CBAM janfeb18 2

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018

For the Craft Brewing Professional

Hitting its stride

Inside Evil Horse Brewing’s mission to share its beer with the world

PLUS: The Power of Space, Branding of Place Taphandles: Why you need them and how to design the perfect one

Evil Horse Brewmaster Steve Kamp

contents

VOL. 2 : ISSUE 1

JAN/FEB 1 2 4

EDITOR’S NOTE What’s the name of that beer again?

INSIGHTS Industry News HITTING ITS STRIDE Inside Evil Horse Brewing’s mission to share its beer with the world

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THE POWER OF SPACE, BRANDING OF PLACE With first impressions, you only get one chance ‘UNSEEN IS UNSOLD’ A look at the art of craft beer artwork TAP HANDLES Why you need them and how to design the perfect one

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editor’s note

What’s the name of that beer again?

S

“Sure, I’d love to sample a couple of styles.” She asked and I complied. One. Two. Three. Now wait a minute. No. 2 grabbed my attention. “What’s the name of that beer again?”

It’s a question I ask a lot. This time, I was looking for a quick break with my brother and sister-in-law after a day of visiting my father in Western Pennsylvania. We decided to stop by a cool-looking restaurant that boasted a sign that said, “Drink local” – the international code for craft beer here.

Tucked away just outside the outlet malls in Mercer, Pennsylvania, TimberCreek Tap & Table, a locally owned and family operated brewpub specializing in a family friendly casual dining and award-winning handcrafted beer.

The beer is the creation of Jacob Vorisek, who, after getting his start as a home brewer, became a founding member of the Meadville Brewing Society. Educated through the Siebel Institute of Technology, Vorisek has been brewing professionally with TimberCreek since it opened in 2012.

The beer at TimberCreek is worth your time. Fully Loaded IPA. Black Bear Porter. Liberty Blonde. Werkzeug Stadt. The Monk Handle, a rotating Belgian Tap, and the Hop Addict Series, as well as seasonal handles. These are the beers that entice the shoppers from Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Canada and all points in between looking for taxfree shopping, and good food and drinks. Add to it a recently awarded casino license 15 miles down the road and you have the makings for an even bigger hot spot for TimberCreek and its neighbors.

The Liberty Blonde is my new craft beer passion. Smooth, light and filled with taste, it inspired me to put it into song, so to speak. And there’s more. TimberCreek’s inviting atmosphere, includes a see-through floor that gives you a glimpse into the brewing ops down below.

All of TimberCreek’s beers are handcrafted on site from original recipes. Vorisek works with a 10bbl (310gallon) system, using four fermenters and four Brite Tanks. Most of its beers take a full day to brew, one to two weeks to ferment, and at least 30 days to condition for before they are ready to drink. The award-winning selections are currently available throughout Erie, Crawford and Mercer counties.

That the Liberty Blonde left me wanting to pack my personals and move back North is what the power of good craft beer should do. It is why I love what we are doing with CBAM. We love your stories. We love your passion. We love your desire to want to be the best brewmasters and marketers in the craft universe. And we love your beer.

Until I meet up with my favorite new craft beer passion, I’ll be on the lookout. The beauty is that I get to keep knocking them back – one taste at a time.

Michael J. Pallerino

That the Liberty Blonde left me wanting to pack my personals and move back North is what the power of good craft beer should do. It is why I love what we are doing with CBAM.

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insights

Book Rec

Crushing It!: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence-and How You Can, Too

By Gary Vaynerchuk

Where do the secrets to success rest with all of those people who left the whole corporate thing and made a go at it by themselves? Four-time New York Times best-selling author Gary Vaynerchuk decided to ask for you.

Crushing It!, the follow-up to his 2009 international bestseller, Crushing It, offers new lessons and inspiration drawn from the experiences of dozens of influencers and entrepreneurs who rejected the predictable corporate path in favor of pursuing their dreams by building thriving businesses and extraordinary personal brands.

Here, Vaynerchuk shares stories from entrepreneurs who have grown wealthier – and not just financially – than they ever imagined possible by following his Crushing It principles. The secret to their success (and his) is learning how to master social media platforms, along with their willingness to do whatever it took to make these tools work for them.

If you’re looking for ways to build your brand, Vaynerchuk offers both theoretical and tactical advice on how to become the biggest thing on mediums like like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat; podcast platforms like Spotify, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio and iTunes, and other emerging platforms such as Musically.

