The Microbrewery Handbook

Chapter 25Why Branding Matters

A BREWERY'S BRAND is its window to the world. Much in the same way the theme of this book is to help tackle the “other things” besides making beer that can lead you to be successful, a company's brand and public image can be just as impactful as its product.

And if you don't see any really subpar brewery branding out there, maybe the subpar branding is you. Packaging, branding, logo, the message your brand sends all matter.

Here are some rapid‐fire tips to build or to check against your current branding strategy.

1. Lay out your vision for what your brand looks like. It's okay to be inspired by other breweries. There is so much branding talent in our industry, we're all naturally going to gravitate to a brewery that speaks loudly to us through their brand and imagery. This is not a directive to rip off their logo, but it's all right to put your own spin on something that inspires you.

   As you start to build the brand identity, it helps to use a few key words to lay out the brand. Here are some examples: Fun, Rebellious, Weird, Clean, Stately, Evil, Angelic – you get the point. Talk with friends and family about what you want your brand to reflect. What's the message you want your brand to send to your community?

   On a second level, how do you plan on utilizing your brand each day to speak to that message? (There's more on social media in the next chapter.)

   Once you have the elevator pitch ready – What does your brand mean to you? What will it convey? ...