BELA Brand Seafood

A 30-year-old tinned fish brand reimagined from the inside out.

The Challenge

BELA was a shelf staple with soul: family- and veteran-owned, beloved by longtime retail partners, and rooted in sustainable sourcing through its 30-year partnership with Portuguese canneries. But it had no formal brand strategy, no digital presence, no DTC infrastructure, and a visual identity that hadn’t been touched since the '90s. The brand was increasingly at risk of losing relevance in a buzzy, digital-first, design-driven category.

I was brought on as fractional Director of Brand Marketing to lead a full rebrand and go-to-market transformation, guiding both strategy and execution across every touchpoint.

The Insight

BELA didn’t need reinvention—it needed rediscovery. While younger brands leaned into hype, BELA’s edge was its authenticity: real sourcing, real relationships, and fish-first flavor that didn’t need a trendy sauce to make it palatable. Our opportunity was to make that truth visible, ownable, and memorable to give BELA the brand presence it had always earned, but never expressed.

The Idea

Phase 1: Rebrand & Identity Refresh

• Developed BELA’s first formal brand strategy, including positioning, audience segmentation, messaging pillars, and tone of voice

• Created new brand platforms: Fish Means Family and Everyone’s Welcome to the Table

• Directed the brand’s first-ever full visual identity overhaul, including new logo, typography, color system, packaging redesign (including 8 new SKUs), and design guidelines

• Wrote all website copy and collaborated on Shopify UX/content structure

• Produced multiple editorial-style photoshoots to support web, social, Amazon, and PR needs

• Concepted and launched an initial line of branded merchandise to help extend brand storytelling and amplify launch

• Oversaw the development of BELA’s first Amazon storefront and prepared for direct-to-consumer launch

• Crafted brand messaging and visual systems to help reopen doors with retail buyers who responded with renewed interest post-launch

Phase 2: Marketing Execution & Growth Systems

• Took over BELA’s organic social channels, rebuilding eye-catching visual cohesion, brand voice, and publishing cadence

• Managed BELA’s UGC pipeline with creators who supported the brand’s new ethos

• Launched BELA’s TikTok channel and began growing a values-aligned community from scratch

• Wrote and published branded email newsletters and blog posts, including editorial pieces to support SEO and deepen storytelling

• Oversaw performance marketing and PR, partnering with external teams while directing content and messaging strategy

• Designed branded influencer seeding kits (gift boxes, inserts, stickers, custom packaging, etc.) and helped launch product seeding programs

• Hired and managed a hybrid team including creative director, web developer, social support, PR and performance leads

• Built a custom marketing performance dashboard in Looker Studio (pulling from GA4, Shopify, and Meta) to inform creative strategy and channel prioritization

• Created internal systems for content planning, approvals, and reporting to reduce last-minute scrambles and increase brand consistency

The Results

• Featured in Fast Company as a standout rebrand

• Reignited retail interest and opened conversations with buyers thanks to updated packaging, positioning, and brand presentation

• Nearly doubled Instagram followers in under a year

• Launched TikTok and seeded an engaged, culturally relevant audience

• Earned a placement in NY Mag’s The Strategist and Today.com via newsjacking and media seeding

• Created 54 branded posts in Q1 2025 alone, generating 373K+ impressions on <$1K/month paid budget

• Developed and packaged 8 new SKUs (launch pending) and designed seasonal Sardine Summer merchandise to expand the brand universe and capitalize on cultural moment

• Delivered measurable traction and team stability on a lean budget and part-time scope, setting the foundation for long-term brand growth