Shopping with Christy, now on
YouTube.

Shorts and deep dives on shopper behavior, pricing, packaging, and shelf performance.

Christy Lebor Partner/ Strategy Group Director

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Shopping with Christy: get insider takes on shopper behavior, pricing, packaging, and shelf performance.

Shopping Sunscreen by Fragrance? H-E-B Nailed It!

Shopping with Christy heads to H-E-B in Texas for a first look at the retailer's Suncare private label line. And it's a private label execution worth celebrating. Fragrance-led navigation. A clear SPF 50 callout. Spray bottles that signal sunscreen at a glance. A tiered assortment with a core line and designer fragrances. And master brand placement so consistent you could shop the shelf with your eyes half closed. Here's what H-E-B got right: ✓ Category conventions consumers expect (SPF, format) ✓ A point of difference that actually differentiates (shop by fragrance) ✓ Premium graphic treatment that earns a price step-up ✓ Master brand discipline across the entire assortment ✓ A messaging hierarchy that holds up across SKUs The result is a shelf that's loud with color and visual cues, but still shoppable. That's the hard part. Most private label brands miss it. At SmashBrand, we build packaging and brand systems that win across the shopper journey, backed by consumer testing in real shelf contexts. No promises. Only guarantees. Learn more: https://smashbrand.com

Featured

Watch Christy’s

Shorts

How Ryze Uses Packaging to Win Coffee Shoppers

Mushroom coffee has a shopper communication problem: some consumers still don’t know it’s actually coffee.…

Getting on shelf is 25% of the battle and this merchandiser is limiting the other 75%

Getting on shelf is just the starting point for winning in retail. In this audit,…

SmashBrand joins Salem One to Connect Consumer-Validated Brand Strategy with Scaled Market Execution

We’re excited to share that SmashBrand has joined Salem One. This marks a step forward.…

Waterloo Was Ready for This New Merchandising Fixture. Other Brands Weren’t.

Waterloo is winning here because it was built for this exact merchandising fixture. As shelves…

These Barilla Pasta LTO's Really Grabbed My Attention!

Walking the pasta aisle at Walmart and this Barilla limited-time offer completely captured my attention.…

This Bridgerton Limited Time Offer Shows How to Win the Shelf

More and more brand collaborations exist in CPG, but most fail because the packaging is…

Dean’s vs Daisy vs Store Brand: Which Dip Wins at Shelf?

Christy and her daughter hit Walmart to pick a French onion dip for a Super…

Bachan’s Refresh Improves Shopability But the Rollout Is Messy

The Ethnic sauce category is booming, and the shelf competition is becoming brutal. In this…

🎯 What Tic Tac Gets Right About Flavor Naming

Flavor naming is often treated like a creative exercise. Brainstorm a list. Pick what sounds…

The Costco Shelf Signal That Indicates Product Exit or Decline

Every CPG leader and brand manager should know this: Costco’s shelf tags don’t just show…

How We Beat the Knockoffs and Made Fresh Scents Impossible to Ignore

In CPG, packaging is the product. When lookalike brands start stealing attention, you lose more…

The Hidden Club Store Packaging Mistake That’s Quietly Killing Your Sales

What if your packaging is costing you more than you think? In this quick in-store…

TIDE vs. ARM & HAMMER: Is the Extra $$$ Worth It? See Which Christy Picks. #packagingdesign

Don’t let packaging fool you. In this head-to-head showdown, Christy breaks down two household detergent…

This Packaging Is crushing Crisp Power's sales. Don’t Make the Same Mistake

Christy almost skipped a brand she normally buys because the packaging sent the wrong message.…

Why Smucker's Drizzle Bottle Almost Nailed It (But Missed One Sweet Detail)

Smucker’s Drizzle is a packaging win. It features a clean cap, shelf visibility, even elegant…

What Makes a Costco Club Tray Stand Out or Get Ignored

What makes a Costco club tray pop or flop? In this video Christy breaks down…

How Ferrero Rocher Nailed This Holiday Display (And Converted Christy)

SmashBrand’s Christy dives into a Ferrero Rocher display that hits every key purchase driver—distinctive assets,…

Why Rao’s Soup Misses the Mark on This Packaging Design.

Rao’s is a pasta sauce powerhouse, but their soup packaging tells a different story. 🎥…

View More Category Insights

Full Videos Category Insights

What the Weed Killer Aisle at Lowe's Can Teach Us About Shopability and Brand Blocking

The weed killer category at Lowe's is two full bays of product, and almost no help for the shopper trying to navigate it. No shelf talkers, brand block, or clear organizing logic until you start reading every single…

Shopping the Pasta Set for Lessons in Packaging Design

In this episode of Shopping with Christy, we walk the pasta aisle to break down real-world packaging—from what catches the eye to what gets lost in the noise. You’ll see how smart brands shift from emotional storytelling to…

How Smart Packaging Helps Brands Win in Lowe’s Cleaning Aisle

*In this in-store breakdown, SmashBrand’s Christy Lebor walks the specialty cleaning aisle at Lowe’s to answer one big question: 🧽 Why is this category so hard to shop — and what makes some cleaning brands win while others…

The Branding Lessons Hiding in the Egg Aisle Every CPG Brand Should Know

What does the egg aisle really reveal about shelf strategy, brand equity, and consumer messaging? In this video, we break down a real-world category walkthrough—highlighting what brands like Vital Farms and Eggland’s Best get right, where private label…

Here's What the Salad Dressing Aisle Can Teach Us About Brand Blocking and Category Ownership.

