Good morning!

I'm excited to share our 2024 Beer Branding Trends Review with you. 

This is our annual deep dive on what we see shaping the beer and Bev Alc space (from a branding perspective) right now.

1. Read the report here.

2. If audio is more your speed, Cody and I recorded a companion podcast that serves as high-level overview of this piece. Listen to that here.


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As a thank you for being a subscriber, we've pulled out 4 specific portions of this report and sending them to your inbox only over the coming weeks.

These issues include:

1. Defining your Brand Equity: Fast & Slow (April 9)

2. The Regional Brewery Playbook (April 16)

3. A Quick & Dirty Guide to Co-Branding (April 23)

4. The Year of Lager? (April 30)

These issues are newsletter exclusives, meaning they won't be published in our broader report.

So you can brag to your colleagues who aren't BBT subscribers about how much more informed you are on all things beer branding and marketing. 

Or you can just use these insights to build a stronger brand and outcompete them. (Your call.)

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If you're reading this, then you don't have to do anything to receive these exclusive emails—you're already in.

If you'd like to make sure your team member(s) receive these exclusive insights, please forward this email to them (or have them subscribe here).

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We're also planning to record a Q&A podcast on this year's report in a month or so.

Please email me any questions you have on anything we cover here and we'll field those on the show.

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Here's an outline for this year's report:

Section 1: Beer Branding & Positioning

Rebrands & Refreshes: Why are breweries rebranding right now?

• Rebranding to figure out where to go from here
• Rebranding to address Brand Architecture issues
• Refreshing their packaging after heavy SKU rationalization 
• Rebranding a specific beer
• Legacy Breweries are rebranding to find their third wind 
• Breweries are preparing for a change of the guard 
• Defining your Brand Equity: Fast & Slow (BBT Newsletter Exclusive)

Websites

• Your website as a content marketing hub
• An exciting rise in email marketing

Lifestyle Brands, Revisited
 
• Own an occasion 
• Blue collar Lifestyle Brands
• Lean into local pride

What's in a (style) name?
 
• IPA vs. Hazy
• Lager as a Brand

Breweries are taking their merch seriously
 
• Your merch is a direct reflection of your business
• Your merch should reinforce your positioning and story
• Give your fans winks and nods
• Create merch drops and scarcity 
• Please exit through the gift shop
• Driving revenue vs. Branding building

Hospitality-focused Breweries: Taprooms & Brewpubs 
• Multi-use spaces 
• Create a killer bar experience 
• Food as a differentiator

The Regional Brewery Playbook  (BBT Newsletter Exclusive)
 

Section 2: Brand Architecture 

The continued march of Sub / Endorsed Brands

• Sub Brands. So hot right now.
• How to Scale the Sub Brand Ladder
• First Steps: Create a Platform
• Intermediate Steps: Give it some gas
• Final Steps: Take "the Leap"

Restaurant vs. Brewery

A Quick & Dirty Guide to Co-Branding (BBT Newsletter Exclusive)

Section 3: Beer & Beyond (Exploring the Fourth Category)

The year of lager? (BBT Newsletter Exclusive)

The curious case of ABV

Hop Water (+ NA Beer)

• On categorical differentiation 
• How do you position Hop Water?
• Hop Water's Brand Architecture 
• A quick note on NA beer

Hard Cider

• Parallels between cider and beer
• Cider's halo effect
• Cider as a beverage platform 

Teas & RTDs (+ FMBs & Juice)

Section 4: Branding & Package Design Trends

Nostalgia 
• Overview + 70s, 80, 90s/00s

Even more mascots

Dimensional Typography

Gloopy Typography 

Vibrant & Neon