This state-of-the-art guide to building your own path to professional and financial success is something every craft beer brand should follow. In it, you will find a blueprint to living life on your own terms.

The numbers game If you’re putting together a direct mail piece, blog or post, here’s a tip. According to data from Venngage, the No. 10 garners the most shares, on average, across all four social networks: Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Twitter. The study examined the performance of 121,333 “listicle” articles/posts from brands and publishers. Other suggestions include using the No. 5, which had the second-most shares, followed by the No. 2. To note, listicle headlines that use a numeral (10) are better than ones that are written out (ten).

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78 The percent of consumers who expect to use email as much or more than they do now in five years, according to “Inbox Report 2018” by Fluent. In addition, 26 percent say they went to a website and 26 percent made a purchase after engaging with a brand via email, the study says.

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MEET LANCE

(800) BEERCUP • BEERCUP.COM

One of Boelter’s regional Field Sales Managers.

His favorite beer style?

German dark lagers.

“It’s all about learning each brewery’s unique story and providing innovative, affordable, quality products to match.”

YOU BREW BEER. BOELTER GROWS BRANDS. Lance loves helping breweries and distilleries spread their craft and grow their brands through custom glassware, promotional products, and brand fulfillment services.

ARE YOU READY TO TALK BRANDING OVER A DRINK WITH LANCE OR ONE OF OUR OTHER PASSIONATE REGIONAL SALES MANAGERS? CALL 800 BEERCUP TODAY.

TA L K B R A N D I N G & M O R E W I T H O U R D E D I C AT E D S A L E S M A N AG E R S C A L L (80 0) B E E R C U P T O D AY O R V I S I T TA P.B E E R C U P.C O M / C B A M - M A G T O L E A R N M O R E .

Hitting its stride

Inside Evil Horse Brewing’s mission to share its beer with the world

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Evil Horse Brewing Company was born two years ago in the small town of Crete, Illinois.

Located less than 30 miles south of Chicago, where craft beer superstars Revolution, Lagunitas and Goose Island shine brightly, and the selection of smaller craft breweries is constantly on the rise, Evil Horse is making a name for itself.

With more than 30 years of home brewing and beer judging under his belt, Evil Horse Brewmaster Steve Kamp has spent decades perfecting his craft by working with other breweries, the Chicago Beer Society and Brewers of South Suburbia; attending conferences, judging hundreds of beer competitions, and constantly increasing his knowledge about the industry.

Kamp’s goal is to brew beer that's stylistically correct, well balanced and quaffable. Evil Horse’s core brands are its Trot Hopple (IPA), Downtown Hottie (American wheat), Sgt. Reckless (APA) and Paxon the Ponyless (Porter). Many of the beers sport names that are horse related, in part because of Crete’s close proximity to Balmoral Park, a horse racing facility that operated from 1926 to 2015, and now operates as HITS – a show jumping facility.

Evil Horse operates with a 15-barrel system in a former bowling alley. With the goal from the beginning to be self-distributing, the brewery has a tasting room where only its own brews can be sold.

Nods to the building’s former life can be seen in the bar top and tables that are repurposed bowling lanes, and the original Crete Lanes neon sign.

Being a small brewery in a small town has its challenges.

While budget restrictions make creative marketing essential, Evil Horse Brewing Company is a firm believer in having a solid, consistent branding strategy and marketing plan.

We sat down with Kamp to get his thoughts on where the craft brew market is heading and why Evil Horse will continue to help lead the way:

Give us a snapshot of today's craft brew market from your perspective.

The way I see it, today’s craft brew market is trending more toward smaller breweries that are locally owned and independent.

The larger brands seem to be stagnating somewhat, while the smaller brands seem to be growing at a faster pace. Consumers are jumping on board with the whole locally sourced movement, wanting to know not only where their beer comes from, but who makes it and where the ingredients are sourced.

As there has been, and continues to be a large number of new breweries coming

on the scene with regularity, I think that those brands that create a quality product and market themselves in a relational way with a solid brand story will rise to the top. Those that don’t will eventually trickle off.

What trends are defining the space?

Well, again, I think it’s smaller, independent breweries. I think the trend is a market where consumers are far more educated now than they were 10 years ago. They understand the difference between a mega brewery-owned “crafty” beer and a locally owned craft beer.

