Posted September 27, 2023
As a content director, I’m intrigued by changes in the food and beverage industry, down to the way language evolves to define innovation. Throughout the years at Brightly Creative, I’ve become familiar with terms like aquafaba, ashwagandha and what I affectionately call the biotics: pre, post and pro. But, there’s
Posted September 20, 2023
Trade shows are more than just opportunities to showcase your brand and products; they’re prime occasions for networking and building valuable connections. In the bustling environment of a trade show, the art of networking can be the key to unlocking doors of opportunity and fostering lasting relationships. Here are some
Posted September 1, 2023
Brightly Creative’s summer was one of change, growth and learning experiences. Through this company I’ve been able to enjoy some cool life moments, all the while becoming more adept at reporting on the food and beverage industry. I’ve narrowed down my last four months to my top three moments. The
Posted August 13, 2023
Brightly Creative, a full-service agency serving the food and beverage industry, is looking for an Account Manager with 5+ years of agency experience to join our creative and collaborative team. Our ideal candidate is: As an account manager at Brightly Creative, you’ll be: Even though we’re a small team, there
Posted August 7, 2023
In today’s fast-paced digital world, capturing and retaining your audience’s attention is more challenging than ever (am I right, TikTok fans?). As content creators, we’re constantly seeking effective strategies to make our message resonate with our clients’ target audiences. One powerful technique that has stood the test of time is
Posted July 19, 2023
As a recent college graduate, Hailee’s career with Brightly Creative is her first “grown up” job. She spent her time in college on student government, holding the titles student body president and student trustee, where she learned to network, strategize and innovate. Read more to see what skills she’s excited
Posted July 14, 2023
When you’re behind the scenes, you don’t always get to see your work come to fruition or get complimented for a job well done. I’m lucky to say that’s not the case for me. As an event planner, I get to pick and choose some of the fun (and not
Posted June 13, 2023
Chicago may be saying farewell to the Sweets & Snacks Expo, which moves to Indianapolis in 2024, but there are a number of mid-2023 trends that I believe have staying power in the confectionery and snacking space. Snacking is a supernova, according to IRI/Circana’s Sally Lyons Wyatt’s traditional trade show
Posted May 25, 2023
Nashville was hopping at the beginning of May — and not just because Taylor Swift was in town. The Craft Brewers Conference burst onto the Music City scene, and there truly was something for every beer creator at this year’s show. We were there on behalf of the National Honey
Posted May 2, 2023
Out of all of the webinars, in-person keynotes and interviews I’ve conducted in the past several years regarding clean label listings, functionality and better-for-you ingredients, one thing has always stuck out to me. The definition of what is good for me is moveable, changeable and 100% personal. The FDA has
Posted March 25, 2023
The National Honey Board kicked off the trade show season by exhibiting at the American Craft Spirits Association’s 10th annual “Better with Age” show in Portland, Ore. As eager attendees waited outside the hall to celebrate with a special ribbon cutting ceremony, exhibitors patiently enjoyed the stillness in the room.
Posted March 22, 2023
Almost 900 new brands showed the food and beverage industry why they deserved a space at the 2023 Natural Products Expo West. Even though I believe the boom of new products that culminated from this year’s show rose somewhat from the pandemic, future success belongs to those who innovate — looking
Posted March 7, 2023
One of my favorite webinars of the year is the Symrise North America Top Trend hour, and the most recent dive into 2023’s predictions did not disappoint. I was taken on a 45-minute global journey of flavors, tastes and even emotion, and as someone who researches food and beverage products
Posted March 3, 2023
In just a few days I will be heading back to Natural Products Expo West for the first time in 10 years. My feet have hit countless trade show floors since that inaugural week in Anaheim, and it’s thrilling to be on the forefront of trends, innovations and taste tests!
Posted November 7, 2022
Food and beverage R&D departments work tirelessly to unveil the next big thing in their chosen category. Predictions abound: What do consumers expect in the future? What hot, new ingredient trend will go viral (hello, Mike’s Hot Honey)? What product will stand out on shelves above all others? After hitting
Posted October 27, 2022
Many distillers are “honey curious” but don’t know where to start when it comes to distilling with honey. That’s where we come in! The National Honey Board hosted over 30 distillers from across the country to educate their minds and palates about honey, honey bees and spirits made with honey.
Posted October 19, 2022
I love good takeout just as much as the next person, and now that I’ve had some time to reflect on Natural Products Expo East, I may have more questions than predictions about the future of the natural food and beverage industry. My time in Philadelphia started with the Thursday
Posted October 6, 2022
The newest Brightly Creative team member is Social Media Manager Mary Katherine Oellerich. She received a journalism degree, with an emphasis on print journalism, and a minor from The University of Mississippi. Since finishing college 10 years ago, she has worked in various industries, including publishing, printing, fashion and marketing.
