Newsletter - Beer Branding Trends

Vol. 093

Why doesn’t anyone read Brand Guidelines?

Hardly anyone reads their Brand Guidelines. Why does this happen, and how can we change it?

Vol. 092

Is there a best time of year to launch your rebrand?

January 1 or on a big anniversary? Rushing to hit an ABP or go live before summer?

Vol. 091

Trade secrets: How CODO develops beer names

A step-by-step guide to how CODO names breweries, beers and Bev Alc brands.

Vol. 090

How Legacy Breweries can sell more beer

How can an older brewery stay relevant? Here are several strategies we’re seeing work well for courting lapsed fans and younger drinkers alike.

Vol. 089

Is cannabis right for your brewery?

Are cannabis beverages an opportunity or a threat? Here’s the straight dope (sorry) on what we’re seeing in our cannabis branding work right now.

Vol. 088

First mover or fast follower? When to jump on a trend

Pros and cons to being a first mover, a fast follower or a cautious observer when it comes to launching new categories.

Vol. 087

A special CBC preview + You’re Invited

Let’s hang out and discuss all things brewery branding during CBC.

Vol. 086

How to future proof your flagships

How to build and maintain a strong foundation for years to come.

Vol. 085

CODO’s 2025 Beer Branding Trends Review is Live!

Opportunities and strategies to help you build a resilient, thriving brand in today’s challenging beer market.

Wachusett Brewing's rebrand by CODO Design

Vol. 084

[Case study] How We Rebranded Wachusett Brewing Co.

A deep dive look at how CODO breathed new life into one of Massachusetts’ most beloved legacy brewery brands.

Your brewery should be making Hard Cider - CODO Design

Vol. 083

You should be making hard cider. Here’s why.

A controversial opinion on cider’s gluten-free claim. Plus, some practical thoughts on apples and provenance and hard cider drinker demographics.

How CODO Design refreshed Malibu Brewing's packaging

Vol. 082

How we Refreshed Malibu Brewing’s Packaging + a Huge Announcement

A package refresh for one of the fastest growing breweries in California.

Vol. 081

How we refreshed the Alewerks brand

How we evolved a popular Legacy Brewery’s brand to court lapsed fans and younger drinkers alike.

Vol. 080

What to do when your brand name doesn’t travel

A handful of strategies for working around a geographically-limiting and/or otherwise esoteric brand name.

Vol. 079

Build Stronger Brands: Your 2025 Blueprint

A step-by-step guide (+ a template) to map out your brewery’s Brand Architecture.

Vol. 078

How to Define Your Key Messaging Pillars

A few easy prompts CODO uses to help our clients frame their key messaging during the branding process.

Vol. 077

Is a House of Brands right for your brewery?

How can a smaller brewery build a House of Brands without the Big Beer budget?

Vol. 076

How we helped AleSmith launch a Hard Cider Brand

A behind the scenes look at how CODO helped AleSmith Brewing launch a new hard cider brand.

Vol. 075

How to Successfully Refresh Your Brewery’s Packaging

A handful of best practices CODO has learned after handling several dozen package refreshes.

Vol. 074

Package Refreshes vs. Brand Refreshes (vs. Rebrands)

Key differences between package refreshes, brand refreshes and rebrands as well as why these nuances matter.

Vol. 073

Why are Package Refreshes so Hot Right Now

A deep dive into why breweries across the country are refreshing their packaging right now.

Vol. 072

Introducing: The Package Refresh Series

A 3-part exclusive Beer Branding Trends Newsletter series on why package refreshes are such an important trend in craft beer today

Vol. 071

What we got Wrong in the Beyond Beer Handbook

A full run down on what we’ve learned about Brand Architecture since publishing the Beyond Beer Handbook.

Vol. 070

How to de-risk your brewery’s rebrand

Rebranding your brewery can be a powerful move, but it is not without risk. Here’s how to ensure you’re set up for success ahead of your revamp.

Vol. 069

Sub Brand use cases for your brewery

Here are a few compelling Sub / Endorsed Brand use cases we’ve seen in our brewery branding project work over the last year.

Vol. 068

Why are breweries rebranding right now?

A collection of pain point—and opportunities—we’re seeing in our brewery branding work right now.

Vol. 067

Repositioning your parent brand (for better or worse)

On the (many) risks and (few) upsides of accidentally repositioning your Parent Brand.

Vol. 066

Are fancifully named beers Sub Brands?

Do all of your labels have to look the same under a Branded House?

Vol. 065

How we Rebranded NoDa Brewing

A look at how CODO refreshed one North Carolina’s most popular breweries.

Vol. 064

BBT Exclusive #4: The Year of Craft Lager?

Why is lager trending? How do you position craft lager? And beautiful examples to inspire your lager’s package design.

