Need a craft beer label design strategy? Try variable design

The global craft beer market is expected to reach $502.9 billion by 2025, and the need for breweries to ensure their product stands out from the crowd cannot be overstated. Here is where high-quality custom labels that highlight a brand at every turn of a can, bottle, growler or crowler come into play.

Without doubt, a label is the ultimate salesperson for any product, and the importance of a standout logo design that speaks to customers in a relatable fashion is super important. It has been estimated that 33 percent of all sales are determined by product packaging and labels. Beer labels have the power to increase sales and empower a brand by sheer virtue of their color, design, subtle and not-so-subtle elements. Today, unlimited digital printing capabilities can provide the edge that can set a brewery and product line apart from fierce competition.

Variable design software

One such capability is Mosaic — a variable design technology from HP. This advanced software program can manipulate one design into many variations to create an unlimited set of related graphics for beer can or bottle labels, hang tags, keg collars, keg wraps and shrink sleeves.

In brief, a “seed” design is selected or created and then converted into a limitless number of different designs. Each version is created from the seed, allowing for literally thousands of designs, each one unique. Mosaic is an eye-catching way to grab the consumer’s attention and garner new customers and also reward the loyal fan base of a microbrewery, brewpub or macro brewery with one-of-a-kind collectible labels.

Here are some ways to use that seed to keep all labels that follow similar and on-brand, but unique:

Color blocking

Color blocking is an effective visual tool to merchandise products. This methodology creates brand recognition for shelf products. One common approach to color blocking is to use light to dark colors from left to right to differentiate specific products that are part of a larger project line. For example, labels for seasonal brews. Color blocking can visually direct consumers’ focus and help them decide which subset of a product they want to buy.

Information

The devil, as the saying goes, is in the details, and including information specific to your brewery on labels is an undeniable brand booster. Think of labeling as marketing real estate. Naturally, a spiffy logo that resonates with a targeted audience should be the primary focus. Nutrition facts are also common content but consider what else can be conveyed in that valuable branding space. Food pairing ideas, recipes, a company “about us” paragraph, promotional contests, images of your brew crew staff, etc.

The idea is to think outside the box and use that valuable label space to full capacity.

Beatrice Thouveny is Marketing Director for Flexible Pack.