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.

Flora Food Group

Brand Manager

Michelin

• Developed and executed digital strategies to drive leads and conversions for Michelin B2C & B2B websites across 9 countries, leveraging web and social content, UX/UI, and SEO&SEM synergies
• Led 6 website launches, optimizing content and technical SEO, resulting in a 300% rise in organic impressions and a 250% increase in organic clicks
• Developed regional social media, KOL, and YouTube guidelines with KPI metrics, aligning global strategies with local execution to drive effective digital and social media campaigns

Regional Digital Performance Manager

Garrett Popcorn Shops®

• Launched 3 products; developed go-to-market strategies, managed packaging design and cross-functional teams
• Developed Marketing Strategy, Plan Budget; spearheaded the IRI and consumer research analysis work 
• Led innovation development for the Ready to Eat (RTE) popcorn category
• Launched RTE social channels and redesigned website; assisted in content strategy and execution, influencer campaign activation, brand and product partnership, social listening and reporting

Senior Assistant Brand Manager

Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.

• Managed Tai Pei, the # 1 Asian Branded Single Serve Entrees and Snacks & Appetizers, with 19 SKUs by developing the brand plan, tracking financial performance/budget, and collaborating with cross functional teams on sales and promotional activities. Grow snacks category sales by 23%.
• Oversaw the creative development process and marketing execution with internal stakeholders and agencies
• Led the brand line extension from idea generation, research execution, and development plan 
• Managed the packaging redesign for 13 SKUs
• Conduct monthly market, customer, consumer, and competitor analysis to identify business insights and recommend solutions to improve performance. 
• Participate and initiate questions for consumer focus groups.
• Improved engagement rate by 31% and social share by creating digital campaign through Facebook and Instagram

Assistant Brand Manager

Northwestern University Medill School

Client Projects:
- Product and Business Model Innovation (Innovation Consultant), P&G 
- Brand Strategy, Jim Beam Bourbon
- Digital Marketing Strategy, Have Dreams Foundation
- Strategic Planning in an E-Commerce Environment, ThriftBooks
- Shopper Marketing: Molson Coors' Blue Moon Craft Beer
- Customer Value Innovation, Saykid (voice-technology toy for children)

Course Projects:
- Marketing Research, SoulCycle
- Digital Strategy, The New York Times
- Communication Strategy, ExxonMobil

MS Integrated Marketing Communications Candidate, Class of 2020

Mike's Hard Lemonade/ White Claw

• Identified the top 100 partnership opportunities in the US by building a partnership evaluation model (based on reach, promotion opportunities, and financial criteria)
• Drove 25% increase in penetration and awareness by developing national sports and entertainment strategy 
• Proposed an action plan with 20+ experiential marketing, digital campaigns, and in-store promotions ideas from best practices analysis for brand activation within the alcohol industry and related categories

Marketing Strategy Intern

Vasalta

• Created SEO-optimized content for one of Canada's most reputable environmental emergency response companies
• Developed a content promotion plan and executed content outreach, resulting in a 37% increase in traffic and first page rankings for all intended keywords within 4 months

Digital Marketing Intern

Across The Table

• Led team of 5 to identify improvement areas and develop a marketing plan for a nonprofit organization to increase brand awareness and online presence.

Marketing Consultant

Detecon Asia-Pacific Ltd.

• Increased cloud service usage among 110 government agencies by conducting market research to discover consumer insights and recommend product adoption strategies 
• Generated $90K increase in tax revenue for the Broadcasting Commission by performing market research in 5 countries to recommend the most effective regulatory framework
• Organized a focus group of 50+ participants and panel discussion of 100+ attendees with a speaker from Netflix to understand the challenges and opportunities of the online streaming industry
• Managed a cross-functional and multinational team of 5 from Singapore, New Zealand, and Germany in a network audit project, developed a strategy to minimize regulatory risk for a Singaporean telecommunications company
• Planned and executed Detecon's involvement in the largest technology exhibition in Thailand, including booth design, company presentation materials, and product leaflets

Consultant

• Published a quantitative and qualitative analytical report to provide comprehensive insurance industry knowledge, explore technological trends and competitive landscape, and identify commercial opportunities  
• Identified an opportunity to connect telecommunications services to insurance products

Business Analyst Intern

As a Brand Manager at Flora Food Group, I lead the development and execution of marketing strategies and campaigns for our iconic Blue Band and Flora brand across both retail and food service channels. I collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, agency partners, and commercial stakeholders to deliver innovative and engaging content, promotions, and activations that resonate with Thai consumers and customers. My role involves driving brand growth, enhancing visibility, and strengthening customer loyalty through integrated initiatives across digital, in-store, and experiential platforms.

I hold a master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University, where I gained hands-on experience in brand strategy, product and business model innovation, digital marketing, and customer value creation through diverse client and course projects. My background in technology and business consulting has equipped me with strong analytical, strategic, and project management skills. I’m passionate about crafting impactful brand experiences that connect meaningfully with customers and deliver measurable business results.

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