With over 7,300 breweries across the country (and another 3,000 currently in the planning stage), it’s getting harder and harder to stand out from the competition. In addition to having to nail a delicious and unique line of brews, design and marketing of each beer has become critical to a brewery’s popularity and success.
In the past, small breweries could rely solely on positive word of mouth about their beers. Today, shoppers are persuaded by award-winning products. Seals like “Best Brewery” and “Best Beer” give beers additional stopping power, awareness, and increased experimentation.
Today, small breweries aren’t just competing with thousands of other independent operations like their own. They’re now battling against behemoth corporate beer companies. Recently, these small breweries have been blindsided by an onslaught of innovative new alcoholic beverages, all vying for the same drinker.
Within a brewery’s walls, the odds are that a drinker takes the time to read the little blurb on a menu, have a 10-second conversation with a bartender, or maybe take a glimpse at a tap handle to make a beer decision. At the shelf, it is between either previous brand recognition – or your label.
Canning beer started nationally in the 1930s, post-prohibition. At the time, these were just simple cans to help spread beer around the country. Things have really changed.
Cans now serve as a physical manifestation of a brand.
The past decade has been like a renaissance in craft beer marketing and branding. Beer packaging and design quickly became much more sophisticated, similar to that of the wine industry – and for good reason.
While many craft beer consumers seek out local brews, or prefer a certain style or ABV, many of today’s beer shoppers between the ages of 22 and 37 (Millennials) are making their final purchase decision based on a “cool label.” This is why a beer’s branding and packaging is the most effective means of influencing purchase at that decision-making moment. And to be recognized for those great efforts is now a reality.
In such a saturated market, craft beer drinkers are now – literally – looking at the shelves for what looks interesting. Eccentric ingredients are no longer an easy sell. They say, “don’t judge a beer by its label,” but 80% percent of consumers make their final purchase decision at the retail shelf, and 64 percent of this group admitted they would change their mind if “something better” caught their eye at that moment.
It’s no wonder that many successful beer brands tap into our fondest childhood memories – from our favorite sugary cereals to our Saturday morning cartoons, and from sour candy to fudge ice cream cake.
Who do brewers owe credit to when it comes to these eye-catching, decision-driving cans? Sure, they can tap themselves on the back for the flavor, but they need to give kudos to their designers – who essentially play the roles of their marketers. Designers give breweries the opportunity to share their stories and personalities outside of the taproom walls.
These designers are the ones who are not only bringing the beers to life by giving them major personalities; they are the storytellers who reach the drinkers. Each can label ignites a beer brand to the next level. It’s their job to make the 4- or 6-packs jump off the shelf and into the arms of the consumers. The branding reinforces the character of the brewery.
The importance of the right look and feel for each brew is just as important as the liquid gold inside – more so than ever before. Beer cans have become somewhat of a visual currency.
And don’t forget: In the world of social media, you want that “cool” can shot to stand out and for followers to want to go grab a pack. There are craft beer Instagram influencers who have thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of followers who are engaged just from the showcasing of great beer packaging. What does that say about the power of these designs?
One of the coolest parts about beer packaging is who brewers choose to collaborate with on their designs. Some hire famous comic book illustrators, well-known artists, and even cartoonists.
These labels are not a fad. There is a love affair growing between the craft beer drinker, brewers, and artists. The “liquid art” is now supported by an entire story on a package.
So, when do these unsung heroes of our industry start getting some real credit?
Obviously, there’s a large selection of brewing competitions available for brewers to enter. Beer competitions will first group all the beer submissions by common styles, then taste each beer individually, and ultimately award the beer they feel has the best flavor in each class.
When a beer wins an award, it receives credibility and recognition that provides a positive impact on the brand. With a win, there’s a great feeling of accomplishment, bragging rights, and of course – a cool trophy.
Proof of our infatuation with awards is the popularity of competitive events in America. Events like the Olympics (sports), Academy Awards (film), Grammy Awards (music), Miss America (beauty), and the Tony Awards (theater) are some of our highest-rated television programs. Competitions are fun, nerve-wracking, and they generate a lot of industry buzz.
The positive impact for a brewery winning comes in many forms. Free publicity from your brewery being listed in the winner’s press which often comes with subsequent interviews, and write-ups. Recognition for the winning team provides a boost of workplace morale. And the well-deserved reverence comes with increased profits from a spike in sales for the award-winning brew.
NEWS FLASH!
So, we know there are a slew of competitions to award beer on flavor – but there is no competition that recognizes the incredible (and important!) design and marketing efforts that brewers invest in their branding. Until now.
In April, the Craft Beer Marketing Awards (CBMAs) announced the first ever, first annual awards competition at the Craft Brewers Conference in Denver, Colorado.
The CBMAs were developed by a reputable team of marketing and beer industry experts to provide a prestigious new awards program that recognizes excellence in beer design and communications as produced by the breweries, or their advertising, marketing, and design partners. These awards give breweries the opportunity to share their design and branding work on a whole new level.
There’s no denying that the craft beer industry is still booming. In 2018, the craft retail dollar value reached a whopping $27.6 billion, making the craft dollar share nearly one-quarter (24.1%) of the total beer market (BA).
The majority of these breweries are producing extensive product lines of bottles and cans. Proof of growth comes in the form of thousands of new craft beer stock keeping units (SKU) each year. Every SKU represents a packaged good sitting on a shelf somewhere that needs an identity and marketing support.
The first annual Craft Beer Marketing Awards (CBMAs) provides an unparalleled opportunity for breweries, designers, and marketing professionals to showcase their best work in beer while educating brewers about the critical role which marketing and branding serves in the long-term success of their business.
This CBMAs are open to anyone employed in brewing, design, advertising, and marketing in the United States, with plans to make this an international competition in 2020. Projects completed between September 2017 and September 2019 will be accepted for this year’s competition.
Ben Owens, founder of Phine Art Designs, states: “This is a great opportunity for designers like myself to show off some awesome work I’ve done for breweries. I’ve never witnessed an industry with such fast growth and transformation. Craft beer is constantly evolving. So is the design, marketing, and packaging of it.”
The 2019 CBMAs include 36 categories that recognize all aspects of beer design, marketing, and communications (subject to change):
CAN DESIGN
12oz Can
16oz Can
19oz Can
32oz Can
People’s Choice Can
Can Packaging
BOTTLE DESIGN
12oz Bottle
22oz Bottle
People’s Choice Bottle
Bottle Packaging
TAP HANDLE DESIGN
Most Unique
Most Innovative
Most Sustainable
Best Homemade
People’s Choice Tap
VIDEO PRODUCTION
Best Video – Narrative
Best Video – Humor
People’s Choice Video
WEBSITE DESIGN
Best Use of Photo/Video
Best Mobile Site
Best Overall Design
Best Overall User Experience
People’s Choice Website
CREATIVE MERCHANDISE
Most Unique
Most Innovative
Most Sustainable
People’s Choice Merch
LOGO DESIGN
Best Overall Design
Best Icon/Mascot
Best Typography
People’s Choice Logo
MARKETING WILD CARDS
Best Beer Flight Board
Most Unique Taproom
Most Overall Cohesive Branding
People’s Choice Brewery Branding
Call for entries opens on September 14, but you can (and should!) sign-up now to be notified via email to enter: craftbeermarketingawards.com
Interested in being a sponsor or a judge? Email info@craftbeermarketingawards.com for details.
Jim McCune is director, and Jackie DiBella the Account Manager of the Craft Beverage Division of Melville-based EGC Group. Reach them:
516-935-4944