Posted August 30, 2022
A former Silver Best of Show Medalist is now Golden. Honey Sucker Pils, a German-style pilsner brewed with orange blossom honey, bested 240 entries at this year’s eighth annual Honey Beer Competition. Liquid Art Brewing Co. of Chambersburg, Penn., proved that quality and consistency win every time, and Brightly Creative
Posted August 12, 2022
Video can be both the simplest and most confusing thing to have to deal with. It’s very much something that feels like a mountain of an obstacle to have to climb over to understand, but honestly when distilled into small parts it’s overall a pretty simple concept. And video is
Posted August 2, 2022
During the course of the pandemic, our social media feeds were flooded with videos of people diving into at-home culinary experiments. Loaves of banana and sourdough bread, espresso martinis, mason jars filled with overnight oats and anything air fried … there was never a shortage of culinary creations designed to
Posted July 20, 2022
IFT FIRST was the theme of this year’s event and expo at Chicago’s McCormick place, and Food Improved by Research, Science and Technology certainly showcased the new, the innovative and the future of food science. For those unable to attend the vent, the online experience features more than 120 on-demand
Posted July 8, 2022
One of my favorite aspects of our partnership with the National Honey Board are the competitions. Each year, our team makes improvements to elevate and improve on the year before, and this year we had a whopping 350 meads — the maximum cap — entered into the Mead Crafters Competition. I love
Posted June 30, 2022
Our team was buzzing with excitement as we kicked off this year’s #honeybeersummit in Austin, TX. Alongside @honey4pros, the Brightly Creative crew came together with brewers from across the country as they learned about the functionality of honey within the brewing space. In addition to technical sessions and networking, this
Posted June 21, 2022
The Specialty Foods Association (SFA) Summer Fancy Food Show culminated in an international meeting of the minds — and taste buds — at New York City’s Javits Center. If one show can define where the industry is evolving and the abundance of opportunities in the specialty food market, this was it. The
Posted June 20, 2022
Being a food and beverage agency, we’re interested in the world’s pollinators, particularly those that are pollinate crops in all 50 states: the honey bee. Pollinator Week — June 20 through 26 — is a great time to further education on the power of our favorite winged pollinators: bees. Plus, who
Posted June 6, 2022
A lot of time and energy goes into creating a company’s brand — from its mission statement to the logo treatment and color palette. But a somewhat underappreciated part of brand creation seems to be the font selection, as evident from the literal hundreds of Helvetica logos you see on
Posted May 26, 2022
There’s no doubt that the buzzword of the 25th anniversary of the National Confectioners Association Sweets & Snacks Expo was “occasion.” IRI’s Sally Lyons Wyatt kicked off the party with the first eye-opener session of the trade show: “State of Snacking.” Within it, she opened up an unbeknownst metaphor. Today’s
Posted May 20, 2022
Every third spoonful of the world’s food depends on pollination, and on May 20, the United Nations joins together people of the world to celebrate and become more aware of what bees do for us on World Bee Day. As a food and beverage creative agency, we are proud of
Posted May 17, 2022
Our lives are truly spiced up with the endless array of flavor combinations in the world, however recent inspiration has certainly stemmed from the longest period of isolation in our lifetimes, and culinary experts and food developers are incorporating what matters most to consumers into menus and retail products. A
Posted May 13, 2022
Attending this year’s Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) was fitting for someone with the last name of Beers. With a love of beer being a common thread for all attendees, it was wonderful to watch individuals from all over the world interact and bond over a shared passion. The complexities that
Posted April 26, 2022
I recently sat in on the Food Entrepreneur Experience presented by Food Business News webinar for a number of reasons. I work for a food and beverage creative agency, so I’m always looking for the latest and greatest in that category Zeroing in on the word “creative,” I love hearing
Posted April 12, 2022
As someone whose job revolves around social media, I shouldn’t play favorites when it comes to platforms. But — Instagram, you have the biggest piece of my heart (sorry, Facebook). Over the years Instagram has climbed its way to the top of my list. Now don’t get me wrong, I appreciate
Posted April 1, 2022
Is it just me, or did this year just take off? It seems like just yesterday the team was coming back from our winter break and catching up from our time off. You know what they say, time flies when you’re working hard … or something like that! Honestly, time
Posted March 22, 2022
Natural Products Expo West was terrifyingly crowded. It was a welcome sign for the food industry, but I’ll be honest, it had me worried. After two years of either no trade shows or poorly attended trade shows, being shoulder to shoulder with so many strangers from around the world gave
Posted March 9, 2022
Though I have only been at Brightly Creative for a little over 6 months, I am no stranger to the creative process. Although the resources available to designers have greatly expanded over the years it has not made the ability to brainstorm or come up with creative solutions any easier.
Posted March 3, 2022
When the Super Bowl champs — or any sports team for that matter — win the big game, they fly into a pile of screaming delight, jumping up and down in the height of joy reminiscent of childhood. GONG’s Super Bowl commercial showcased sales floors, ringing the gong every time a sale
Posted February 25, 2022
Research is one of my favorite things to do at Brightly Creative. New products, the latest trends, food themes, etc. are not only great fodder for the content I create, but the innovative concepts that food and beverage developers come up with astound me. And, every once in a while,
Posted February 18, 2022
When AOL launched instant messenger in 1997, I was in sixth grade. Like most 11 year olds I was awkward, insecure and trying to navigate the social scene of middle school. I was the tallest girl in my grade, had braces, wore glasses and was sporting a bad at-home perm.
