Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 8472 BREWING & BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS We live in a mixed up marketing world with an array of channels and platforms at our disposal to help you sell your beer – online and offline, on-trade and off- trade, says Myles Pinfold. Brewing great beer is a critical success factor, however with approximately 2,000 brewers in the UK alone, and a lot of imports too, quality of beer is a standard expectation and is not a key differentiator. Or to put it another way, in blind tastings your average drinker will probably, at best, distinguish between styles of beer, but not the brewers that crafted them – however those drinkers should always recognise your brand. Marketing is all about engaging and motivating your customers to buy your product (beer), or is it… beer is a category (and to some marketeers, it’s simply a ‘liquid’…) a product is a commodity and customer is a generic term. Today’s beer market is all about passion, provenance, individuality and belief – it’s about creating fans who believe in you and trust you to deliver on your promises. That’s where your brand comes in – it should embody everything that the brewery, its people and its beers represent to the market. Brand Basics What is a brand anyway? To the many it is simply a logo that gets stuck onto anything and everything the company owns without due consideration for the qualities it stands for, or the place it occupies. To the few, it is their most valuable asset, to be nurtured and cherished, and be worn with pride. Get your essential brand assets right and everything else that follows will make sense, it is the beacon that will align your marketing channels, build long- term relationships and engage your customers. Your brand should be recognisable even when your logo is not visible. Getting your brand right requires both art and craftsmanship, combined with a clear idea of what your brand stands for, its position in the market and the reason to believe in it. Your brand should engage and inform, and communicate its value proposition. It acts as the point of reference: • What makes your product unique and the qualities it stands for. • Helps justify and sustain its price positioning. • Integrates the different promotion channels to maximise return on investment • Creates a sense of place wherever it is seen. The indicators are that the market could get tougher this year, time for the tough to get marketing… Interesting brewing fact: it was a beer that became the first registered trademark in the UK. The famous red triangle and Bass logo script was filed on January 1, 1876. A perfect example of how a brand can stand the test of time - as with most iconic brands, less is more… Myles Pinfold is director of brand & strategy at WPA Pinfold - award-winning specialists in beer brand design. Brand thinking in a mixed up marketing world by Myles Pinfold, WPA Pinfold Beer Me Bags is a meaningful merchandising item designed to help consumers buy more bottled beer. It changes the perception of merchandising which is often only seen as an additional source of revenue from branded garments or knick-knacks. However, Beer Me Bags, a fresh interpretation of carriers for bottled beer, is meant to directly improve sales of the core product. Due to the proliferation of breweries and the decline of pubs, it is getting more and more difficult to secure presence for new brands in pubs, bars or restaurants. This has significantly increased the importance of having a retail side to a brewery. Many breweries have opened up to the public and now attract visitors for a brewery experience or fresh beer on the premises. However, according to Csaba Babak, founder of Beer Me Bags, breweries often miss out on the opportunity to sell bottled beer to their visitors for consumption at home for one simple reason: the format of packaging. “Glass bottles are a nuisance for many consumers when it comes to transportation, yet still they are the most common containers for beers produced in smaller batches. We wanted to address this contradiction by designing a carrier for bottles specifically for craft beer retail where bottles come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes, unlike in wine retail”, he explains. Beer Me Bags accommodates the purchase patterns among today’s beer enthusiasts. It eases the transportation of bottles and thus helps consumers feel less constrained. Beer Me Bags aims to help producers sell more bottled beer, enhance customer experience and build brands at the same time. Merchandising to improve bottled beer sales Showcase MARKETING www.BeerMeBags.com For more information visit: wpa-pinfold.co.uk For more information visit: 72_Layout 1 12/02/2017 18:18 Page 1