Given the last seven months of craziness, I feel like we have become hardened as a society.
I label it….Covid-Force!
Each of us have developed a layer of emotional and mental stability, enabling our inner primitive animal to rise and deal with life’s shit.
It’s kinda like we’ve hit the reset button…
Acknowledging this, I feel there is no better time for me to roast you on a sensitive topic.
Let’s warm up with some questions:
Do you wish you could rename your brewery?
If the name of your brewery includes a geography, city, or state in the name, could it be limiting your growth?
Does a bit of rage fantasy resurface everytime you look at your partner and recall it was them that had the final say on the name?
Is your brewery’s badge of honor based on your ability to make excellent old world clear beer?
If any of the above is true, you may need a brand extension.
The Brand Extension
The way a brand extension works is, you create, from scratch, a new, independent brand which will sit alongside the OG. A reset button. Given that renaming your brewery may be drastic, or just not recommended, this is an excellent alternative.
Characteristics of a brand extension (think polar opposite current brand):
- Looks nothing like your existing brand
- May be the focus point for a second location
- Beer portfolio is different than your original offerings
- Highly creative – has no reference to geography, city or state
Visualize the fresh new look and feel that you can create from scratch.
Some breweries will attempt this by creating a small batch series with different label designs. It goes without saying, label design is just one part of the brand process. If you decide to go down this road it should be the same arduous steps and investment you took when you created your original brand.
Why Would I Do This?
Because you can!
Don’t let this topic ruffle feathers, take action. Your brewery is nimble and creative. Many breweries we speak to have operational questions. These boil down to brand and portfolio matters which indicate to me they are looking to shake things up.
Let’s say you were the first to market with an awesome cask ale lineup. This offering was so popular you dedicated all production to these gems while paying homage to your British roots.
Fast forward: Cask ale’s appeal to a small part of the population. This brewery would be a perfect candidate for a brand extension. The breakaway would give them an opportunity to reinvent the brand to brew more widely adopted beer.