2018: The year brewers rediscover design?

The craft beer industry has long had graphic design as one of its central marketing pillars. When these creative brews burst onto the scene for the first time, they often made their name by looking and tasting different from the mass-produced brews around them. A distinctive look could take a brand from a local fixation to a national success story.

This early focus on image and visual appeal doesn't mean craft breweries can rest on their laurels, however. The industry has gone through many changes in the past decade-plus, with corporate consolidation and geographic expansion accompanying a general boom in popularity. These forces have set the scene for a general rethink, with brand leaders needing new strategies to take their products to new levels of success. A new approach to labeling may fall under this umbrella.

A new packaging focus
Vinepair celebrated the New Year by speaking with brewery executives about their hopes and expectations. Finback Brewery co-owner Basil Lee singled out design as a major area of focus in 2018. He explained that the new point for craft beer makers is standing out in a crowded field. Where once these breweries were mainly competing against the relatively staid macro-brew industry, they are now battling each other for customers' attention.

Lee added that with over 6,000 brewers all putting products onto the market, there is a need to create labels that immediately signify a brand's personality and value proposition. Shoppers may be won over by bold and striking design work. Instead of being complicated, brewers will turn to radical simplicity and clever iconography to convince consumers to take a chance on a new flavor.

As far as his own products are concerned, Lee stated that he focuses on creating labels that share instantly recognizable brand elements but differ considerably between different varieties.

The simple-memorable line
The Philly Voice spoke with packaging artists about the design processes they use to create memorable beer labels. Lindsey Tweed, who redesigned the Troegs graphic identity, told the source that the logo changed before the rest of the label. The old version of the image contained many words, and was circular. Tweed's new look is a more memorable cone, with much less writing. Equipped with this eye-catching new spin on the company's branding, Tweed was able to create new labels for the whole line of beers.

Companies hoping to design and print their own revised labels in the year ahead may be able to get great results in house if they use a high-quality printer. Optimedia Labs can help, with offerings in its U.S. store or Canadian page.