Posted February 8, 2022
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” We’ve all heard it. But, is it? The line was first heard as a slogan in the 19th century by Kellogg’s, naturally to sell its new breakfast cereal. Marketers latched onto the saying, but nutritionists have as well for a number
Posted January 31, 2022
I have a friend who passed out in a Burger King when she was 10. Decades later, the memory of that embarrassing moment has driven her away from BK for life. I, on the other hand, love the smell and taste of a good BK burger. I do not have
Posted January 21, 2022
There’s no doubt that global influence has hit U.S.-based supermarket shelves and restaurants like we’ve never seen. Could it be a result of the lack of travel and the lack of cuisine we experience while crisscrossing the globe on epic vacation adventures? No matter what the reason, Flavor is certainly
Posted January 10, 2022
We’re an elite 8 now at Brightly Creative, and the newest cog in our ever-growing wheel comes to us in the form of social media. We’re excited to provide even better social media management both internally and externally, and Lauren Beers is the perfect person to take us down the
Posted December 22, 2021
We’re heading into the New Year with smiles on our faces, thankfulness in our hearts and high fives to another wonderful year of triumphs and wins through adversity. As the Brightly Creative team takes a well-deserved break for the rest of 2021, we each took a moment to reflect on
Posted December 13, 2021
Color is probably one of the most discussed topics in the world. Companies can spend weeks deciding slightly different shades of yellow for their logo. Or how many hours did you spend staring at your wall, holding up two paint cards to see which would look better for your home?
Posted December 8, 2021
Alright stop, collaborate and listen, BC is back with a new productivity edition. Before you slip on your noise-cancelling headphones or tell Alexa to turn up the tunes, have you ever thought about what music might be doing for your work productivity? As it turns out, there are a ton
Posted November 17, 2021
Throughout the year, Brightly Creative gives our alcohol-fueled blood, sweat and tears to three National Honey Board competitions: beer, spirits and mead. Yes, they’re hard work. Yes, they take a ton of organizational and behind-the-scenes planning that really starts a year in advance. And yes, they are highly rewarding. We
Posted October 29, 2021
Halloween 2021 marks the return of a somewhat normal routine, with traditions being exhumed, candies being chomped and costumes making us all feel like kids again. A few of us reminisced over what Halloween looks like in our undead worlds, and I have to say, we know how to throw
Posted October 21, 2021
Words are great and all, but what would they be without someone to make them look bold, colorful and downright beautiful? That’s part of what Jon Vlasak, Brightly Creative’s newest team member, aims to do as a part of his job as associate creative director. He’s been a designer and
Posted October 15, 2021
What does it take to win gold in preparation for the National Honey Board’s Honey Spirits Competition? Just countless hours of researching distilleries that make a honey spirit, sending out hundreds of emails, creating a website, finding qualified judges, unpacking numerous boxes and much, much more. Preparing for our fourth
Posted October 13, 2021
Brightly Creative, a full-service agency in the food and beverage industry, is looking for an experienced social media professional to guide strategy, develop content and engage with audiences in the consumer and B2B food and beverage space. Ideal candidate loves writing social content and possesses ideas aplenty to drive engagement and
Posted September 28, 2021
We’re easing our way into my favorite season — trade show season — (thanks to Schitt’s Creek for the awards season joke) and Natural Products Expo East provided a little bit of everything for everyone. Philadelphia was the host city this time around, and attendees felt welcomed by a morning fun run
Posted September 8, 2021
I was born to be an editor. It’s not just my job, it’s been a part of who I am since I turned a book rightside up before I could even think about beginning to read. Just as my career as an editor has evolved, so has my love and
Posted September 1, 2021
For the seventh consecutive year, the National Honey Board hosted its Honey Beer Competition, providing an opportunity for the best brewers to submit made-with-honey beers. And also for the seventh consecutive year, the Brightly Creative team managed and ran the competition for our client. But, what does managing a competition
Posted August 29, 2021
If anyone knows me, they know there is one thing I love more than almost anything else: travel. I love tradeshows; I love airports; I even love airline food (how I miss the days of the cute little divided compartments of chicken or pasta offerings). For me, the pride of
Posted August 21, 2021
If there was ever a time to stop and smell the flowers, today’s the day. Today we celebrate the makers of Mother Nature’s sweetener who not only provide honey but also are responsible for one-third of the food we eat. Thanks to beekeepers, honey bee enthusiasts and those who support
Posted August 13, 2021
It seems like there’s a new social media trend every week, and they change just as fast as my “Top 10” would during the MySpace days. OG social media people will understand. Over the years, there have been new apps to connect people while working from home, apps to chat
Posted August 3, 2021
School’s great, but it’s also costly and in some cases it might even come off as a waste of time if you reach the end and realize you learned more on your own than in the actual classroom. I get why people might feel frustrated when they want to keep
Posted July 29, 2021
You are what you eat was a more wholly true statement at this year’s virtual Spirit of Innovation Awards sponsored by Prepared Foods and Tastepoint. With a focus on five trends in particular, mood boosters, mental health, immunity, sustainability and transparency, this year’s recipients were perhaps more special than in
Posted July 21, 2021
I’m going to let the faithful readers of our blog in on a little secret: We are a CREATIVE agency. I’m putting emphasis on the word “creative” for a reason. With that word, depending on the day, comes a bit of pressure and a lot of pride. I’ve been writing,
Posted July 21, 2021
Brightly Creative, a full-service agency in the food and beverage industry, is looking for another creative force to join our growing organization. With a small agency comes many hats and big shoes. As a candidate, you must be a confident, self-starting multi-tasker, willing to take and give direction. Strong design
Posted July 13, 2021
I’ve completely changed the way I work based on two books I read from Cal Newport: Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload In the span of about a month, I consumed these books, threw
Posted July 1, 2021
The first in-person event in a year and a half for the Brightly Creative team had me in all my feels — but I wasn’t the only one. A major theme of the Sweets & Snacks Expo in Indianapolis was the emotional and wellness factors of food. The Discovery Theater
Posted June 29, 2021
I woke up last week feeling like a kid on Christmas morning, ready to taste the trends we’ve been talking about as of recent on the show floor: namely gummies; popcorn; chocolate and (add ingredient here) combinations; and better-for-you confections and snacking products. I got that, of course, but there
Posted June 24, 2021
It’s finally here, and boy do I mean finally. After a year and a half of no work travel, Indianapolis is welcoming the Sweet & Snacks Expo in person. Not over Zoom, not virtually, but a bonafide, real, awaken the senses event. I’m peering into my crystal ball for this
Posted June 17, 2021
Brightly Creative has a very important word in its title. Yes, we’re a bright group both in mind and heart, but we are also a creative triple threat: noun, adjective and verb. One of the brightest — pun intended — times we shine is when we solve problems for our clients.
