PROJECT
Capturing the nostalgic, giftable appeal of Garrett Popcorn's signature blends to strengthen brand storytelling across retail and marketing.
ROLE
Photographer,
Producer
COMPANY
Garrett Popcorn
STAKEHOLDER(s)
Brand Marketing Team
SCOPE
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Pre-production planning, treatment writing, and model sourcing.
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Photography and video creative direction and production
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Post-production editing and final delivery
The Brand
Garrett Popcorn has been a Chicago staple since 1949. It's a nationally recognized specialty popcorn brand with a fiercely loyal following, and the product is as much about the gifting experience as the snack itself.
Tins show up at holiday tables, corporate gifts, game days, and tourist bags on Michigan Avenue. The visual identity has to match that premium, occasion-driven perception at every campaign moment.
That's a specific creative challenge. The work can't feel generic. It has to feel like Garrett: warm, celebratory, a little indulgent, and always worth giving.
The Brief
Garrett brought me across multiple campaigns over several seasons, covering their biggest calendar moments: Christmas, New Year's Eve, and ongoing evergreen product content between the peaks. Each campaign needed a fresh visual angle while staying consistent with the brand's established identity. Festive, but not over-decorated. Premium, but still approachable.
The scope wasn't just photography. I was brought in to lead the full production process, from executing creative concepts through post production.
Creative Direction
Every campaign started well before the camera came out. I wrote the treatment, executed the concept, sourced and contracted models and stylists, built the full shot list, and managed all production logistics from the ground up. On the seasonal campaigns, that meant coordinating casts of 10 or more talent across multi-day shoots.
Art Direction
and Production
On set, I directed talent and crew through each concept, making real-time creative calls to keep the work on brand and on pace. The goal was always the same: deliver imagery that felt intentional rather than assembled, like a Garrett campaign rather than a product shoot that happened to feature Garrett products.
The creative tension on this kind of work is real. Seasonal content has to feel timely without feeling disposable. Evergreen content has to feel consistent without feeling generic. I approached both with the same discipline: clear creative point of view going in, enough flexibility to respond to what the day gives you.
The Final Product
Across multiple quarterly campaigns, I delivered photo and video asset libraries supporting Garrett's social, digital, and marketing channels throughout the year. The work ran across platforms and seasons, with a consistent visual thread holding it together regardless of the occasion.
Role: Photographer & Producer
Scope: Seasonal and Evergreen Campaign Photo & Video
Brand: Garrett Popcorn, Chicago
Team:
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Client Contact(s):
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Joelle Wolinski - Creative Director
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Jodi Hoover - Art Director
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Photo Assistant:
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Aliya Ikhumen
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Models:
Logan T, Paige C, Adekite O, Jon S, Carrie C, Jenna C, James R, Chabik, Mike S, Arikka Wright, Penny Roman, Christian Martinez, Davion King, Avar Wright, Lani May
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Let’s Work Together
Available for creative direction, brand work, and content projects.
Chicago and beyond
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