Founder and Creative Director at Truly Creative, a San Francisco Bay Area based strategic brand and package design firm specializing in building consumer brands that stand out on-shelf, connect emotionally, and leave a lasting impression.

Clients have included Williams-Sonoma, Traditional Medicinals, Eggland's Best, Jovial Foods, Ajinomoto Frozen Foods, Annie Chun's, ConAgra Foods, Alexia Foods, Mommy's Bliss, So Delicious, Kalmbach Feeds, and Alex's Awesome Sourdough.

Specialties: 
-Brand Development (Strategy & Positioning, Naming, Identity) 
-Package Design (Structural Design, Package Design, Brand Extensions)
-Marketing Materials (Promotional Materials, Corporate Collateral, Product Literature)
-Environmental Design (Point of Purchase, Trade Shows, Signage)

Carrie Dufour

Packaging eye candy from day 2 at the Specialty Food Association #WinterFancyFaire. I'm always impressed by the hustle and creativity in this industry. So many interesting package designs, flavors, and formats. 

Off to soak up a few more flavor-filled hours before wrapping up!

Good morning from #WinterFancyFaire in sunny San Diego!

I’ve only seen about a third of the show so far, but here are a few early standouts...

🍎 Vinegar:
You might know Gold Ridge Organic Farms incredible olive oils, but their apple cider vinegar really stood out too. Much richer, with smoky, caramelized notes you don’t usually find.

🍋 Drink: 
Land + Local, another awesome Sonoma County brand. Their seasonal shrubs and syrups are all delicious, but the Rose Cardamom Meyer Lemon Mixer particularly blew me away.

🍁 Syrup:
Deep Mountain Ginger Maple Syrup… I had no idea ginger would pair so perfectly with maple. A match made in culinary heaven.

🧄 Condiment you could put on anything: 
Mama Teav’s Hot Garlic… whoever I talked to after tasting this, I’m sorry about my breath, but dang this was so good.

🔥 Brand Name: 
Hey Grill Hey. Fun, memorable, easy to pronounce, and tells you what they’re all about.

If you are here at the show let me know. It’s always nice to connect IRL with LinkedIn friends.

If you’ve heard me talk about trends lately, you know sauces are in big time. They’re basically a Gen Z accessory at this point. Well, Kraft Heinz just solved a real consumer pain point and made it easier and less messy to get your sauce on the go. The Heinz Dipper is coming to restaurants and sports stadiums around the globe.

I’m already imagining the possibilities…
Ranch + veggie sticks.
Mustard + pretzels.
Chamoy + mango spears. 

Sometimes innovation is less about reinventing the product and more about fixing the small, everyday annoyances.

Kudos to Rethink for the design. 👏👏👏
Link to press release in comments.👇

I’m leaning into analog this year. Who’s with me?

While embracing AI I’ve learned just how important it is to counterbalance all that machine help with analog practices that keep the rest of my brain strong and creatively sharp.

I have to remember how to see. Really see. Not what my brain assumes is there, but what’s actually in front of me.

So, I’m challenging myself to sit down daily (or close to it) and sketch for 10 minutes.

That sounds doable. And yet it took me the first seven days of the year to actually put my butt in a chair and start. Once I did, the 10 minutes flew by.

I used to sketch often in the design process, and I miss it. The beauty of sketching is that you explore ideas quickly without polish getting in the way.

Daily sketching…

🧠 Boosts creativity and problem solving
By engaging multiple brain regions, it fosters new connections and sharpens mental agility to solve visual problems. 

🎯 Improves focus and memory
Practicing sustained attention and discipline strengthens both your short- and long-term memory. 

🔍 Enhances observation
You’ll begin to look more closely at subjects, noticing details, angles, and relationships you used to miss.

😌 Reduces stress and anxiety
It's a therapeutic activity that lowers cortisol levels and shifts the mind into a more relaxed state.

… at least that’s what AI told me. 🤣

Am I super proud of this sketch and excited to share it on LinkedIn? Nope.

But I’m doing it anyway, in the name of Creative Bravery (a core value at Truly Creative). Hopefully by the end of the year there will be noticeable improvement.

Want to join me?

One of my favorite tote bags from the #WinterFancyFaire show. 
Pretty simple, yet it made me happy in a familiar, comforting way. I couldn’t quite place why.

Then I got home later that night with my favorite burrito and it clicked.

Someone at Bitchin'​ Sauce found inspiration in an everyday, mass-produced object that I overlook on a weekly basis. And then they turned it into a brand moment that fits their vibe perfectly. 

Inspiration can be found literally anywhere, if we're paying attention. 

Well done Bitchin'.👏👏👏

Private label is winning shoppers over with innovative, well-designed, trend-forward, value-priced options. For independent brands to compete, a couple things matter more than ever: 

Humanity and expertise.

In this article for FoodBevy, I unpack what private label has figured out and, more importantly, how independent brands can still stand out without racing to the bottom on price.

Thanks to Jordan Buckner for the opportunity to write about something impacting so many entrepreneurs and brand teams right now. 

Article link in comments. 👇

Loved this feature on Babsy from Healthcare Packaging magazine. 