Posted June 10, 2021
Chances are if you’re reading this blog, you already know how to write a press release. After all, they haven’t changed that much over time. And, if you don’t, Google is a functional tool that can provide a wealth of information on that subject. Speaking of function, that’s an industry
Posted June 3, 2021
Making a good looking website is hard, but making one that looks good and works to create a positive user experience (UX) can feel like a tightrope act in and of itself. Just because you hired the best designer in the world who makes you the prettiest site ever, doesn’t
Posted May 28, 2021
Social media helps people and businesses stay connected. From the tumultuous year of 2020, we can agree that social media played a major role. Businesses were able to conduct virtual meetings while employees worked from home; restaurants were able to deliver meals to hungry families and virtual parties kept hope
Posted May 11, 2021
In the last four-and-a-half years, Brightly Creative has grown past our wildest dreams. When we (Keith, Jonathan and I) started off, we had three clients and a mountain of ideas to do the best work for our clients. Now, we have expanded our team to six members and more than
Posted May 4, 2021
As if we need a reason to celebrate beer drinking … it’s Craft Beer Week next week! Shopping — and imbibing — locally are nearer and dearer to our hearts and taste buds like never before; in fact, it’s becoming somewhat of a necessity. To craft something is to make or produce
Posted April 30, 2021
Another Brightly Creative Happy Hour day is upon us. What’s that, you ask? It’s a virtual get together we concocted last May — has it really been a year — where we don’t necessarily talk shop. Instead we talk about family, life and most importantly, what we’re drinking for the occasion. This
Posted April 22, 2021
I remember the first, and the second time, I became a freelancer. A pretty easy career shift (all you have to do is say it to yourself). As a post-grad with an expensive, irrelevant-to-the-industry college education, I knew very little about anything. I was just a creative kid who believed
Posted April 15, 2021
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but are they correct? I recently attended the Future Food-Tech virtual conference, and there was a lot of talk about fake meat — whether it was coming from plant-based ingredients or grown in a petri dish. During one roundtable I participated
Posted April 9, 2021
Innovation in the food and beverage industry leaves me astounded almost every day. From plant-based “meat” mimickers to 3D printing of food to “new” globally-inspired ingredients that prompt me to Google “What is (insert fruit, oil, husk, grain, pulp or herb I haven’t heard of)?” Troubleshooting Cookies Lately I’ve been
Posted April 1, 2021
In November, we published “Tips for a Successful Virtual Event,” at the end of a year like no other. We weren’t sure of what was to come; we didn’t know how long the “virtual” aspect of webinars, Zoom calls and video-only interactions would last. We’re now ending the first quarter
Posted March 16, 2021
Spring cleaning isn’t just for the household, and a new calendar year isn’t the only time we can start anew. Breaking bad habits can start today, and they can start with clutter cleanup to our writing. These five tips are a mix of pet peeves and habits that I’ve broken
Posted March 11, 2021
College is great. You can never find parking; you’ll drop a fortune on a piece of paper and if you didn’t have crippling anxiety before, you do now. One of my favorite things, however, is how professors can fail to prepare you for the real world. It’s not usually their
Posted March 1, 2021
Perhaps it’s apt that March is Women’s History Month, because we’ve been marching toward a brighter future for centuries. The three female employees of Brightly Creative are at three different points in our careers, and we sat down and chatted about women who have inspired us in our lives and
Posted February 22, 2021
Swipe left, swipe right, like, follow, share, subscribe, repeat. People are no strangers to social media and the major influence it has in our everyday lives. From the moment we wake up to the moment we fall asleep, our phones are within reach and social media apps are buzzing. Amid
Posted February 12, 2021
Hurry before it’s too late! National Drink Wine Day is next week, Thursday, Feb. 18, and you don’t want to have an empty glass. Wine lovers, including us here at Brightly Creative, are preparing to to indulge on their favorite glass — or bottle — of adult grape juice. It’s never been
Posted February 5, 2021
I just hit the one-year anniversary of my last business trip. On Jan. 30, 2020, I arrived back in St. Louis from Portland, Ore., at 11:50 p.m. I checked bags because it was a long trip on the West Coast. I left the prior Monday and spent a great couple
Posted February 1, 2021
A couple of months ago, we published a blog regarding best practices for webinars. I’m happy to report that I’ve attended four webinars in January, and only one missed the mark in my opinion. The other three provided value-added information that went beyond forecasting trends for 2021. The first order
Posted January 14, 2021
We’re officially a six-pack, as this week we welcomed Diego Escala to the Brightly Creative team. A mass communication graduate of the University of South Florida, Diego brings a bevy of talents to the fold both professionally and personally. We asked him a few hard hitting questions about his life’s
Posted January 11, 2021
It’s a new year, new you, right? What exactly does that mean? We never have been able to predict the future, but 2020 certainly threw us for a loop. Perhaps that has made us more adaptable to change, but having goals is one aspect of both personal and professional lives
Posted January 9, 2021