What makes one salad dressing brand win over the competition? In this full salad dressing category teardown, we walk the aisles of Super Target to see what works and what doesn’t in brand blocking, color ownership, and form…

Boxed Wine Brands That Get It Right (and Wrong) – What Every CPG Marketer Should See.

What makes one boxed wine brand stand out while another blends into the shelf? In this full boxed wine category teardown, we walk the aisles of Kroger’s massive wine section to see what works—and what doesn’t—in packaging strategy,…

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Shopping with Christy, now on
YouTube.

Featured Video

Featured Video

Shopping Sunscreen by Fragrance? H-E-B Nailed It!

Watch Christy’s

Shorts

How Ryze Uses Packaging to Win Coffee Shoppers

Getting on shelf is 25% of the battle and this merchandiser is limiting the other 75%

SmashBrand joins Salem One to Connect Consumer-Validated Brand Strategy with Scaled Market Execution

Waterloo Was Ready for This New Merchandising Fixture. Other Brands Weren’t.

These Barilla Pasta LTO's Really Grabbed My Attention!

This Bridgerton Limited Time Offer Shows How to Win the Shelf

Dean’s vs Daisy vs Store Brand: Which Dip Wins at Shelf?

Bachan’s Refresh Improves Shopability But the Rollout Is Messy

🎯 What Tic Tac Gets Right About Flavor Naming

The Costco Shelf Signal That Indicates Product Exit or Decline

How We Beat the Knockoffs and Made Fresh Scents Impossible to Ignore

The Hidden Club Store Packaging Mistake That’s Quietly Killing Your Sales

TIDE vs. ARM & HAMMER: Is the Extra $$$ Worth It? See Which Christy Picks. #packagingdesign

This Packaging Is crushing Crisp Power's sales. Don’t Make the Same Mistake

Why Smucker's Drizzle Bottle Almost Nailed It (But Missed One Sweet Detail)

What Makes a Costco Club Tray Stand Out or Get Ignored

How Ferrero Rocher Nailed This Holiday Display (And Converted Christy)

Why Rao’s Soup Misses the Mark on This Packaging Design.

Full Videos Category Insights

What the Weed Killer Aisle at Lowe's Can Teach Us About Shopability and Brand Blocking

Shopping the Pasta Set for Lessons in Packaging Design

How Smart Packaging Helps Brands Win in Lowe’s Cleaning Aisle

The Branding Lessons Hiding in the Egg Aisle Every CPG Brand Should Know

Here's What the Salad Dressing Aisle Can Teach Us About Brand Blocking and Category Ownership.

Boxed Wine Brands That Get It Right (and Wrong) – What Every CPG Marketer Should See.

Shopping with Christy, now on YouTube.

Featured Video

Featured Video

Shopping Sunscreen by Fragrance? H-E-B Nailed It!

Watch Christy’s

Shorts

How Ryze Uses Packaging to Win Coffee Shoppers

Getting on shelf is 25% of the battle and this merchandiser is limiting the other 75%

SmashBrand joins Salem One to Connect Consumer-Validated Brand Strategy with Scaled Market Execution

Waterloo Was Ready for This New Merchandising Fixture. Other Brands Weren’t.

These Barilla Pasta LTO's Really Grabbed My Attention!

This Bridgerton Limited Time Offer Shows How to Win the Shelf

Dean’s vs Daisy vs Store Brand: Which Dip Wins at Shelf?

Bachan’s Refresh Improves Shopability But the Rollout Is Messy

🎯 What Tic Tac Gets Right About Flavor Naming

The Costco Shelf Signal That Indicates Product Exit or Decline

How We Beat the Knockoffs and Made Fresh Scents Impossible to Ignore

The Hidden Club Store Packaging Mistake That’s Quietly Killing Your Sales

TIDE vs. ARM & HAMMER: Is the Extra $$$ Worth It? See Which Christy Picks. #packagingdesign

This Packaging Is crushing Crisp Power's sales. Don’t Make the Same Mistake

Why Smucker's Drizzle Bottle Almost Nailed It (But Missed One Sweet Detail)

What Makes a Costco Club Tray Stand Out or Get Ignored

How Ferrero Rocher Nailed This Holiday Display (And Converted Christy)

Why Rao’s Soup Misses the Mark on This Packaging Design.

Full Videos Category Insights

What the Weed Killer Aisle at Lowe's Can Teach Us About Shopability and Brand Blocking

Shopping the Pasta Set for Lessons in Packaging Design

How Smart Packaging Helps Brands Win in Lowe’s Cleaning Aisle

The Branding Lessons Hiding in the Egg Aisle Every CPG Brand Should Know

Here's What the Salad Dressing Aisle Can Teach Us About Brand Blocking and Category Ownership.

Boxed Wine Brands That Get It Right (and Wrong) – What Every CPG Marketer Should See.

Shopping with Christy, now on
YouTube.