Vol. 063

BBT Exclusive #3: A Quick & Dirty Guide to Co-branding

A step by step guide to determine who you should partner with, and how you should measure the results.

Vol. 062

BBT Exclusive #2: The Regional Brewery Playbook

How Regional Breweries adapting, and winning, in today’s challenging beer market.

Vol. 061

BBT Exclusive #1: Defining Your Brand Equity: Fast & Slow

Tools for defining your Brand Equity ahead of a rebrand.

Vol. 060

2024 Beer Branding Trends is out now

Exploring opportunities and strategies for building a resilient, thriving brand in today’s challenging beer market.

Vol. 059

Let’s talk Hard Cider

Could it make sense for your brewery to release a hard cider this year?

Vol. 058

How we built the Cold Drinking Beer brand

A behind-the-scenes look at how we built a Sub Brand that can travel across state lines with Virginia Beer Co.

Vol. 057

Brand Architecture for a Newer Brewery

Understanding your Brand Architecture is crucial for the growing brewery. But how about for a newer brewery or a brewery in planning?

Vol. 056

Can you Line Extend to a different style?

Some thoughts on how far you can take Line Extensions while maintaining your audience’s trust.

Vol. 055

Get Your Packaging Hierarchy Dialed In

Some tips to make your packaging work harder for you this year.

Vol. 054

Endorsed Brand vs. New Brand

When should you endorse a brand vs. launch a new one altogether?

Vol. 053

Year End Action Items to Make 2024 Your Best Year Ever

Year end action items to set your brewery up for a strong start to your year.

Vol. 052

How to Make Your Brand Strategy Actionable

A look at how Brand Essences and Mood Boards make your Brand Strategy actionable.

Vol. 051

In Defense of the Branded House

Could a Branded House model make sense for your brewery’s portfolio? Let’s discuss the pros and cons of this Brand Architecture approach.

Vol. 050

When to Jettison your Brand Equity

Building on your Brand Equity is a crucial component of successfully rebranding your brewery. Until it isn’t.

Vol. 049

Organizing your internal team ahead of a rebrand

Let’s discuss how to get the right people at the table to ensure a successful rebrand (or new product launch).

Vol. 048

Why Brand Your Brewpub?

Do you need a beautiful brand identity system when your beer and taproom experience itself is what will keep people coming back?

Vol. 047

How You Can Tame Rotation Nation

Here are a few strategies for wrangling your brewery’s intense packaging schedule

Vol. 046

How to Scale the Sub Brand Ladder

Introducing the Sub Brand Ladder: a step-by-step guide for launching and scaling your brewery’s next Sub Brand.

Vol. 045

Sub Brands vs. Endorsed Brands (A Closer Look)

Let’s explore the subtle (but important) differences between Sub Brands and Endorsed Brands.

Vol. 044

Why are Sub Brands So Hot Right Now?

Why are breweries, big and small, building brands within their portfolio and what does this mean for the beer industry moving forward?

Vol. 043

Introducing Sub Brand Summer

A 3-part series exploring why Sub Brands are so important right now, what types of Sub Brands your brewery can build and how to actually build one.

Vol. 042

What is a Legacy Brewery?

How has the definition for Legacy Breweries shifted over time and what unique headwinds are these groups facing today?

Vol. 041

Exploring Fernson Brewing’s Package Refresh

Let’s discuss the importance of developing Sub Brands as a long term brand building platform.

Vol. 040

How to Design Better Merch

An all killer, no filler look at how we help our clients sell hundreds of thousands of dollars in merch each year.

Vol. 039

Hard Seltzer vs. RTD Cocktail Visual Canon

Exploring the key differences between hard seltzer’s visual canon and the exciting world of RTD cocktails.

Vol. 038

Alcohol & Minors: What is our Responsibility as Designers?

How can designers prevent children from accidentally consuming alcohol? Let’s discuss a provocative topic, shall we?

Vol. 037

Monolithic Portfolio vs. Fanciful Names & Sub Brands

Examining the pros and cons of building your brewery’s Parent Brand vs. building Sub Brands within your portfolio.

Vol. 036

Paths to Market for Startup Breweries

How are new breweries coming to market in 2023? This is a run down on what we’re seeing in our brewery in planning project work.

Vol. 035

2023 Beer Branding Trends Review is out Now

CODO Design’s annual deep dive on everything that’s shaping beer and Bev Alc branding right now.

Vol. 034

Embracing the Staggered Rebrand Launch

What is the best way to announce your brewery’s rebrand? And why has this shifted so dramatically over the last few years?

Vol. 033

When should you refresh your packaging?

When does a package refresh make sense? And what are some important best practices to make sure you get this update right?

Vol. 032

Build a Better Brewery Website

Here’s what we’re seeing in our digital work this year and how you can use this to improve your website and customer experience.

Vol. 031

Rebranding New Zealand’s Good George Brewing

A behind the scenes look at CODO Design’s Brand Architecture and Brand Strategy work for one of New Zealand’s largest breweries.

