Smashburger hired Partners in Crime in August 2023, following a review, as it looked to strengthen its digital channels in a crowded burger category. At the time, the agency’s “creative syndicate,” a group of subject matter marketing experts hired using partial employment contracts, was what won over the burger chain, Emily Romme, senior brand manager at Smashburger, previously told Ad Age.
“We are incredibly proud of the work we’ve done for Smashburger,” Stephen Goldblatt, founder and creative director of Partners in Crime, said in an email to Ad Age. “It’s been an honor to shape their story over the past two years, and we wish them nothing but continued success.”
A representative for Partners in Crime added in an email that the shop would welcome a new client in the quick-service space.
“We love the energy and challenge of the QSR space, and we’re ready to bring our skills to another brand looking to break through,” the representative said.
The change comes under Prather, who joined Smashburger in March of last year, according to his LinkedIn profile. Prather was previously at Starbucks for over a decade, most recently as VP of brand and product marketing.
When Smashburger appointed Partners in Crime, it was looking to invest more in social media, following in the footsteps of rivals including McDonald’s, Chipotle and Popeyes. Smashburger has since built its presence on TikTok—whose future remains uncertain after the Supreme Court upheld a law on Friday that would ban the app in the U.S. unless its Chinese owner, ByteDance, sells it— and Instagram. It hopped on trends such as “In da clerb, we all fam,” from Comedy Central show “Broad City,” to promote a deal last year in which customers got a free burger after signing up for its app.