Salem One Completes Its Acquisition of SmashBrand
Salem One, a leading provider of data-driven marketing execution, packaging, direct marketing, signage, and logistics solutions, today announced the acquisition of SmashBrand, the first fully integrated brand development agency for consumer-packaged goods, combining strategy, design, and consumer testing under one roof.
SmashBrand will continue to operate under its own brand, leadership team, and proprietary methodology. The acquisition brings together complementary capabilities that allow CPG brands to move from consumer-validated strategy through scaled market execution in a single connected ecosystem, reducing handoffs, improving speed to market, and driving measurable growth at shelf.
"Brands don't fail because of bad ideas. They fail when great ideas lose fidelity between strategy and execution," said Tracy Brooks, SVP at Salem One. "SmashBrand has built a rigorous, consumer-tested process that gives brands confidence in their strategic decisions. Salem One ensures those decisions are executed flawlessly at scale. Together, we close the gap that costs CPG brands time, money, and market share."
SmashBrand is known for its proprietary, data-driven approach to brand positioning, packaging design, and innovation. Its integrated process, led by former Fortune 100 CPG executives from companies including Kraft, PepsiCo, and Unilever, uses iterative consumer testing with predictive accuracy proven across hundreds of engagements to help brands make smarter decisions earlier. Salem One brings operational excellence across packaging production, direct marketing, retail displays, and logistics, ensuring those validated decisions translate into market-ready execution.
"Our process does not change. Our standards do not change. What changes is what happens after we hand brands a validated, consumer-tested design system," said Kevin Smith, Founder of SmashBrand. "For the first time, our clients can move from a winning strategy through production, retail displays, and in-market execution with a partner that understands both the data behind the decision and the realities of getting product on shelf. That is a meaningful advantage for any brand trying to grow at retail."
“I could not be more excited about this combination of Salem One and SmashBrand. Salem One has always focused on world class execution within our print capabilities. However, for the past two decades we have also sought to add greater expertise to answer the growing strategic needs of consumer-focused clients. With the addition of SmashBrand, we combine national level expertise and execution from ideation through production, logistics and consumer response, so that we may honestly bring the expectation of results for our clients.”, said Phil Kelley, Jr, CEO of Salem One.
For CPG brands, the combination means access to an end-to-end capability that has not existed before: upstream brand strategy and design validated by real consumer data, connected directly to downstream production and retail execution, with no loss of strategic intent along the way.
The preceding press release was provided by a company unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions.
