SmashBrand Founders Kevin Smith and Michael Keplinger on Disrupting an Industry, Building Strong Brands, and the Future of CPG

DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / October 5, 2021 / Packaging design is an industry forever in flux. The trends that dominate the market are constantly changing, but the methods brands and designers use to guide them are often stiff and inflexible, relying heavily on subjectivity. SmashBrand founder Kevin Smith believes that the design process is long overdue for reevaluation and renovation.

Enter SmashBrand

Before taking on the packaging design industry, agency owners Kevin Smith and Michael Keplinger owned several successful CPG brands that were globally distributed. After more than 20 years in business together, Smith and Keplinger went on to launch SmashBrand in 2011. They were excited and passionate about the idea of integrating data and letting it drive packaging design. This approach has contributed to significant changes in the industry, where even the largest firms are taking notice and integrating their methodologies into their design processes.

By applying sound marketing principles and consumer psychology to iterative testing practices usually found in high-tech industries, they began recognizing success patterns across both their own and their clients’ brands. This resulted in a consistent process that can guarantee specific market outcomes.

Crafting an Effective Consumer Testing Process

Michael points out that “Though we tend to not think about it, when we walk into the store, a lot of work and thought went into what we’re looking at on the shelf.” SmashBrand begins its design process by considering the job that the packaging has to do. They break this into four main pillars: the packaging must be well-positioned, it must attract consumers, it must clearly communicate value, and it must be persuasive. Package designers must quickly and effectively communicate exactly what the product is in about three seconds or less. Not only that, but they have to persuade consumers to actually take it to the counter and buy it.

“We use research to come up with ideas that we think might work, and then we test them with consumers,” Michael explains. “We narrow it down to a few different packaging concepts that are ready to go on shelf, and we test those against real competitors that they’re likely to find in the store. Then, we’re able to quantitatively measure what these designs are going to convey to consumers and how they’re likely to perform.”

Disrupting the CPG Industry

The SmashBrand team thinks that the most common approaches to product packaging design leave quite a bit to be desired. “Most contemporary agencies have a highly subjective review process for anything that’s design-related,” Michael explains. “The CEO or the brand manager comes into a meeting and says ‘I like this, I don’t like that, I think this will work,’ and that’s what goes on the shelf.” This approach often yields unreliable results.

“We believe that we’re revolutionizing the industry because we’ve designed an efficient, proven process for getting products in front of consumers before they’re on the shelf, putting them through a rigorous testing process, and gathering valuable consumer insights to refine what we’re doing,” Michael says. “Ultimately, what you’re putting on the shelf is already proven to perform.”

The Future of Packaging Design

The SmashBrand team believes that packaging design will be forever changed by the current trend towards a data-driven approach. “I think that what we’re doing today is how all agencies and products will be developed in the future. You’ll have to do it this way or else you won’t succeed, and the reason this matters is that today there are ten times as many products on the shelf, whether it’s on Amazon, at the grocery store, at the drugstore, you name it. It’s so much easier than it’s ever been to bring a product to market, and the old ways of doing it won’t work anymore.” They believe that the future of product design will be driven by data, testing, and using consumer feedback to create product packaging that is proven to perform in the market.

SmashBrand’s Grand Ambitions

The team sets a high bar for itself, but Kevin feels optimistic about their ability to achieve their goals. “This is an exciting time,” he says. “I see continual growth ahead for our agency. We’ve invented this, and it’s changing the industry, so in the next few years, there won’t be an agency working in CPG that’s not working our way. And if we do our jobs correctly, we’ll come to be seen as thought leaders in our industry.” They hope that the buzz surrounding their revolutionary methods will attract the attention of industry leaders such as Omnicom Group or Accenture Plc for a potential acquisition at some point in the future.

Contact: 

SmashBrand at 
hello@smashbrand.com

SOURCE: SmashBrand

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