tru Shrimp: Wrapping innovative technology in a relatable brand.
The Challenge
The shrimp category had developed a reputation problem at both ends of the spectrum. Farm-raised shrimp was often associated with overcrowded foreign ponds and questionable sanitation practices, while wild-caught shrimp carried growing concerns around bycatch, environmental damage, and sustainability.
TruShrimp was built to solve those problems by creating a cleaner, more sustainable way to produce fresh shrimp domestically. But the technology behind it was genuinely groundbreaking—and like many innovations, difficult to explain in a simple, relatable way.
We partnered with TruShrimp to define their brand story, voice, and messaging framework in a way that could move consumers past the initial surprise of “shrimp raised in Minnesota” and toward a clear understanding of the environmental, quality, and supply-chain benefits the company was bringing to the category.
What We Crafted
Our goal was to make TruShrimp’s technology feel understandable, human, and emotionally grounded—not like a science experiment or a sustainability lecture.
To do that, we built the brand around a simple idea: sometimes the best innovations come from people willing to rethink the way things have always been done. Rather than leading with technical jargon, we focused on optimism, stewardship, and the unlikely ambition of raising shrimp in the middle of the Midwest.
That foundation informed everything from the brand purpose and manifesto to the tone of voice, messaging architecture, and investor positioning.
Brand Purpose
To nourish people and planet in pursuit of a perfect shrimp.
Brand Manifesto
Sometimes you have to take a step back before you can move forward.
At the edge of a contaminated South American shrimp pond,
We took our first step back.
It led us far from the murky norms of mainstream aquaculture,
1,500 miles from the nearest ocean, and back to our midwestern roots.
We had a lot to learn. But what we knew was enough.
We knew we had an animal to take care of.
We knew that if we did that well, everything else would take care of itself.
And we knew to press on when others said it was impossible.
Now, a sustainable supply of shrimp is bubbling up in the unlikeliest of places–
The landlocked heart of the heartland.
Here, on the other side of impossible, those original principles apply.
We still have an animal to care for, but also an industry to grow,
Partners by our side, and a promise to keep:
To nourish people and planet in pursuit of a perfect shrimp.
Honest to greatness.
Brand Persona
To make the company feel more relatable and approachable, we created a central brand character:
This persona gave TruShrimp a human voice—someone ambitious and innovative, but still humble, practical, and optimistic enough to laugh at the absurdity of “shrimp in Minnesota.”
We call him The Fisherman Out of Water
If you don’t know his story, he seems out of place… a deep-sea fisherman 1,500 miles from any sea. But strike up a conversation with him and you’ll learn that he’s out of place on purpose. He’ll tell you how he came inland to build his own ocean, his own perfect fishing grounds in the middle of a continent. And he’ll tell you why he did it – so that he can put food on other peoples’ tables without hurting the Earth that puts food on his.
When you’re talking with him, you’ll notice he doesn’t take himself or his work too seriously. He’s the first to laugh about raising seafood without a sea. He knows it’s a big dream – maybe even impractical. But he doesn’t let that get him down. He’s excited because he knows what’ll happen if he works hard enough. And he never dwells on how hard it will be.
You’ll walk away smiling about his optimism. It makes you wonder what else would be possible if we all had his grit. You think to yourself: “If the world is in the hands of good stewards like him, we’re all going to be ok.”
Tone of Voice
From there, we defined a tone that balanced innovation with warmth and humility.
Optimistic and cheerful: He can’t shake the excitement that his work is worthwhile.
Friendly and conversational: He talks like a conversation over a casual meal. His words are simple, spoken in a way that makes everyone feel included in the conversation.
Open-minded and humble: He’s proud of what he does, but he doesn’t grandstand. He can take a joke, and sometimes makes them about himself.
Key Messaging Pillars
We also created a messaging framework that translated TruShrimp’s technology and sustainability story into language that felt approachable and benefit-driven.
Honest-to-greatness seafood: We’ve reimagined aquaculture down to the last drop and built a better way to nourish people and planet.
Purely Superior Shrimp: It’s hard to feel confident buying shrimp these days. Murky practices have earned the seafood an unsavory reputation. With great care and cutting edge technology, we’re raising shrimp of unparalleled purity.
Oceans of Innovation: 1,500 miles from the nearest sea, our patented “inland oceans” are a marvel of modern aquaculture. We’ve recreated natural currents and chemistry of the ocean, down to the molecule, for a pristine and healthy habitat. Who knew shrimp would be so happy in the prairie?
Scalable Stewardship: Humane habitats and agricultural efficiency don’t often go hand-in-hand. But our operations produce more protein on less land, and with far less waste than nearly any other method of protein production. We’re growing a better industry, one “ocean” at a time.
Investor Positioning
Finally, we extended the same brand thinking into investor-facing messaging—framing TruShrimp not just as a food company, but as a long-term opportunity to help reshape the future of sustainable protein production.
For those who want to make a dividend AND a difference,
trū Shrimp’s smart, sustainable,
“Inland oceans” are
Changing seafood for good–
Yielding cleaner, sweeter,
Superior shrimp at an impactful scale.
Together, we’re growing a better industry,
One “ocean” at a time.
Role: Brand Strategist, Copywriter