Wineification of craft beer: The good, the bad and a brewery branding case study from SPARK

July 16, 2015Chris Crowell

Really, the customer was at the center of the branding decisions. From the beginning, we wanted them to be a part of the brand. As a promise to this idea, the tagline is ‘We’re Beer for You.’ Our desire was to give the fans something they could connect with and have fun with. And by leaving a few elements undefined, they could make the brand their own. For example, the stories behind each illustration were left a little ambiguous so people could create their own interpretation of what story each illustration is telling.

“Kent Bailey, Coppertail founder, was a huge proponent of this thinking. He came from a career in law, so he was looking for a departure from the serious nature of his day-to-day. And surprisingly, our competitive research showed that there were a lot of breweries being too serious and not being approachable to consumers – even sometimes to the point of exclusion. At that point, it was a win-win. The fun and imaginative elements were true to Kent and the Coppertail brand while also being a market differentiator that consumers were looking for.

“While the illustrations were a differentiator, the way they were displayed was also very important. Our research also showed that most brands were producing a variety of colorfully illustrated beer bottles and cans. What really makes ours pop is the limited color palette and black backdrop. The lack of color actually makes them, and Coppertail, stand out in a sea of color. It effectively increases our shelf presence and makes it easy for consumers to quickly identify the Coppertail line up. That quick identification is vital to consumers buying their old favorites, but also trying new beers crafted by the same brand. Familiarity aids trial.

“For Coppertail, the first phase of wineification affected the label design and was an important consideration for the brewing team in crafting each beer. Each Coppertail label lists a suggested food pairing and more descriptive flavor notes to lift the perception of their beer to a wine level.”

Great peek behind the curtain. Be sure to scroll through this website and see the full results. Spoiler alert: They are really cool. And now, some final thoughts from SPARK to aid in your own branding efforts:

“I would say the brand foundation is the most important element for a new brewery. Specifically, that means defining the brand story and values. Unfortunately, this step is often overlooked because, like a house, the foundation isn’t necessarily seen. The reality is that it holds everything together now, and in the future and it becomes almost a master-plan of sorts. For some of the smaller breweries, it can help them efficiently grow piece by piece. Overtime, all the pieces work together vs. looking like a bunch of pieces bolted onto an unstable structure.

“And it’s not just appearances – the foundation can help build passionate fanbases. People will begin to get to know the brand, connect with shared values, and grow through familiarity.”