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Intern turned CMO in 11 months. 400k in 60 days? Mindful drinking meets bold branding
A story of an underdog intern-turned-CMO and one of the coolest CEOs, with branding that puts a face to the name and content that leaves everyone saying, "One more, please!"
Pram
November 20th, 2024 • Read time7 minutes
Every other brand is becoming more of a content factory than sticking to the old traditional method of simply representing their product and staying within their niche.
Every smart marketer knows that attention shifts, and consumers are increasingly buying into stories, as everyone is a savvy consumer now. My jaw will always drop when I think of the potential of content and the ways social media has led to incredible outcomes. Shoutout to Doggface208 on TikTok aka Nathan Apodaca. I still get chills from results from his content.
Watch this video to see how SMASHD started. In a nutshell, to break the stereotype that red cups must always contain alcohol. I’ve been in those shoes many times.
Through their positioning and the stories they tell, they have built a community of over 500k people on social media. The content and strategy that brings the audience along the journey and makes them root for their success. This is Blunt's 6/10.
Blunt Section
1) Community
Everyone loves revolution and this brand is giving its audience one. Not just in product but in mindset as well. The younger demographic or the people who want non-alcoholic options for social occasions (without compromising on taste) are loving it!
The founder shares the narrative that aligns with sober curious movement. They are fostering the movement by helping normalizing choosing joy, mindfulness and health over societal pressure to drink. Which, couple years before, would had been a laughable scenario.
Brands challenger position helps customer feel part of a rebellious act that prioritizes their choices over societal norms. They feel part of a larger purpose. In simple terms, they do not feel as much guilt to deny a pint. Their channels are filled with comments from people who feel empowered to redefine their social habits, celebrating moments without alcohol while still indulging in the artistry of a cocktail.
Transparent storytelling is the key factor in their strategies to build the community of 433K on drinksmashd. The challenges of launching the brand and market the products in saturated market is most of their content, this makes their community feel like they are riding along the journey. Many modern brand are following this route which helps them create a closer connection with their audience, consumer or not. Mid-Day Squares in one of them.
2) Branding
SMASHD positions itself as premium yet approachable. The brand leans into bold, colorful, and modern packaging that reflects vibrancy and celebration. The design feels upscale yet not exclusionary! Which say whether you drink or not, you are invited to the party.
There has always been a stigma around people who refuse to drink in an event. For the same reason some of those people prefers stay ins rather than nightlife at weekends. Read this article by on smart consumer and stigma for more details.
For the same reasons, SMASHD is not shy about sharing its mission to destigmatize sober living. They own their space unapologetically. They present themselves as the brand that's here to make 'not drinking' just as cool as grabbing a cocktail.
They leverage the power of storytelling by positioning their product as part of a bigger narrative about rethinking how we celebrate, unwind, and connect. This branding stands out because of their big competitor's impersonal and outdated ways in the crowded market.
When it comes to making content as a brand, two main factors are knowing your audience and understanding of platform-specific content and strategies. The brand understands both of these and push content on Instagram and TikTok.
Their strategy? they lay the foundation for each piece of content first. For instance, most of their content is Nicole Wingard (former Intern turned Chief Smash Office) smashing their cans of SMASHD. Why? Because she wants to prove to CEO Mike Chambers that her plan of crushing cans is better than his expensive marketing strategies. So every single content is Nicole, trying to figure out the ways to destroy the cans. She dresses as different characters and does the same thing on repeat. I love them for that!!! ❤️ Such a cool team. I am hooked on their content.
And ofc some other ways of brand awareness. Prank style videos, Love it. ❤️
old trends back for fun, why not?
some production level content that gives Mad Max: fury Road vibes
and some jaw-dropping bombastic collaborations, I am all in for it. Some are also Nicole pulling a prank on Mike.
Their account highlights high-quality product shots, UGC, aspirational lifestyle posts. The whole account shines with Quirky, relatable, and trend-savvy content. It showcases humorous skits about sober curiosity, recipes, behind the scenes snippets of their brand journey.
What sets them apart is their content not standing out from the regular entertaining content that one is scrolling through everyday. Imo, that is marketing done well. It does not sound salesy and forceful. It is entertaining and gets your hooked. It is not impersonal like their competitors. The biggest thing is that it does the job!
Their innovative format is short-form storytelling with campaign videos styled like mini-documentaries. These explore the 'why' behind their product. This helps in emotional Investment and trust. More specifically, it puts a face on brands name.
SMASHD is one of those brands where the audience sticks around, regardless of what’s at stake for them.
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