It’s been a big year for Account Director Alison Wuebbels-turned-Conklin. She successfully navigated her way through an unpredictable year in our professional world, along with planning her October wedding. We’re celebrating her birthday today with our traditional question and answer session, in hopes that we all get to know the
Posted December 30, 2020
Everyone has a post-mortem on 2020, and so do I. It stunk. For Brightly Creative, the stench was less than for others, and we count ourselves as very fortunate compared to many of our friends and colleagues in the food and beverage industry. But I don’t want to end the
Posted December 14, 2020
I’ve been creating and re-vamping brands for over 20 years – quite a few have been Fortune 100/500. It’s been very rewarding. However, the most enjoyable projects have been with start-ups or small privately owned small to medium size business looking to take their brand to the next level. They
Posted November 27, 2020
Happy birthday to our favorite content specialist, Alyssa! We want to wish her another trip around the sun! Alyssa usually writes the Brightly Creative blogs, but this time, the spotlight is on her. We quizzed the birthday girl with some fun questions. Enjoy this interview, and be sure to wish
Posted November 20, 2020
With little to no in-person events and interactions happening in 2020 — and likely heading into 2021 — we have more digital nomadic numbers than ever before. People are working from home, social distancing and missing the human connection and interaction that office life brings on a daily basis. Webinars are
Posted October 29, 2020
“Halloween is happening,” the National Confectioners Association president declared in August, and there was a collective sigh of relief across America, as Halloween’s ghouls and goblins prepared for one of the most fun holidays of the year. We needed to hear that Halloween wasn’t just canceled like most of 2020,
Posted October 23, 2020
I’m the first to admit: I’ve never been a hugger. Anytime someone would run up to embrace me, I’d slink away like a cat, with my arms to my side or a give a quick back pat to get out of the suffocating hold as quickly as possible. My close
Posted October 8, 2020
The results may have been delayed a bit this year, but it was worth the wait. Every Outstanding Bakery mentioned as a 2020 James Beard Award winner is a past Honey Baking Summit attendee! For those familiar with Brightly Creative, you know that we’ve had a longstanding partnership with the
Posted September 15, 2020
At the end of every year, I eagerly await the mountain of trend reports to hit my inbox, predicting what ingredients and diets will be impacting food and beverage new product development in the coming year. It’s like Christmas morning for someone like me who spends their days making decisions
Posted September 10, 2020
Last week I delved into the world of digital nomadic life, and it took me down memory lane of how fast technology has evolved in our industry. How did I survive in college without a laptop? I remember the nights that I had to wait until 9 p.m. to use
Posted September 3, 2020
Working from home, telecommuting, being a digital nomad — whatever you call it, more and more employers are embracing the “work away from the office” life. I’ll be the first to admit that I have more trouble concentrating as I get older, and there’s no way I could ever go back
Posted August 26, 2020
“Are you serious?” That has been my go-to phrase for 2020. It’s been a wild ride, and it has gone by in the blink of an eye. Among all the twists and turns of a global pandemic, unemployment at an all-time high and America trying to mend racial injustices, I
Posted August 19, 2020
2020 has not been the year for large gatherings. Brightly Creative has seen its entire schedule change this year, having our travel plans delayed, shifted or nixed altogether due to canceled trade shows, conferences, in-person meetings and events. It’s truly been a year of adaptation, patience and disappointment (I may
Posted August 13, 2020
There’s a buzz in the air, and that’s because Saturday, Aug. 15, is World Honey Bee Day! These little insects pack some mighty power, and the day is reserved to honor both the honey bee and beekeepers who work so hard to make hives better homes for the pollinators of
Posted August 4, 2020
I’ve eaten a lot of weird things in my life: chicken liver ice cream, cricket tacos, fish eyes and 12 Jack In The Box tacos (no lettuce). I love food; I love weird food and I’ll try anything at least once. However, I’m struggling with the concept of lab grown
Posted July 24, 2020
There are a number of phrases in our 2020 vocabulary that I never thought I’d be saying just six short months ago. “Wear your mask,” “quarantine,” “flatten the curve,” and “social distancing” are just a few that come to mind. The Brightly Creative team has always had a telecommute work
Posted July 9, 2020
Coming from a journalist’s background, the who, what, when, where and why of how we do things in the content marketing world has always been of particular interest to me. Sometimes those tenants get buried in the hopes of churning out content and “scooping” the competition. But, here at Brightly
Posted June 30, 2020
The newest team member of Brightly Creative is celebrating her birthday today! Traditionally we ask the birthday girl or boy some anonymous hard-hitting questions to ponder, and we’re waltzing out of June with some good ones! Cheers to 27! What activity helps you relieve stress? When I’m stressed, I like
Posted June 24, 2020
Good news lends itself to even more weight in 2020, and we’re excited to announce that North Shore Living is now part of the Brightly Creative family! We’re growing like fresh herbs, and the metaphor isn’t lost on us as we look at the newest part of our food and
Posted June 18, 2020
I just finished reading the book, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, by Yuval Noah Harari. It’s a great book that forces you to think about humans’ existence on earth and how we’ve evolved over time. One passage in the beginning of the book had a particularly profound impact on
