SMAKK Studios
SMAKK Studios is a women-owned New York branding agency founded in 2011 that provides brand strategy, packaging, ecommerce, and omnichannel content services to beauty, wellness, and CPG brands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SMAKK Studios does
SMAKK Studios is a New York-based, women-owned branding and creative agency founded in 2011 by Katie Klencheski, specializing in beauty, wellness, and consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands. The firm operates a four-pillar service model — Brand Development (strategy, naming, identity, messaging, logo and guidelines), Packaging & Retail (creative strategy, packaging design, visual merchandising, retail readiness), Omni-Channel Content (campaigns, social, SMS/email marketing), and Ecommerce Websites (Shopify/Shopify Plus, UX/UI, headless commerce, custom apps). Its technology backbone combines Shopify Plus partner expertise, headless commerce architecture using Sanity CMS, WordPress via WP Engine, Mailchimp for email automation, and bespoke Shopify app development including subscription and AI-integrated applications. The agency is positioned as a 'brand strategy first, tactics second' shop, with a leadership team whose CTO previously built technology teams at Apple, Google, Zocdoc, and Flatiron Health.
SMAKK Studios firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SMAKK Studios
- Legal name
- Monaghan Farkas Inc DBA SMAKK Studios
- Website
- https://smakkstudios.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SMAKK Studios is a women-owned New York branding agency founded in 2011 that provides brand strategy, packaging, ecommerce, and omnichannel content services to beauty, wellness, and CPG brands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SMAKK Studios industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Branding and Marketing Agency Services
- NAICS
- Public Relations Agencies (541820), Advertising Agencies (541810)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Product & Brand PR (Consumer & B2B) (BPAFADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Technology & B2B PR (BPAFADAI)
Keywords
Where SMAKK Studios is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
SMAKK Studios business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Project-based Professional Services: Initial engagements typically start as projects for branding, websites, marketing campaigns, and packaging. Typical minimum timelines: Branding (12 weeks), Websites (12 weeks), Marketing Campaigns (6 weeks), Packaging (6 weeks). Full brand launches typically take 6 months.
- Retainer Engagements: Following initial projects (especially website launches), engagements often transition to monthly or hourly-based retainers for ongoing testing, enhancements, maintenance, and marketing support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based engagements |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
SMAKK Studios product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SMAKK Studios is a B2B creative agency that develops branding, packaging, ecommerce websites, and omnichannel marketing campaigns for beauty, wellness, and CPG brands. Its four interconnected practices — Brand Development, Packaging & Retail, Omni-Channel Content, and Ecommerce Websites — are delivered as project-based engagements (typically 6–12 weeks) or ongoing retainers. The agency combines strategy, design, and Shopify/Shopify Plus technical development to help brands differentiate on shelf and online.
Product overview
SMAKK Studios is a branding agency for beauty, wellness, and CPG brands, offering a comprehensive suite of services centered around brand strategy-first methodology. Their core service offering comprises four interconnected practices: Brand Development (strategy, naming, identity, messaging, logo design, brand guidelines), Packaging & Retail (packaging design, visual merchandising, retail readiness), Omni-Channel Content (marketing campaigns, social media, email/SMS marketing), and Ecommerce Websites (Shopify development, UX/UI, custom apps). Within their Ecommerce Websites practice, they offer three specialized modules: Shopify Theme Development (custom themes, responsive design, CRO), Shopify App Development (custom apps, API integrations, subscription services), and Headless Shopify Development (PWAs, SPAs, SSR for enhanced performance). The agency operates on a project-based model with typical timelines of 12 weeks for branding, 12 weeks for websites, 6 weeks for marketing campaigns, and 6 weeks for packaging, with integrated brand launches typically taking 6 months.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Brand Development Strategic and creative services to develop differentiated brands, including brand strategy, naming, brand identity, messaging, voice and tone, logo design, and brand guidelines, for beauty, wellness, and CPG companies.
- Packaging & Retail Insights and design services to create unique packaging that stands out on retail and digital shelves, including creative strategy, packaging design, visual merchandising, retail readiness, and ecommerce shipping programs, for emerging and established consumer brands.
- Omni-Channel Content Strategy and creative for marketing campaign development to meet consumers across channels, including marketing strategy and execution, content strategy and planning, art direction and production, brand-led advertising campaigns, social media content, and SMS and email marketing.
