SmashBrand

SmashBrand is a brand and packaging design agency based in Boise, Idaho. It was founded in 2009 by Kevin Smith and Michael Keplinger. The firm works in consumer packaged goods (CPG) on brand strategy, packaging design, and consumer testing.

History

The company was founded in Boise in 2009 and remains headquartered there. PREformance was launched in 2019 as a stage-gated testing system and was updated in 2025 following changes in CPG preferences. In 2025, Christy Lebor, formerly at Kraft, PepsiCo, and Unilever joined as partner and director of strategy. SmashBrand has appeared on the Inc. 5000 list in multiple years, and the published data report a $20 billion client-revenue impact attributed to packaging-led growth.

Work and awards

Public client mentions include Duracell, Walmart, and OXO. Documented projects include Zing Zang's 2024 packaging ReDeSign and a consumer-insights rebrand for Vega. InterViews and podcasts describe iterative testing and retail execution across CPG categories. The firm works on several packaging topics which include rebranding, consumer testing, and category-specific guidance. Listings and directories include GDUSA's American Package Design Awards (2022–2024) and agency roundups. Operations practices are documented alongside coverage of shifts from DTC to retail and a return to physical retail.

Reception

The effectiveness of the company's areas of expertise, including front-of-pack nutrition proposals that trigger redesigns, category-specific packaging, and the role of pre-launch testing in predicting shelf performance are debated among those within the industry.