Thanks for stopping by, we’re so glad you did. We are Harbor Creative Group, Inc. but you can call us Harbor Creatives. We are a duo of savvy marketers who lead a team of strategists, creatives, digital experts and other awesome people to deliver proven results to our clients. We happen to bring a lot of experience in the agriculture industry and a passion for all things wellness. We believe every brand has a story that’s waiting to be told. And we love telling them!
Our Crew
Unquestionably a born marketer, Lisa Minardi has racked up 20 years of hands-on experience through working in agencies since graduating from University of California, San Diego with a BA in Communications. Based in Santa Cruz, California she has collaborated with some of the largest agriculture brands in the Salinas Valley, Washington State and beyond. As the Vice President of McDill Associates and its division Plaid Cannabiz Marketing, she led the development of multiple award-winning marketing programs for clients in fresh produce, natural foods, beverages, cannabis, lifestyle, technology and retail. Her expertise lies in crafting the strategy of positioning, messaging and campaigns that set brands apart. Lisa never gets tired of writing, brainstorming and building client relationships.
Born and raised in the farming lifestyle, Melissa Roth has deep roots in the agriculture industry. After graduating from the University of Montana with degrees in Anthropology and Psychology, she joined the Peace Corps and learned along side Nepali farmers working on food security initiatives. Moving to Washington State with a new found passion for the people who grow our food, she began her career in the tree fruit industry. She is a card-carrying food safety and QA expert with years of experience in food processing and marketing, applying her attention to detail to every project. Her knack for evaluating market opportunities aligned with current trends means our clients can count on her for unexpected and innovative ideas. Passionate about sharing stories from brands that enhance our health, she revels in the creative process of meshing strategy and design.
Passion for Days
We get up every day excited to work with our clients. Our passion shows up through the results that make a difference for brands. We believe that collaboration is key and partnerships are what make the world go round.
Our Work
Fresh Ideas For Inspired Brands
Bimi® Baby Broccoli
Bimi® Baby Broccoli
Hillview™
Hillview™
Sunkist Snacks
Sunkist Snacks
Lucy™ Apples
Lucy™ Apples
2 Towns Ciderhouse
2 Towns Ciderhouse
Cultivation Warehouse
Cultivation Warehouse
Sol Fusion™
Sol Fusion™
Thornley & Knight
Thornley & Knight
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What do you get when you mix 5 years, one incredible client, and a lot of big ideas? 🍎✨
Websites, social feeds, packaging, events… and a hot air balloon (obviously ✨).
Proud of the work. Grateful for the partnerships. Excited for what’s next!
🎶 Raindrops on roses and crisp cans of cider… 🍎
A few of our favorite things? Designing bold, beautiful cans for 2 Towns Ciderhouse.
From punchy color palettes to illustrated details that pop off the shelf, these designs are made to be picked up (and cracked open). 🍎✨
This is who plans, writes, edits, overthinks, laughs, and launches ✨ 💙
Since helping launch Bimi® Baby Broccoli in U.S. last Spring, we’ve focused on a brand-centric strategy rooted in content, community, and culinary inspiration.
The kind of work we love most.
An agency that’s not very good at marketing itself? Guilty as charged. But we’re here! Heads down, building brands, driving results, enjoying every single minute.
So, Hello! 👋 from Lisa and Melissa
One of the most exciting rebrands in HCG history! We’ve transformed CIBO into Italy Culinary Vacations – a name and brand that perfectly captures the spirit of exploring Italy through food. 🇮🇹🍷
From the fresh identity to the new website, this project was a dream come true. Take a look and prepare to feel transported to the heart of Italy.
🎨 Before ➡️ After
What a fulfilling week! Had a full circle moment talking to my oldest son’s high school graphic design class on a @yourfutureisourbusiness career panel. His teacher is a designer that I worked with at my very first agency job here in Santa Cruz. Obviously I brought them Cosmic Crisp apples to try 😉.
I also donated Cosmic Crisp apples to my middle son’s 6th grade culinary class. They made the pop tart recipe from our website and it was a huge hit! 💪🏼
There is no greater joy than having a career that is meaningful to me as a marketer and as a mother to three boys. 😀🍎💖
~ Lisa
Is it cliché to call the summer of 2024 life-changing for us at HCG? Maybe. But it’s also 100% true. 🌞✨ This summer, we’ve adventured far and wide, dreamed big both professionally and personally, loved fiercely, and laughed even louder (maybe a little too loudly 😜). And, most importantly, we’ve had SO MUCH FUN!
We truly love what we do, and we still can’t believe we get to call this our ‘job.’ Talking about how good apples and fresh produce taste, and sharing that passion with all of you? Yeah, we’d say it’s the best gig ever. 🍎🥳 From exploring places we never imagined possible (who else gets to say they’ve flown in a Cosmic Crisp® hot air balloon?!) to soaring through space with the Cosmic Explorers and ending up at a bubbly hard cider destination with 2 Towns Ciderhouse, this journey has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Thank you for being a part of this wild, wonderful adventure with us! 🚀💫 We can’t wait to see where the rest of 2024 takes us! #BestJobEver #ProduceLove #CosmicCrisp #SummerAdventures #HCGLife
What an absolute honor to earn our first Crushie Award for packaging design alongside our partner @2townscider! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to work with you (and for making the best hard ciders and teas.) With this award we are toasting to more design adventures together! ✨
Seasonal flavors? Yes, please! This design project in partnership with @2townscider is a delicious example of why this strategy works well for so many types of brands. Trust us, you are going to want to grab this Apricot Cosmic Crisp® Imperial Cider while you can. 🍎🍑🍻
Last year was Fearless. This year it’s Unstoppable. Who else has a fierce word of the year? 💪🏼