Consumers are more knowledgeable about what goes into making beer – not only the ingredients, but the time and talent it takes to make different styles of beer. The Brewers Association independent craft brewer seal is going to be very important to the

industry going forward, and will help consumers to differentiate between mega breweries and independent breweries much more easily.

What is the Evil Horse story from a brand perspective?

The heart and soul of our Evil Horse brand is attitude, and I don’t mean that in an obnoxious way.

It’s about the perseverance needed to conquer challenges, the pride we take in crafting the best beer possible, the passion to share our beer with the world, and the drive to make it all happen.

Our brand isn’t something that was created on a whim. The story actually goes back almost two decades to when I bought a farm in the country near Beecher, Illinois. I owned an Appaloosa that was stubborn as could be and refused to be ridden by anyone except occasionally me. The horse came

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to be known as Evil Horse, because she was just ornery, and the farm was named Evil Horse Farm.

As a home brewer, I made beer and wine in my basement and sold the eggs that the chickens laid by the dozens. A friend of mine from church created a logo for Evil Horse Farm and made a beautiful sign for me, which is still hanging on my dining room wall. That sign was the inspiration for Evil Horse Brewing Company’s name and logo.

We brought that original logo and story to Mixdesign, a local branding, marketing and interiors firm. They helped us refine our logo, define our brand story and create a unified look across all areas, from the interior of the tap room, to the marketing materials, and the labels for our beer.

head is what we want to be ingrained into consumer’s minds. Whether they see it in our tap room, on a tee shirt that a beer fest attendee is wearing, on our tap handle at a bar or restaurant, or on a six-pack of beer that’s on their local liquor store’s shelf, that’s what we want them to see and immediately think “Evil Horse. Great beer.”

What's the biggest issue today related to the marketing/sales side of the craft beer business?

I think right now it’s the volume of breweries that are opening and the volume of breweries that are already in the marketplace. I believe that we’re at a point where there is going to start to be some fallout.

A branding and marketing plan is very important to the success of a brewery, as is the quality of the beer. You can have a brewery that makes incredible beer, but doesn’t have a plan in place to consistently brand and market it, thus it doesn’t progress.

On the flip side, you can have a brewery that makes okay beer, but has an awesome brand and markets itself incredibly well, and they’ll be a success. The breweries that have both the branding and marketing down pat and make great beer are the ones that are going to stay around for the long haul.

What is the secret to creating a branding story that consumers can buy in to?

Walk us through your branding strategy.

Our strategy from the beginning was to make our brand relatable, welcoming, compelling and memorable. Our motto is Dutch in origin (quite a few of us on the Evil Horse team are Dutch) and literally means, “Coziness knows no time.” “Gezelligheid kent geen tijd” translated into English means, “Time spent together is time well spent.” That’s how we want our customers to feel – that time spent at our tap room or simply drinking our beer with good friends, is time well spent.

We also wanted to be consistent in our branding. The horse

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It needs to be real. It needs to be relatable. It needs to be fun. We think that we hit all of those marks when we defined our brand story. It’s based on a true story that people can relate to. Who hasn’t had something obstinate in their lives? Sure, it’s not a horse for most people, but I think they can relate to the general idea. And I think it’s a great story, one that I tell at most of the events we do. It never fails to get a laugh out of the crowd.

What is the one thing that every craft beer brand should be doing in the way of marketing?

Intentional relational marketing.

Putting a face to their brand.

Taking the time to go out and

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meet with beer buyers, work at beer festivals, chat with customers in the taproom, train staff to treat all customers like they would their best friend. Word of mouth is by far the cheapest source of marketing any company can have. Chances are if you have a great relationship with your customers, they will happily spread the word about how awesome you are.

The second thing is consistency. You have to have to have identifiable products. We have our horse head on all of our marketing materials, beer labels, merchandise and signage. It’s simple and memorable. Without a consistent brand, consumers won’t be able to recognize you as easily.

What do you see as some of your biggest opportunities moving ahead?

Our current sales strategy is to go into underserved markets. We are on the outskirts of Chicago, but there is the whole state of Illinois to sell to, and the majority of the state doesn’t have easy access to numerous breweries like Chicagoans do.

Since we self-distribute our beer, our sales team has the ability to go anywhere in the state. And we believe that our own staff is going to sell our beer far more effectively than a distributor will. Do we hope someday we’re so busy that the only option is to get a distributor? Heck, yeah. But for now we feel that our best opportunities will come in markets that don’t have a huge craft beer footprint currently.

