A 27-year veteran of General Mills, Melissa Wildermuth was appointed global creative director in 2021, which meant leading a dispersed team and balancing fun (see Jason and Travis Kelce’s “Kelce Mix,” combining their favorite GMI cereals in one box) with the reality of supply chain challenges and rising food prices. “In the end, brands have to provide value,” she says. “Price is part of that, but delivering joy is more important than ever.” Wildermuth recently overhauled General Mills’ ad agency partnerships, bringing in three out-of-state shops that she says will help the Golden Valley-based multinational “elevate creativity.”