Such a smart move leaning into playful packaging and product design that feels like a creative kit, not a sterile healthcare chore. It taps into the rise of personalized wellness products and self-expression, with interchangeable pieces.

In a category that tends to focus on tech advances, they’ve taken a quieter, more analog approach to innovation. No batteries or apps needed.

Big credit to Leadoff Studio for the industrial design and for bringing more creativity into healthcare. 👏👏👏

Link to article in the comments.

JWT Consulting, LLC

Brand Marketing Business Consultant for Consumer Products, Food & Beverage, Spirits, Wine, Beer, RTDs, Cocktail Mixers, Low to No Alcohol, Mindful Drinking, THC Cannabev, Emerging Challenger Brands.

Rolls up sleeves to think big, act small, scale fast.

Available for part-time, interim, full-time VP Marketing / GM / Marketing Director / Operating Partner roles. 

DM me for more info or schedule a 30 minute complimentary consultation.

Key Projects:
✦  15+ Early Stage CPG brands business evaluation & screening
✦  Luxury Tequila Go-To-Market Plan & Business Forecast
✦  Coffee Alternative competitive assessment & sensory analysis
✦  RTD Cocktail strategy and packaging recommendations
✦  Non-Alc Mixer brand deep dive & marketing plan proposal
✦  FMCG Trade Show insight and high-potential brand identification
✦  Alcohol Beverage trend reports

Fractional VP Marketing / Consultant ~ Food & Beverage

✦ Lead mentor for Kif® probiotic sparkling water Fall ‘24 track. Coordinated 5 task forces including Operational Efficiency, Go-to-Market Plan, Packaging Optimization, Brand Marketing Plan, Cash Flow Fundraising among a world-class team of 10 mentors with cross-functional expertise.

✦ Mentor for I Love Micheladas® beer cocktail mix Spring ‘24 track. Conducted 4-month business boot camp, including marketing plan, packaging enhancements, price / margin improvements, positioning maps, competitive sensory analysis, new product concepts, go-to-market strategy, and expansion plans. 

SKU is the nation's #1 CPG accelerator program, specifically designed for early-stage, high-growth consumer products. SKU provides an ecosystem of resources and expertise from top CPG leaders, successful entrepreneurs, and category experts.

Notable SKU brand alums include SIETE foods (acquired by Pepsi for $1.2BN), WILDWONDER probiotic drinks, AURA BORA herbal sparkling waters, HELLA ready-to-drink cocktails, AUSTIN EASTCIDERS hard cider, and DUDE personal wipes.

Mentor / GM / Investor ~ CPG Beverages

Trinchero Family Estates

Led a portfolio of high-growth entrepreneurial brands, including Tres Agaves Organic Tequila & Cocktail Mixers, Hanson of Sonoma Organic Vodka, Amador Whiskey, Trincheri Vermouth, Bite Hard Cider, Sugar Island Rum, among others.

✦ Increased portfolio 3.5X, +475,000 cases 9L, +16% CAGR with limited resources and marketing $

✦ Grew Tres Agaves Tequila 5X from 15k to ~75k annual cases 9L with new strategies, evolved positionings, price increases, selling materials, single barrels, brand identity logo, packaging redesign, engaging events, streaming ad campaign; Earned Impact's "Hot Prospect” award in ‘22 and ‘23

✦ Skyrocketed Tres Agaves Mix 4X from 135k to ~525k annual cs and surpassed Jose Cuervo Lime Margarita Mix as #1 dol sales sku (Nielsen Total US 52 week 2023); Launched new Tres Agaves Organic Paloma Mix

✦ Initiated Tres Agaves Ready-To-Drink Organic Margaritas, 375ml glass packaging design, liquid, and pricing. 

✦ Earned Hanson Vodka PR feature stories in the Wall Street Journal, The Today Show, Forbes, VinePair, and more

✦ Created first-in-the-industry portable 2.5G cocktail keg program that gained ~275 elite golf club accounts, led by Hanson Vodka Transfusion cocktail

✦ Developed new halo $150 Amador 10 Barrel 95% Rye Whiskey + Cognac/Sherry finish from Castle & Key distillery

✔ Promoted from Director of Marketing; Identified as High Potential Employee (HIPO); Selected into Strategic Task Force to drive Trinchero’s “Next Big Bets”; Gained Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS) distinction

Trinchero is the largest winery in Napa Valley and #5 winery in the US with Sutter Home, Ménage a Trois, Joel Gott, Trinchero Napa Valley, Fre #1 non-alcohol wines.

Senior Director Marketing ~ Tres Agaves & Craft Spirits

Treasury Wine Estates

Oversaw marketing, general management, global expansion of Beringer, one of the largest (8M annual cases), most historic, and most awarded wine brands. 

