Not guesswork.
Chicago packaging design agency helping brands win in retail.
We help Chicago CPG brands turn first impressions into purchase. Through our Path to Performance™ process, strategy, design and consumer testing work together as one. Our team includes members based in Chicago. Every carton, bag and label is shaped by real shopper behavior and built to attract, communicate and convert. Our designs are validated through predictive testing and backed by a performance guarantee. The result: pack design that drives performance in retail.
Process.
Using consumer insights to design Chicago brands and packaging experiences.
Chicago is home to Kraft Heinz, Mondelez International and Conagra Brands. Challenger brands across Chicago and Illinois compete with those portfolios in every aisle. From food and snacks to beverage, pet, home care and personal care, every design decision we make is rooted in real consumer insights. Our integrated process connects research, design and validation to create packs that earn attention, simplify choice and drive conversion on shelf and online.
Winning the Chicago shelf with proven design.
Being wrong at shelf is expensive. A package gets one look. We map the 10-second buyer journey before a design is final, so Chicago marketing teams see what shoppers notice, read and buy before the line review.
That is why every design we create or SKU we redesign is grounded in real consumer behavior, refined through predictive testing and built to win attention and conversion across retail and DTC.
Categories we design for.
Chicago brands sell across the store. Our packaging design work covers the categories that fill it.
- Food, snack and frozen food packaging for center store and frozen sets.
- Candy and chocolate packaging built for checkout lanes and seasonal sets.
- Beverage, alcohol and spirits cans, bottles and multipacks tested for shelf visibility.
- Cleaning product and household goods packaging with reason-to-believe messaging for home care sets.
- Pet packaging for food, treats and accessories.
- Beauty, skincare and supplement claims tested for shopper trust at shelf and online.
Strategy, design, testing and production from one company.
SmashBrand is a Salem One company. Salem One produces packaging, direct mail, signage and print at national scale and has served brands since 1987. Its plants run folding cartons, pressure-sensitive labels, blister cards and retail display components. Sustainable packaging options include paperboard blister cards designed to replace plastic.
For Chicago brands, that means one integrated process for packaging solutions from concept to shelf. The file that wins the test is the file that goes on press.
Services.
Our design capabilities.
Organize CPG portfolios across brands, sub-brands and lines so shoppers can navigate the range and every SKU has a job.
Build visual and verbal identities that make your brand recognizable at shelf, online and in every retail channel.
Write packaging messages that state the benefit, back the claim and rank purchase drivers in the order shoppers read them.
Design packaging that wins attention in the aisle, communicates the product in seconds and drives purchase at retail and DTC.
Engineer custom packaging structures, from folding cartons and boxes to blister cards, built for the shelf and the production line.
Move from concept to final pack with pre-press, color management and production standards handled by specialists.
Create retail materials, displays and signage that carry the brand story and proof of performance into the store.
Website Design
Design websites that explain the product, answer shopper questions and move visitors toward purchase.
Produce product page images and marketplace assets that tell the product story and improve online conversion.
Deliver brand guidelines that keep identity, packaging and copy consistent across every channel and partner.
Equip your team with launch assets and frameworks for rollouts, promotions and retailer sell-in.
DTC Design
Design direct-to-consumer experiences, from shipper to unboxing, that build loyalty and repeat purchase.
Merchandising Strategy
Plan placement and visibility across the aisle with data on how shoppers shop the set.
Anchor your brand in the purchase drivers your shoppers value most and own a clear position in the category.
Analyze category gaps and trends to find new product opportunities, then screen concepts with consumers before development spend.
From a light refresh to a full renovation, every claim, format and design is validated through predictive testing before it reaches shelf.
Integration.
Our approach to packaging design for Chicago brands.
We start by decoding what Chicago shoppers look for, what they trust and what gives them pause. Using category benchmarks, competitive analysis and behavioral mapping, we uncover the visual and verbal triggers that matter most.
Those insights guide every creative decision, shaping design concepts and strategies that stand out and perform under real-world conditions. Each design is validated with predictive testing to confirm it drives intent, trial and repeat purchase.
Strategy
Led by former brand managers from blue-chip CPG companies who understand your business challenges and market dynamics.
Design
Creative experts trained at top brand agencies, translating consumer insights into impactful designs for major CPG brands.
Testing
Modern consumer testing that simulates real retail environments, mapping the crucial 10-second buyer journey.
Our Results.
Explore Data-Driven
Success Stories.
We lead all our clients toward objective wins across every category.
Positioning, Design, Testing
22% revenue growth for WhistlePig’s luxury whiskey brand extension.
Brand extension and logo redesign drove 16% greater share with bourbon category shoppers.
Positioning, Design, Testing
G Fuel repositioning propels category leadership and $350M in revenue.
Sixteen brand concepts tested with consumers. The winner delivered a 42-point lift in purchase intent and category leadership.
Our Results.
Explore Data-Driven
Success Stories.
We lead all our clients toward objective wins across every category.
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.
Frequently asked questions about packaging design in Chicago.
Do you have team members in Chicago?
Yes. SmashBrand has team members based in Chicago and works with brands across Illinois and the Midwest. Our headquarters is in Boise, Idaho, and engagements run on video.
What does a Chicago packaging design agency cost?
Our projects range from $25,000 to $500,000. Scope, SKU count and testing depth set the price.
How long does a packaging design project take?
The Path to Performance™ typically spans 2 to 5 months.
How do you prove a package design will work?
We test every concept with real shoppers before launch. The Category Baseline Test sets the benchmark, the Pack Words Test ranks claims, the Design Diagnostic shows what shoppers see first and the Purchase Intent Test picks the winner. Our methodology has 94% predictive accuracy on in-market performance.
What is the performance guarantee?
SmashBrand is the only packaging design agency that contractually guarantees measurable improvement.
Can you produce the packaging too?
Yes. As a Salem One company, we take the winning design to press. Production covers folding cartons, labels, blister cards and retail displays.
What should I look for in a Chicago packaging design agency?
Ask four questions. Do they test with real shoppers before production? Do strategy, branding and packaging design come from one team? Can they produce the package? Will they guarantee the result in writing? SmashBrand answers yes to all four.
How is a packaging design company different from a branding agency or graphic design agency?
A graphic design agency makes the package look right. A branding agency defines the brand. SmashBrand does both and tests the result with shoppers before production.
Can you work with our in-house creative team or current agency?
Yes. Our creative team usually does the work. We can also run strategy and testing alongside your internal team or an agency you already use.
Who is SmashBrand?
SmashBrand is a CPG branding and packaging design company. We help consumer brands build brands more people choose, with positioning, brand identity and packaging design validated by consumer testing. Our work has earned GDUSA Packaging Design Awards every year from 2019 to 2024.