Michael Keplinger

About Michael Keplinger

SmashBrand helps brand managers confidently put products on the shelf that sell. Combining branding and design expertise with consumer insights at multiple points throughout our process, we create brands that win customers, not just awards.An idea company, SmashBrand designs packaging with strategy, style and substance, integrating statistically validated consumer testing into the design process. Product managers and CMOs come to us for product innovation, packaging design, brand strategy, branding and consumer testing. Our data-first process creates consistent results for clients using real insights from actual consumers. I lead strategy and research, working with clients like Kraft Heinz, Duracell, 7-Eleven, and PayPal to determine through analytical rigor and testing how to best optimize the art and message on the physical product. Our unique process of iterative testing integrated into our design process reduces a ton of risk and allows brands to make the bold moves necessary to win in the market.My two decades of engineering, entrepreneurism, and business ownership led to a very unique viewpoint and reinforced a problem-solving approach to everything we do. After earning a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering, I launched and grew several globally distributed multi-million-dollar CPG brands. In 2007, I went back to school and unexpectedly gravitated towards consumer psychology, which gave me the insight to discern my consumer product experience through the broader lens of consumer research and marketing and build market-winning brand strategies.Packaging must connect deeply with consumers and still convey the strategic vision of the brand. I’ve honed an ability to see ideas through the eyes of the consumer and anticipate how they’re going to react to the product or its message. I piece together seemingly unrelated pieces—it’s the place where real innovation and opportunity collide.

Experience

1. Advisor, Mentor & Investor

   SKU

   May 2021 — Present

   Mentoring some of the most promising new CPG food brands on branding and strategy through SKUs accelerator program.SKU accelerates emerging CPG brands with a world-class program driven by a thriving community of serial entrepreneurs & industry experts through a 14-week intensive program.

Education

• UC Irvine

  BS, Computer Engineering

  1993 — 1999

• University of California, San Diego - Rady School of Management

  MBA, Business Administration and Management, Marketing

  2007 — 2009

Skills

• Business Strategy
• Start-Up Operations
• Entrepreneurship
• Product Marketing
• Strategic Analysis
• Strategic Partnerships
• Strategic Planning
• IT Strategy
• Strategic Consulting
• Business
• Operations
• Market Research
• Venture Capital
• New Business Launch
• Process Improvement
• Marketing
• Small Business Development
• Competitive Analysis
• Start-Ups
• Go-to-Market Strategy
• Business Planning
• Product Management
• Business Development
• Corporate Finance
• Mobile Applications
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Marketing Strategy
• Strategy
• E-Commerce
• Leadership
• Web Analytics
• Analysis