Indoor EntertainmentWebsite DesignBrand ResearchUX Design

iSMASH USA

The UK's most disruptive entertainment concept, rebuilt for US franchise expansion.

Starting PointFrom ScratchUS market research before any design decisions

Locations20+US locations live on the brandVANTAGE platform

Audiences2 PathsExperience-seekers and franchise prospects, each with a distinct UX flow

Launch TimingDay OneFull platform operational before the first US franchise agreement

The Work

What we built.

iSMASH USA homepage, desktop, 1440px, 'Break Free' headline over smash room video background — "Break Free." The homepage leads with the feeling before it explains the concept. American consumers needed to feel the experience, not read an FAQ. The video background and minimal copy load that punch immediately.

iSMASH USA homepage, tablet, 834px, Break Free hero with location finder and feature bar — The tablet view preserves the "SAFETY GEAR INCLUDED · PRIVATE PARTY ROOMS · WALK-INS" feature bar below the hero, key trust signals for first-time visitors.

iSMASH USA homepage, mobile, 390px, stacked CTA layout with axe-throwing background — Mobile shows a different frame of the video background, here, an axe buried in a log. The experience is communicated before a word is read.

The Challenge

What we
walked into.

iSMASH had already proven the concept in the UK — rage rooms, VR, axe throwing, group destruction experiences. The US expansion needed a digital foundation built for a different market. American franchise prospects had different trust expectations than UK investors. American consumers needed to understand what iSMASH was before they would book. The existing UK digital assets did not translate. The brand required a full research-backed rebuild before the first US location opened.

Our Approach

How we solved it.

We started with US market research. Rage room competitors, indoor entertainment booking patterns, and franchise development positioning across the American market shaped every decision. The key insight: American consumers need to visualize the experience before committing to a group booking. The site had to sell the concept through content and atmosphere before asking for a credit card.

Brand research drove the visual and UX decisions. The energy of the UK brand stayed intact while the trust signals, investment messaging, and booking flows were rebuilt for American expectations. The UX split cleanly — experience-seekers booking group events, franchise prospects evaluating the investment opportunity, each with a dedicated path.

We built the full US platform on brandVANTAGE before the first location opened. Location pages, experience descriptions, group booking flows, waiver integrations, and franchise development pages were all live before the construction crews finished. The infrastructure was ready to scale from day one.

The Deliverables

What we shipped.

US Market Research

Consumer research, competitive analysis, and franchise development positioning before any design decisions. The American market required different trust signals and booking UX than the UK operation.

Experience-Led Booking Flow

American consumers needed to visualize the experience before committing to a group booking. The flow sells the concept through content and immersive imagery before the transaction begins.

Franchise Development Pages

Territory maps, investment overview, proof of concept from UK operations, and a structured inquiry form — built to support a development team selling into a market that had never heard of iSMASH.

brandVANTAGE Program Build

Full location infrastructure deployed before the first US opening on KynectLocal. Group booking integrations, waiver flows, experience packages, and local SEO foundations built for rapid market expansion.