Smosh: Under The Influence

INFO

Live sketch variety show with the drunk Smosh crew.

— PROJECT NAME

Smosh: Under The Influence Live

— ROLE

Art Direction

Graphic Design

Branding

— DATE

June 2022

Brief

Smosh: Under the Influence was the first live show produced by Smosh after returning to independent ownership. The concept was built around chaos, blending sketch comedy, games, and unpredictable moments filmed under various “influences.”

The leadership team wanted the identity to feel retro but modern, inspired by old drive-in concession ads and Cuphead-era animation. The challenge was creating something that embraced a playful party energy without centering alcohol. Approving the red cup as a subtle symbol of that theme was an early creative breakthrough.

Creative Direction

As Design Director, I led the creative development of the full brand identity, motion system, and merch campaign. The visual direction pulled from 1940s drive-in aesthetics and modern color blocking, contrasting the purple lighting from the shoot with bold reds and saturated tones.

The centerpiece of the identity became Sloshy, a rubber-hose-inspired red cup mascot with multiple facial expressions. Sloshy appeared across merch, promo graphics, motion animations, and even as a physical costume on set. The character unified every part of the project and brought the branding to life in a way that felt fun and unexpected for Smosh.

Results

⮑ The merch line sold out within days, with fans posting their reusable Sloshy cups while watching the stream.

⮑ Viewers created 3D printed versions of the logo and shared Sloshy fan art across Reddit and Twitter.

⮑ The show marked Smosh’s successful return to self-produced live events and introduced a mascot-driven brand system that was later reused for future specials.

⮑ The project became a creative benchmark internally, showing how a strong mascot can build connection and drive engagement.