Vol. 030

Rebrand vs. Refresh: What’s the Difference? (And why it matters)

Should your brewery rebrand or refresh? Where are these approaches similar, where do they differ, and why does this matter?

Vol. 029

How Do You Name & Brand a Startup Craft Brewery? (feat. Birdsmouth Beer)

A behind the scenes look at the naming, branding and package design process for New Jersey’s all craft lager brewery, Birdsmouth Beer Co.

Vol. 028

Role Theory: What does drinking this beer say about me?

Let’s discuss how signaling and Role Theory can help you connect with consumers and create a stronger craft beer brand.

Vol. 027

What is a Modular Brand Identity System?

How to build a robust and modular identity system that will keep your brand consistent and dynamic as you scale.

Vol. 026

Hop Water: The Next Big Beyond Beer Trend?

Let’s discuss Hop Water, and why we think it’s perfectly positioned to flourish as a better for you beer alternative over the coming years.

Vol. 025

So You Bought a Brewery… to Rebrand or Not to Rebrand?

Three critical questions to ask before purchasing a brewery so you can understand what to do (or not to do) with the existing branding.

Vol. 024

Can Your Brewery (Safely) Enter the Budget Market?

Can releasing a budget option help your customers weather a financial downturn? Let’s explore the pros and (mostly) cons of this concept.

Vol. 023

Brand Extensions vs. Sub Brands – A Closer Look

Examining the fine line between Brand Extensions and Sub Brands. When can each strategy make sense and how can your brewery implement them?

Vol. 022

The Role of the Parent Brand in Brand Architecture

What is your parent brand? And why is this such an important concept when launching new beverage products?

Vol. 021

021 – Introducing The Beyond Beer Handbook!

Part book, part quiz, and part choose-your-own-adventure-style novel, The Beyond Beer Handbook is a purpose-built tool for helping you expand your brewery’s portfolio and build a more resilient business.

Mission Brewing's Rebrand by CODO Design

Vol. 020

Rebranding Mission Brewing: A San Diego Icon

Rebranding a 100+ year old brewery to stand out in a stacked San Diego beer scene.

Vol. 019

Behind the Scenes: Branding a Startup Brewery

A deep dive, behind the scenes look at an ongoing branding project with a brewery in planning named Lost Nomad Brewing Co.

Vol. 018

Answering YOUR 2022 Beer Branding Trends Questions

A special podcast episode tackling subscriber questions on our 2022 Beer Branding Trends review.

Vol. 017

2022 Beer Branding Trends Is Out Now

Dive into 17,000 words spanning major industry currents, package design trends and emergent beverage opportunities.

Vol. 016

What Is A Lifestyle Brand?

When does a brand become a “Lifestyle” brand? And what does this mean for beverage companies who want to stand out in the cold box?

Vol. 015

How to Future Proof Your Brand

What makes a brand timeless? And how can we build a timeless brand from the ground up?

Vol. 014

What is Brand Equity, Really?

Did you know that there are actually two types of equity you need to measure during a rebrand?

Vol. 013

What do most beverage startups get wrong?

Framing your Brand Values is one of the most important tasks your startup will tackle.

Vol. 012

The Warm Blanket of Nostalgic Branding

Only 90’s kids will remember this newsletter.

Vol. 011

How Far Can You Extend A Brand?

How many extensions are too many? And how are you supposed to know when you’ve hit the limit?

Vol. 010

Lessons From The Beer Wars

What can craft learn from the Big Beer Wars. Plus, watch our live present

Vol. 009

The Coming Seltzer Shakeout?

How many brands can a craft brewery actively maintain?

Vol. 008

Breaking Category Convention

Quick—think about hard seltzer packaging. What do you see?

Vol. 007

Do Brewpubs Need Great Branding?

Does a brewpub (with no intention to ever package beer for distribution or carryout) need compelling branding?

Vol. 006

2021 Trends AMA

Thanks to everyone (all 25 of you) who sent in a question about our 2021 Craft Beer Branding Trends article.

Vol. 005

Branding Trends out Now

Clocking in at just under 20k words, this is the most thorough annual guide we’ve put together to date.

Vol. 004

Variety Packs

Variety Packs have been a perennial best seller in Big Craft for years. But we’ve seen a sharp uptick in smaller breweries getting into this format as of late.

Vol. 003

Can the Brewery of Tomorrow Not Package?

One of the lasting changes in the beer industry triggered by the pandemic will be the expectation for breweries to continually package their beer.

Vol. 002

Anchor Brewing

The iconic Anchor Brewing recently launched a stark rebrand that was met with fervent backlash.

Vol. 001

Brewery to Beverage Company

One of the biggest sea changes we’ve seen in the beer industry over the last few years has been a move towards being a “house of brands.”