101 – Q&A: Rebrand for new markets? Templates vs. custom art? Keep (or fire) your OG designer? Plus, tangents!

Cody and Isaac sit down to answer audience questions from their recent brewers conference presentations.

Points of discussion:

Q1: Should a brewery consider rebranding when expanding into new markets or reaching beyond its local audience?

Q2: Is a full rebrand typically more effective, or can a strategic refresh of the existing identity be enough?

Q3: If a company has worked with the same designer for years and is thinking about a brand refresh, how can they evaluate whether that OG designer is still the right fit? And if not, how should they navigate that tricky transition?

Q4: How do you determine when a system like Left Field’s templated approach makes sense, versus something more customized and illustration-driven like NoDa’s?

Q5: You mentioned that a rebrand usually isn’t the first move when sales are declining, but your Wachusett example seems to break that rule. Why was a full rebrand the right call in their case?

Q6: A lot of the work you showed uses a clear design system or template. How do you think about that approach compared to creating more individualized packaging within the same portfolio?

Q7: When refreshing a brand, do you find it more effective to start from scratch, or to build on the existing identity and evolve what’s already there?