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.

DUDE Wipes

Sr. Graphics DUDE

Graphics DUDE

Cameo

-Conceptualize & collaborate in executing visual brand identity of Cameo for Business product and Cameo Kids, including email, web, social, and print.

-Developed all creative designs and assets for Lifecycle marketing team, including email header images, animated GIFs, icons, full-body email sends for both Cameo and Represent teams.

-Create and design print, logos, static & animated graphics, banners for external and internal live events. Including lead creation of static and animated stadium banners, arena ribbons, jumbotron screens, signage, and booths for Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl at SoFi stadium.

-Led the visual rebranding of transactional email messaging to ensure consistency with Cameo brand guidelines.

-Worked alongside Lifecycle Marketing team to develop new email marketing design system that drove a YoY increase in click rate of +3%.

-Work with key stakeholders and cross-functional partners to produce assets ranging from paid ads, logos, print, emails, web, signage, social, animations, icons, & video.

-Create visual identity, web banners, & icons for Product Design team.

Senior Graphic Designer

Graphic Designer

NBC Sports Bay Area & California

-Conceptualize ideas with the creative team, video producers and marketing.
 
-Develop ideas into creative digital and commercial content to promote the NBC Sports brand, and priorities including the app, fan engagement initiatives, and other advertising collateral.
 
-Produce promotional video with motion graphics from concept to completion.

-Edit video, audio and create motion graphics utilizing Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Audition for cross-platform execution including broadcast, social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), web, branded content, and marketing.

-Assist in on/off site promotional video shoots using green and blue screen sets and edit/key footage to incorporate in promotional spots, lower-thirds, bumpers, show IDs, and snipes for linear and digital content.

On-Air Promotions Writer/Producer/Editor

Design and deliver creative assets for NBC Sports including, broadcast shows, digital content, email blasts, and print. Create animations, logos, and promotional graphics along with image editing and photo manipulation for marketing campaigns and initiatives.

Motion/Graphic Designer

North River Landing

Conceptualize, create, design all print, web, and marketing collateral for land development projects.

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Carrie Dufour

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The Battle

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Carrie Dufour's LinkedIn Performance

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