Posted June 9, 2020
As if we didn’t need a reason before to enjoy candy, June is National Candy Month! The National Confectioners Association (NCA) has designed the month to celebrate “the unique role of candy in a happy, balanced lifestyle,” and we’re all for it. National Candy Month isn’t just about gorging oneself
Posted June 3, 2020
Inspiration struck last week after our first-ever virtual happy hour. We wore weird hats, and the anticipation of seeing everyone pop on screen for the first time in their chosen headwear was almost better than the hour itself. We drank, laughed and shared stories of quarantine, longed for vacations and
Posted May 21, 2020
Most of my fondest memories of togetherness come in the form of enjoying a wonderful meal and taste testing new drinks with friends (or strangers for that matter — imbibing brings people together). Who doesn’t love a great wine or spirits tasting, or a beer flight at the local pub, or
Posted May 11, 2020
From on tap to carry out and delivery, the craft beer industry has had to shift the way they provide us with our favorite ales, lagers, IPAs and saisons. And even though the brewing industry has faced a huge battle with coronavirus’ stay-at-home orders, it has not even come close
Posted May 5, 2020
Living in America has its perks, and one of them is the ability to celebrate almost every holiday on the planet in some way, shape or form. Cinco de Mayo is this author’s favorite holiday of the year (I admit it’s been greatly Americanized and I’m totally OK with that),
Posted April 30, 2020
One of the biggest trends in digital media right now is the podcast, and the origin story is that they were developed in 2004 by a former MTV VJ with a program called iPodder. Through the software, internet radio broadcasts could be downloaded to his iPod, and throughout years of
Posted April 22, 2020
Due to our longstanding partnership with the National Honey Board, naturally we have learned a lot about the hardworking bees that help nurture our planet. It’s only fitting that we would honor bees during Earth Day’s 20th anniversary theme: Climate Action. According to EarthDay.org, on the first Earth Day, April
Posted April 21, 2020
We’ve got another Brightly Creative birthday this week — the one and only Keith Seiz! The family-man-runner-cyclist-foodie-expert-napper extraordinaire answered our questions as well this week, and it gave us an inside look at everything from airplane pet peeves to coveted travel supplies. Enjoy, and please join us in wishing Keith
Posted April 15, 2020
This week we celebrate Jonathan Galbreath’s birthday by taking a deep dive into his life with our top 5 questions we’ve always wanted to know about him. From travel, to tech, to death row, we’ve uncovered some good stuff about Jonathan during his birthday week. You’ve run a successful business
Posted April 7, 2020
Even though the Easter Bunny may be on furlough when it comes to hopping in and out of backyards, that doesn’t mean the Brightly Creative crew isn’t going without our favorite treats or traditions. After all, we’re a creative bunch, so we’ve shifted our focus from large gatherings to the
Posted March 24, 2020
The Brightly Creative team is a lucky bunch. We already work from home, so we’re fortunate to be somewhat used to the new reality of quarantines being put in place across the nation. Telecommuting certainly has its advantages, and it also comes with a certain amount of freedoms. A quarantine,
Posted March 17, 2020
Today is St. Patrick’s Day, a feast day that celebrates Irish culture with traditional Irish meals like Irish stew, Guinness pie, soda bread and of course green beer. This year, however, with social distancing in place, there’s an air of disappointment. No dancing in the streets, “Kiss me, I’m Irish”
Posted March 10, 2020
Fun fact about me: I’ve lived in more countries than states! Not so fun fact, I barely remember two countries. With being the youngest of four in a military family, most of the traveling and moving around the world happened before me. I’d like to think that being born in
Posted February 25, 2020
Fat Tuesday is traditionally the time where we gorge on our favorites before the 40-day fasting period of Lent. Whether you’re fasting, giving that one thing up or just ready for the flood of hurricanes and King’s Cake, Fat Tuesday can be enjoyed by every human who has one thing
Posted February 18, 2020
When the dust settles from the current new product development mania around plant-based “meats,” which products will survive and which will join New Coke and the McDLT in the halls of failed product launches? Seems like a challenging question, but I think the answer is pretty simple to come by,
Posted February 11, 2020
What’s your favorite chocolate: dark, milk, white or … ruby? Innovations in the way chocolate is produced and sourced have disrupted this category in the past year, and whether you’re single or happily attached, this Valentine’s Day’s chocolate offerings have our Brightly Creative team excited to share our favorites. Ruby
Posted January 23, 2020
I decided to stop drinking (well, at least for 365 days). I’ll spare you my reasons why. Because what I think is important is whether craft non-alcoholic beer is “good.” Can non-alcoholic beer replace the real stuff? My answer is NO. But, we’ve come a long way from O’Doul’s (which
Posted January 17, 2020
A large part of my job is to research trends in the food and beverage industry. While I’m used to being wowed by constant innovation in our field that results in new ways of doing things and even new vocabulary (can we say upcycling and aquafaba?), there are some moments
Posted January 7, 2020
The Brightly Creative Team has taken off in the past year with a ton of work trips, and we’re heading into 2020 with even more on the docket. As we wandered the long halls of airports across the country, we have picked up on some common food trends at kiosks
Posted December 24, 2019