✦ Repositioned Beringer Founder's Estate $10 wine with new packaging, price increase, PGA Tour sponsorship, pro golfer Justin Leonard endorsement, The Great Steak Challenge branded TV show on the Cooking Channel

✦ Launched new Beringer Estate Grown $35+ tier, including Quantum $65 Howell Mountain Bordeaux Style Red Blend and Luminus $35 Oak Knoll Chardonnay

✦ Part of global PR tour in China that launched Beringer Private Reserve $150 Cab and Estate Grown $35+ tiers with Winemaker and VP of Public Relations

✦ Led packaging refresh on Beringer Classics $5 wine that improved lift +33% and helped achieve +6% depletions growth

✔ Wine Level 2 and Level 3 training from WSET; Promoted from Lindeman's, Stone Cellars, Meridian wine brands

Global Brand Marketing Lead ~ Beringer Wine

Zounds Hearing, Inc. Tempe AZ

✦ As #2 employee, grew business from concept to revolutionary product line, 25 retail centers in 15 cities, and $35M revenue

✦ Created brand name, industrial design, retail store design, merchandising strategy and sales process that led to 70%+ customer conversion and 9.2 (out of 10) customer satisfaction scores

✦ Created integrated marketing campaign that drove 500+ visitors per month to each store

✦ Presented at investor road shows that raised $60M+ in venture capital

✔ Ate some humble pie during the '09 Great Recession

Zounds was a VC funded start-up that manufactured breakthrough hearing aids, marketed directly to the consumer, and radically changed the hearing aid purchase process via company-owned retail hearing centers with experiential sound demos (a la Bose stores) and 2 hour fittings (a la Lenscrafters) at 1/2 the price of competition (via mass customization).

VP Marketing ~ Start Up Consumer Electronic

Campari Group

✦ Increased depletions +60% from 1.25M to 2M cases and achieved double-digit revenue / profit growth each year

✦ SKYY was the fastest growing Spirits brand in the industry; Earned 3 consecutive Impact "Hot Brand" awards

✦ Launched 4 new products, celebrity advertising campaign (Heather Graham, John Leguizamo, Taye Diggs), indie film festival sponsorships (Sundance, SF, NY), premium packaging, value added packs, and upgraded website / SEO

✔ Promoted from Brand Manager

Senior Brand Manager ~ SKYY Vodka

Colgate-Palmolive

✦ Grew Murphy Oil Soap net sales +10% to $55M and profit +17% with new Murphy Soft Wipes, price increase, and marketing mix optimization

✦ Part of Innovation team that developed, launched, and marketed Softsoap Vitamins, Softsoap Fruit Essentials, and Softsoap For Men, which generated an incremental 4.2pts to market share

✔ Promoted from Senior Associate Brand Manager

Brand Manager ~ Softsoap & Murphy Oil Soap

Nabisco

✦ Learned and executed classic CPG brand management techniques on a $85M Cream of Wheat business

✦ Led the product development and marketing plan for a new hummus innovation concept

✔ Promoted from MBA Summer Intern

Associate Brand Manager ~ Cream of Wheat

AriZona Beverage Co.

✦ Grew total sales +17% and Food / Drug sales +31%, surpassing Lipton as the #2 selling iced tea in New York City

✦ Launched Arizona Ginseng Tea, one of the first functional beverages

✦ Led 15 member DSD sales team, called on buyers of regional chains, and executed guerilla marketing for a 2-year-old, entrepreneurial, high growth brand

✔ Promoted from Route Sales Manager

District Sales Manager ~ Arizona Iced Tea

Classic CPG trained Marketer with the speed, creativity of an Entrepreneur and the analytics, discipline of a GM. Rolls-up-his-sleeves Executive that delivers results. 

I started my career at a 2-year-old, entrepreneurial AriZona Iced Tea brand where I learned the fundamentals of sales, innovative packaging, and viral marketing on the streets of New York City.

Next, I received an MBA in Marketing and worked at two of the best Brand Management training grounds, Colgate-Palmolive (Softsoap Body Wash, Murphy Oil Soap) and Nabisco (Cream of Wheat).

Since then, I have led Marketing at an 8-year-old SKYY Vodka (fastest growing Spirits brand at the time @ 2M annual cases), 4-year-old Tres Agaves Tequila & Cocktail Mix (Impact “Hot Prospect” award @ ~600,000 annual cases), 5-year-old Hanson of Sonoma Vodka (high potential brand featured in WSJ), start-up Zounds Hearing (raised $60M+ in VC), 138-year-old Beringer wine (restored growth @ 8M annual cases), and several other early-stage challenger brands while consulting.

Noteworthy Skills:

✦ Proven track record of working with visionary founders, entrepreneurs, families, <$100M revenue businesses to elevate brands to the next level

✦ Partnering with talented Sales teams to identify new opportunities and relentlessly execute brand plans

✦ Building “lean & mean” marketing teams with <5 internal reports plus external agency specialists to best manage headcount, budget, high performance, high efficiency

✦ Maintaining a holistic “share of throat” marketing mindset across multiple food & beverage categories by targeting the right consumer with the right message at the right occasion

✦ Launching new products, creating ROI driven marketing plans, and building brands

✦ Unique ability of bridging "push" trade marketing with "pull" consumer marketing with "omni channel" marketing

✦ High energy, positive attitude, player-coach management style, double-digit growth oriented

✦ Rolls up sleeves to think big, act small, and scale fast

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