target audience.
Product Idea Screener
Quickly assess the potential of new product ideas to ensure only the best move forward.
Product Naming
Creative naming to convey a benefit, catch attention and drive distinction.
New Product Concepts
Develop breakthrough product ideas that drive incremental brand growth.
Packcept Diagnostic Test
Understand if a new product idea resonates and how to maximize consumer appeal quickly.
Brand Stretch
Evaluate how far your brand can stretch into new categories or segments.
Price Optimizer Test
Determine the best price point for your product to maximize revenue and profit.
Assortment Planning
Defining product range, flavor and variant for maximum consumer reach and frequency.
Positioning.
Our Positioning Capabilities.
Consumer Segmentation
Identify and group your category's consumers based on purchase behaviors and needs to reveal which segments offer the highest ROI for growth potential.
Usage & Attitudes Studies
Map consumer attitudes, behaviors, and unmet needs within your category to identify the most compelling "jobs to be done" for your target consumers.
Define your brand’s marketing focus across core and adjacent groups and how your message may need to shift per target.
“Boots on the ground” analysis of retail stores to bring the reality of the shopping environment into your project.
Review a deep analysis of competing brands’ positioning, messaging, design and product offerings to inform strategy.
Research, data and perception-based mapping of the competitive brands within your “job to be done” for the consumer.
Actionable guidelines on how your brand shows up to the consumer.
Understand why your brand is “worth it” vs. competitive options.
Positioning Test
Don’t guess - know which “way in” works best to promote the value and uniqueness of your product to your target consumer.
Tie data, insights and learnings together to express your brand proposition simply in a easy to understand framework.
Design.
Our Design Capabilities.
Strategically organized product portfolios to maximize brand equity and simplify consumer decision-making.
Distinctive visual and verbal identities that resonates with your target audience and sets you apart from competitors.
Persuasive, benefit-driven messaging that connects with consumers and reinforces your brand's unique positioning.
Compelling packaging that captures attention, communicates key benefits, and drives purchase decisions at shelf.
Develop distinctive packaging structures that enhance product functionality while creating competitive advantage through shelf differentiation.
Flawless execution from concept to final product with expert pre-press and production guidance.
Create impactful point-of-sale materials that extend your brand story and drive purchase behavior in the retail environment.
Website Design
User-friendly, brand-aligned digital presence that effectively showcases your products and engages consumers.
Optimized digital assets that help your brand stand out online, increasing engagement and driving sales.
Comprehensive guidelines to maintain brand consistency across all touchpoints and communications.
Essential assets and strategies for successful brand launches and ongoing promotions for in-house and external agency partners.
DTC Design
Develop cohesive direct-to-consumer packaging and unboxing experiences that build brand loyalty and encourage repeat purchase.
Merchandising Strategy
Effective in-store tactics to maximize visibility and drive purchase at the point of sale.
Testing.
Our Testing Capabilities.
Product Idea Screen
Brand Stretch
Product Positioning
Usage & Attitudes
Integration.
Integrated CPG branding that puts your best foot forward.
Building a successful brand requires more than just personal preferences or conventional tactics. That’s why we take a data-first approach to branding, considering every aspect of the brand with its target audience. We create a unique and powerful performance-ready brand by combining your identifiable brand elements, consumer insights, and testing.
Brand Strategy
Crafting a brand strategy with distinct positioning, stand-out messaging, and visuals that attract consumers. Our strategy formulation considers the current identity, recall, and equity to retain loyalty. We then tailor the brand’s voice, messaging, and design for optimal purchase intent.
Brand Creative
Data-driven design process exploring various messaging approaches to create the optimal claims hierarchy. With the most impactful words in place, we design multiple concepts for your brand, including logo, color scheme, and typography.
Brand Validation
Refining design concepts to final candidates, your product undergoes rigorous consumer testing to validate all elements. Our stage-gate process ensures a successful rebrand by validating at each critical step in the brand development process.
Frequently Asked Question
What is SmashBrand’s approach to branding?
Unlike most branding agencies, SmashBrand adopts a comprehensive and data-driven approach to branding. It involves stages like Diagnosis, Strategy Development, and Execution. We focus on understanding the market, consumer behavior, and competitive landscape to craft a brand identity that resonates with the target audience. This process is backed by thorough research and testing to ensure the brand stands out in the competitive market.
How does SmashBrand formulate its branding strategy?
We formulate the branding strategy through a multi-step process. This includes market analysis, trend assessment, competitive and retail audits, consumer targeting, and brand positioning. By evaluating market dynamics and consumer insights, we create a custom tailored brand design strategy that aligns with the client’s objectives, consumer desires, and market demands.
What is involved in the 'diagnosis' stage of SmashBrand's process?
In the Diagnose stage, SmashBrand conducts an extensive analysis of the category, consumer, and competition. This includes gathering data, understanding market trends, and identifying the brand’s current position. The aim is to create a solid foundation for strategy development by uncovering insights that drive brand growth.
What does the 'execution' phase entail in SmashBrand's branding process?
The Execute phase involves bringing the brand strategy to life. This includes design iterations, consumer testing, packaging design, purchase driver messaging, and optimization of messaging and packaging. SmashBrand ensures the final branding resonates with the target market and stands out on the shelf.
What specific branding services do you offer?
We offer a range of branding services including market and trend analysis, competitive audits, strategy development, consumer targeting, brand positioning, name development, market mapping, and consumer behavior analysis. Specifically for designs we offer logo creation, packaging designs, buyers decks, website designs and other brand collateral.
We do not offer digital marketing related services but can leverage our learnings for other graphic design purposes such as websites, trade show booths, and in-store displays.
How much do your branding services cost?