The ghost of Christmas’s past, present and future is hot on our trails this time of year, and since the decade is almost over, the Brightly Creative crew is taking the time to reflect. A lot has happened in the last decade, both personally and professionally. Alison Wuebbels said: “In
Posted December 17, 2019
Team Brightly sat down last week to close out a successful 2019 and prepare to go full steam ahead into 2020. A majority of our calendar is filled with travel, from summits to competitions to trade shows. To help us start 2020 on the right foot, we start planning. Most
Posted December 10, 2019
For the last nine years, Brightly Creative has been working in the brewing industry for our client, the National Honey Board, to help brewers learn how to brew with honey. It is an industry that we have been successful in and love. Over the years, we have seen so many
Posted November 26, 2019
Are three meals a day — breakfast, lunch and dinner — a thing of the past? Sure, we’ve all been known to indulge in a few snacks in between meals (midnight pizza, anyone?) but something that was once a guilty pleasure is turning into a better-for-us norm. Snacking is becoming such a
Posted November 19, 2019
My grandma said that when I was a baby, she would read to me, but play a simultaneous game where she would turn the book upside down. I knew to turn the book right side up probably before I could get my own body upright on two legs — perhaps a
Posted November 12, 2019
Waste not, want not, a saying that’s been around since the 1700s, still rings true today. Food waste is an epidemic in the United States, yet so many people live in poverty. Although the world hunger problem won’t be solved soon enough, upcycling has reached an entire new level of
Posted August 6, 2019
Team Brightly took a break from traveling this month to get back in the office and plan our second half of the year’s events. That left time to catch up on our summer reading! Here is a list of the books we can’t put down. Humboldt’s Gift, Saul Bellow Keith
Posted July 29, 2019
Brightly Creative, an agency specializing in the food and beverage industries, is expanding its small team and hiring a full-time content specialist. Ideal candidate will be an experienced writer in short- and long-form content. Food writing experience is preferred but not mandatory. However, you should really have an appreciation of
Posted July 9, 2019
June was a BUSY month for Team Brightly. We went from Providence, RI > New Orleans, LA > Bend, OR > Kent, WA > ITALY > Cincinnati, OH > Springfield, IL > San Diego, CA and probably some more in between. We can’t keep track anymore. But this month, we
Posted June 25, 2019
If you read this blog regularly, you know I’m a foodie. I write about food extensively, love to cook and I get paid to talk about the food industry. I spend a better part of my personal and professional life thinking about food. So, when the family decided to vacation
Posted June 4, 2019
Mornings can be hectic. And we are folks who are always on the go. Between work trips, kids and running to the gym, we try and grab a lot of different breakfast foods on our way to what’s next. These are some of our favorite products from this month. Kashi
Posted May 28, 2019
The concept of a traditional work environment has always been a challenge for me. Post-grad, I lasted two years in a cubical farm before attempting to define my own work environment. I feel I can now do that somewhat, and a key has been striking a balance between my personal
Posted May 21, 2019
When Jonathan and I decided to step away from the growing agency we founded and start all over again, the idea was to: Stop being business people and return to being creative people Only work with clients, products or services we truly believed in We also wanted to focus as
Posted May 14, 2019
Working in the food industry, we love a good food holiday. Taco and pizza day…we’re all in and have lunch plans settled early. Cupcake day? Let’s have them for breakfast. Even healthy foods like Kale will receive our dedication to finding foods or making a meal as long as it’s
Posted May 7, 2019
Alright. You have heard enough from us about beer, spirits and cocktails. But we swear that’s not all we drink! In fact, here are some of our favorite non-alcoholic beverages we’ve been sipping recently. Honey Cinnamon Kick, Superior Switchel Cinnamon combines with apple cider vinegar and honey to create a
Posted April 30, 2019
We work pretty heavily in the spirits industry, so I have been on my fair share of distillery tours. And you tend to see a lot of the same stuff: copper equipment, bearded tour guides and an overuse of rustic wood and exposed brick that screams you’re modern. Unless you
Posted April 23, 2019
This is a short blog, but hopefully an educational one. I spend quite a bit of time on the road, and have for the last 15 years. With a wife and two young kids at home, this can sometimes be a tough gig. However, here are five bits of advice
Posted March 19, 2019
This was my second year at Natural Products Expo West. Last year, I was totally unprepared for what I was walking into. This year, I had to give myself a pep talk before walking into the Anaheim Convention Center compound, and I still could not prepare myself for what was
Posted March 12, 2019
I googled this topic just to see what other branding wizards had to say. So many “creative” folks regurgitating the same obvious factors as if each was the owner of these epiphanies. I would put most of the articles in the same folder with “25 Signs that Your Power is
Posted February 5, 2019
It’s 2019. It’s time to take your stagnant social media posts and turn them into a story. An Instagram story. Instagram Stories allow businesses to post pictures, videos and all kinds of app-driven visuals on a 24-hour cycle linked to your account. With more than 300 million active daily users,
Posted January 3, 2019