- Ecommerce Websites UX, strategy, design and development for direct-to-consumer experiences, including web design and development, UX/UI, Shopify/Shopify Plus expertise, custom app development, conversion optimization, and email marketing, for DTC ecommerce brands.
Companies that use SMAKK Studios
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
SMAKK Studios technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
SMAKK Studios partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and major.
- ShopifycoreTrusted Shopify Partners and Shopify Plus Partners with deep expertise in building cutting-edge Shopify sites. Services include custom theme development, app development, headless Shopify solutions, and ongoing support for DTC brands.
- SanitysupportingHeadless CMS integration partner used for building flexible content management solutions for clients.
- MailchimpsupportingEmail marketing integration partner for ecommerce email campaigns and marketing automation.
- WP EnginesupportingWordPress hosting partner for WordPress-based website projects.
- Shiseido GroupmajorEnterprise partner for whom they developed the Ulé brand as an intrapreneurial concept within Shiseido Group, integrating vertical farming into skincare.
- Harvard/MIT ResearchcoreScientific research partners behind Pavise's patent-protected DiamondCore Shield Technology.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SMAKK Studios competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Beardwood & Co: Creative agency offering brand strategy, packaging design, and digital experiences for beauty, wellness, and CPG clients — directly comparable service mix and client verticals to SMAKK.
- Mucca: NYC design and branding agency working across CPG, beauty, and lifestyle categories — closely comparable in scale, service offering, and project-based creative model.
- Winkreative: Global branding and design studio serving premium consumer, hospitality, and lifestyle clients — comparable in delivering full-service brand identity, packaging, and editorial design for high-end brands.
- Red Antler: NYC-based branding agency that builds DTC challenger brands from positioning through launch, with a portfolio overlapping SMAKK's in beauty, wellness, and CPG (e.g., Hims, JVN Hair, Allbirds). Closest direct competitor in scope and client type.
- Trollbäck+Company: NYC branding and design studio serving media, consumer, and cultural brands — directly comparable as a boutique branding specialist with senior partner-led engagement model.
- Instrument: Independent creative and digital agency working with consumer brands on identity, packaging, and ecommerce — comparable in combining brand strategy with technical Shopify and digital delivery.
- Manual: Creative agency providing brand strategy, design, and digital execution for consumer and lifestyle brands, with overlapping expertise in CPG and ecommerce-driven brand builds.
- Mother Design: Design arm of Mother, an independent creative network, working with consumer and cultural brands on identity, packaging, and campaign systems — comparable in creative pedigree and brand-led methodology.
Broad incumbents
- R/GA: Global digital and creative agency with deep ecommerce, brand, and product capabilities serving major CPG and beauty clients — broader incumbent that competes for the same enterprise ecommerce + brand budgets as SMAKK.
- Pentagram: Largest independent design firm, offering partner-led brand identity, packaging, and digital work across consumer categories — broader incumbent with overlapping brand strategy services but at significantly greater scale and scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SMAKK Studios social profiles
Digital presenceSMAKK Studios financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SMAKK Studios leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
SMAKK Studios funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SMAKK Studios M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SMAKK Studios
What does SMAKK Studios do?
SMAKK Studios is a B2B creative agency that develops branding, packaging, ecommerce websites, and omnichannel marketing campaigns for beauty, wellness, and CPG brands. Its four interconnected practices — Brand Development, Packaging & Retail, Omni-Channel Content, and Ecommerce Websites — are delivered as project-based engagements (typically 6–12 weeks) or ongoing retainers. The agency combines strategy, design, and Shopify/Shopify Plus technical development to help brands differentiate on shelf and online.
Is SMAKK Studios a public or private company?
SMAKK Studios is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SMAKK Studios founded?
SMAKK Studios was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SMAKK Studios based?
SMAKK Studios is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does SMAKK Studios make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Project-based Professional Services are the primary driver. The others are retainer Engagements.
Who are SMAKK Studios's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Beardwood & Co, Mucca, Winkreative, Red Antler, Trollbäck+Company, Instrument, Manual and Mother Design. Broad incumbents are R/GA and Pentagram.
Does SMAKK Studios have an API?
No public API is recorded for SMAKK Studios.
What industry is SMAKK Studios in?
SMAKK Studios's product category is Branding and Marketing Agency Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFADAH, Product & Brand PR (Consumer & B2B), with a secondary code of BPAFADAI, Technology & B2B PR. Its NAICS code is 541820 and its SIC code is 8742.