The cost of our branding services vary based on the scope and complexity of the project. Unlike the traditional branding agency, SmashBrand has developed a proprietary approach to brand development called the PathToPerformance™, a roadmap taking brands from conception to retail-ready. Our process includes brand strategy, brand design, and brand testing. A brand development project starts at $25,000.00, but we’re happy to discuss unconventional opportunities for promising partnerships.
Where can I find examples of past clients who engaged with you for branding services?
You can find examples of our past clients and the successful branding services we have provided on our Works page. We believe that to be the “best branding agency” you must not only showcase the work but the impact it has for the brand.
On this page, you will find CPG brands that trusted us as their branding company, benefiting from our proven process.
What sets us apart is not just the visual transformation but also the performance data from our purchase intent testing, which provides a clear picture of the effectiveness of our branding strategies.
Do you offer rebranding for existing companies?
Yes, we offer rebranding services for existing companies. Our approach is tailored to enhance and revitalize your existing brand, focusing on maintaining brand consistency while updating the brand’s image to stay relevant in the current market. We understand the importance of preserving the established brand recognition and customer loyalty that your company has built over the years.
Our rebranding strategy is designed to strengthen these aspects, ensuring that any changes reinforce brand loyalty and align with the evolving needs and perceptions of your target audience. By carefully considering the heritage and equity of your brand, we ensure that the rebranding process respects and builds upon the legacy of your existing brand, enhancing its appeal and relevance to both existing and new customers.
What other services do you offer?
Besides branding, SmashBrand offers services like SKU optimization, price optimization, purchase intent testing, performance data analysis, and support for securing retail space. While we do not offer marketing related services, we do provide post-activation support for exploring new market opportunities and brand or product extensions. Please see the footer of our website for each individual service that we offer.
Our integrated brand development process integrates brand strategy, design, and testing into a single solution. Our team has decades of experience working for in brand management, creative design, and consumer testing positions with the industries leading companies.
Does my project come with a logo design?
Yes, logo design is often a part of SmashBrand’s branding projects. We develop a logo that aligns with the overall brand strategy and resonates with the target audience.
What industries does your branding agency specialize in?
SmashBrand is most recognized as a CPG branding agency focused on clients who sell in retail. Our works page showcases our work with food and beverage, health and beauty, and other categories of consumer packaged goods.
However, we are open to discussing branding projects that service different industries.
How can I be certain that my branding project will resonate with consumers?
We ensure branding resonance through consumer insights, market research, and predictive testing methodologies. Our approach involves understanding consumer preferences and market trends, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful consumer engagement.
What if I don't know the name of my product?
We offer naming services that can be included in our Path To Performance™ branding process. Our creative and data-driven methods to develop product names that are memorable, relevant, and align with your brand strategy.
Is my brand logo different than my packaging logo?
The brand logo and packaging logo can be the same or different, depending on the branding strategy. SmashBrand tailors this aspect of our branding service based on the overall brand identity and market positioning goals.
What if I have a parent company that owns the brand? Do I get 2 logos?
If a parent company owns the brand, We can develop distinct logos for both, ensuring they align with their respective brand identities while maintaining a cohesive relationship.
How customizable are your branding packages?
Because of our proven Path To Performance™ process, our branding packages all follow a similar framework. Depending on the needs of our client, some services may or may not be included based on the product category, competitive set, and budget constraints.
Can clients be involved and be involved in the branding process?
Yes, client involvement is an integral part of SmashBrand’s process. We encourage collaboration and input from clients to ensure the branding aligns with their vision and business objectives.
What deliverables will I receive upon completion of the branding project?
As your creative agency, in addition to the core design assets you will receive several key deliverables. These include comprehensive brand guidelines, an in-depth document on brand foundations, and a strategically crafted buyers deck.<br>
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The brand guidelines are essential for maintaining brand consistency across all platforms and touchpoints. This document will detail the visual and communicative elements of your brand, such as logo usage, color palettes, typography, and messaging tone, ensuring that your brand’s identity is cohesively represented.<br>
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The brand foundations document is another crucial deliverable. It dives deep into the core elements of your brand, providing a foundation that significantly improves your marketing strategy and digital strategy. This document serves as a roadmap for your brand’s positioning, messaging, and overall market approach, aligning all marketing efforts for maximum impact.
Lastly, the buyers deck is an invaluable tool for engaging with retail partners and stakeholders. It is designed to showcase the strength and appeal of your brand in a compelling and data-driven manner, aiding in securing shelf space and partnerships.
These deliverables collectively provide a robust framework for your brand’s future growth and presence in the market, aligning with SmashBrand’s commitment to excellence as a top-tier creative agency.
What support can we expect post-activation for exploring new market opportunities or brand and product extensions?
Post-activation, SmashBrand provides ongoing support for exploring new market opportunities and brand or product extensions. This includes market analysis, consumer insights, and strategic guidance to adapt and grow the brand in evolving markets.
Our Results.
Explore Data-Driven
Success Stories.
Our clients believe in our brand development integration because it’s proven to work.
Positioning, Design, Testing
Brand positioning and packaging drive 2x sales in 3 months.
Positioning, Design, Testing
30% sales lift after packaging refresh for Yucatan.
A 34% increase in purchase preference drove the sales boost, attracting younger consumers and expanding market share.
Design, Testing
7pt purchase intent lift for the leader in bloody mary mixes.
A packaging refresh revitalized the brand, boosting market share across its cocktail mixer and Ready-to-Drink lines.
Talk to us
Contact us to discuss how we can help you experience the full possibility of your brand.
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What happens next?
- One of our experts will look over your details and contact you.
- If needed, we’ll sign an NDA to keep the highest level of privacy.
- We'll schedule a discovery call to discuss your specific job to be done and how we can help drive your brand's growth.