Two things we’ve learned about resolutions over the years. First, you have to write them down. Second, they have to be concrete enough to determine at the end of the year if you successfully accomplished your goals. With that being said, #TeamBrightly wrote down its resolutions and is making them
Posted December 6, 2018
Another year in the books. 2018 brought new clients, events, cities and experiences as well as catching up with some of my favorite people and places I have met along the way. Here is a recap on some of my favorite things from the year. Favorite Beer: Tart Cherry Kvass,
Posted December 5, 2018
2019…ehwhathuh?! Time flies, when you do it a lot for work. So much travel. So many balls up in the air. So many challenges, wonderful people and experiences. If I stop and think about my favorite things/experiences from 2018, it can be overwhelming. For me, the best thing to do
Posted December 5, 2018
2018 was a banner year for Brightly Creative. We’re fortunate to be blessed with great clients, great partners and interesting, rewarding and fun work. Our jobs take us to all pockets of the United States and even around the world. Here’s my list of my favorite things from 2018. Favorite Beer:
Posted September 4, 2018
What did you do for your summer vacation? I used to hate writing those essays in school. Now, I’m kind of excited to write this blog post detailing what the Brightly Creative team has been up to this summer. It was packed to say the least. We had meetings, conferences,
Posted June 18, 2018
Beards, bees, brewing science and a lot of honey. Those elements are standard of any Honey Beer Summit. But what was unique about our recent Austin event, the sixth Honey Beer Summit we have hosted? Barrel-aging honey, honey sours, hops and honey, increased honey usage, goats, and countless chigger bites.
Posted May 9, 2018
The year is 2013. Our client, the National Honey Board, had started to field quite a few calls about the use of honey in the brewing industry. We knew it was an emerging market for honey, but we also knew it was a small market at the time. With a
Posted April 13, 2018
Photographers that own there craft, can be “spirited”. Often, being masterful can be confused with ego, and vice versa. Flying to Nashville, Tennessee, on behalf of the National Honey Board for a photoshoot at the tail end of last year landed us at the studio of esteemed Mark Boughton, Food
Posted March 15, 2018
Dates: February 20-22, 2018 Purpose: Client meetings I go to Denver quite a bit. My business partner and creative director lives in the Mile High City, as well as some of our key clients. It’s a city I’ve grown to love. Great food, great breweries, great distilleries, close to mountains and
Posted March 10, 2018
I’m exhausted. Long show hours plus less than accommodating accommodations have left me empty and headed to the airport early Saturday. Before a long day of travel ahead and a much needed break on Sunday, I leave you with a final report of a few of my favorite products from
Posted March 9, 2018
No, this isn’t a blog post about what you’re thinking. Shows like the Natural Products Expo West are too tiring to go out much at night. In fact, since I’ve been in Anaheim, I’ve had to patiently wait until the noise dies down from the 9pm Disney extravaganza before I
Posted March 8, 2018
The Brightly Creative Team is on the scene at Natural Products Expo West, and Keith will be filing reports about what he’s seen, ate and drank. For the first report, Keith analyzes the two snacks in the bag given to each attendee at registration. The show hasn’t even started and
Posted March 2, 2018
I love food. I love cooking it, reading about it and eating it. When I moved back to St. Louis from Chicago, I was terrified of the culinary situation I was entering into. I hadn’t lived in St. Louis for 10 years and knew nothing about the food scene. So,
Posted February 19, 2018
One of the best parts about my job is the daily interaction I have with true artisans of the food and beverage industry. From chefs to bakers to brewers, I’m fortunate to have met, and in some cases, worked with, people that inspire me. Many of these people were recently
Posted January 20, 2018
When: January 10-12, 2018 Why: American Beekeeping Federation’s Conference and Tradeshow Thinking about visiting Reno? Don’t. That’s probably a bit too harsh of an assessment considering I was only in the city for two days, and spent most of the time in a hotel at meetings. Still, the times I
Posted January 12, 2018
Year one in the books, and what a year it was. If you’re not familiar with our origin story, check out this blog post from last year. In summary, we started Brightly Creative at the beginning of 2017 to follow our passions. To work with great clients in the food
Posted January 12, 2018
On any given day, you’ll find one of us on the road, somewhere in the United States representing our clients. We attend events, host our own events, teach classes and conduct intensive educational and technical seminars. All, for our clients. It’s one thing we take pride in at Brightly Creative.
Posted January 5, 2018
We work quite a bit in the beer industry, and we quite enjoy the products that craft brewers craft, from hazy IPAs to tart Berliner Weisses. Through our travels in 2017, we’ve had the opportunity to taste some amazing beers, whether it’s at one of the Honey Beer Summits we
Posted January 5, 2018
Dates: April 10-14, 2017 City: Washington, D.C. Brightly Team: Keith, Jonathan and Alison One of my favorite shows of the year! Great beer, great friends, great coworkers and a new city to explore. Plus, three days talking about honey. What’s not to love about the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC)? Jonathan,
Posted January 4, 2018
Follow your passion. Empty words for most professionals, as “passion” often doesn’t pay the mortgage, a tab at a Michelin-rated restaurant or college tuition for your kids. But what if it could? That’s the question we’re on a journey to answer with the launch of Brightly Creative, a new craft