What's the biggest item on your to-do list right now?

It’s getting our brew schedule to the point where our core brands are always available to our customers and still be able to come out with new brews to keep customers happy and excited to come back. With our 15-barrel system and 14 of our own beers on tap daily, it takes a lot of planning to keep our stock steady.

How do you feel about collaborations with other brewers?

Funny you should ask. We actually have not done one with another brewery yet, but soon we are

doing a collaboration with Arrowhead Ales from New Lenox, Illinois. As you know, the craft brewing community is very strong and collaborations are not only important, but they’re fun as well. We have done collaborations with the local home brewing club, where we take the winner from a competition and together we brew their beer on a larger scale. We’ve done a Belgian dubbel and a Dortmunder lager, which were received very well in our taproom.

What are your thoughts on how taprooms fit into branding and market-building?

Our taproom is what our customers associate with our brand, so it’s important that our taproom carry the overall theme of our brand. We have our horse head on the tap handles, on all merchandise and glassware, painted on the wall, drawn on the chalkboard, etc. We want customers to walk away and remember that logo. We also have a variety of events to draw different facets of the public to the taproom. Musical entertainment, game nights, fundraisers and tours all play into building our market share and brand awareness.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Customer appreciation. After a day of brewing, I’ll sit in the taproom, have a few beers and chat with our customers. Generally, being the brewmaster kind of makes you a local rock star. It’s great to hear a customer tell me how much they love what they’re drinking.

What is your favorite brand story?

Some friends of mine opened a brewery in Bourbonnais, Illinois, in 2006. Brickstone Brewery has been growing steadily since its inception and now has a 50-barrel system in an offsite location and they can barely keep up with demand. They recently rebranded their logo to include the State of Illinois. They focus on selling their beer only in their home state and are doing extremely well. It’s not often that I go to a bar or restaurant and don’t find Brickstone on tap.

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By Eric Johnson 350 Brewing, Tinley Park, IL

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The Power of Space, Branding of Place

Space and place influence us. We are all sensory beings. Light, color, shapes, noise and movement all contribute to our instinctive "feel" for a place. And, impact the tasting experience.

Let's say your brew portfolio, graphics, packaging, signage and other branding tools are sharp and consistent. What about your taproom? That space, and how it is designed, is a great opportunity for expression of your brand identity.

My career has been brand execution in its physical, tangible sense. Lots of retail and restaurant environment experience, including design and specification work. I can't help but approach taproom experiences through those same trained and biased eyes.

With first impressions, you only get one chance

First impressions‌ one chance When visiting a brewery, first impressions begin at the front door. What does the building look like? Is it attractive? Distinctive? Inviting? How is the signage done? All signal what's inside.

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branding

BrewDog USA, Canal Winchester, OH

Once in the door, instincts respond to the "feel" of the place.

Floor layout? How's the lighting? Is it noisy? What artwork does one see? Sit or stand? Do people look like they're enjoying themselves? Where's the beer?

And, on from there.

I'm not unique in those types of responses. Most of your customers, especially first-time visitors, go through the same. Even if they don't stop to consciously think. It just happens.

How do you effectively control and influence the customer experience? Here's a collection of ideas, reminders and images from my own taproom experiences. National names to very local.

Exterior

West Sixth Brewing, Lexington, KY. (Also pictured below)

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Paint, lighting and signs‌ best tools available. You may have restrictions of leases, building and signage codes, etc. Push them as far as you can. Get creative.

One of my favorite brewery buildings is BrewDog USA, Columbus, Ohio. New construction, supportive community, big budget. Net result: giant mural, huge logo, architecturally-planned entry way. The visual experience starts 1/4 of a mile away. And what's inside is keenly considered.

West Sixth Brewing, Lexington, Kentucky is a different scale.

Their building is a 100 year-old former bakery. That does set limits. Note use of murals. And they've got one of the more distinctive signs I've seen. Great use metal materials and illumination.

Proclamation Ale, Warwick, Rhode Island, is a full-on treat.

A 2017 expansion done, moving to an old industrial complex from a smaller and more-remote space. Great use of paint for

broad swatches of their signature color and logo. And a cool, retro sign to boot. Use of multi-hued wood elements link back to their previous taproom dĂŠcor.

If you can't go big, and you can't use cases of paint, how about extra focus on the front door? Highland Brewing, Asheville, North Carolina, is distinctive, richly detailed. Look/feel of materials consistent with their company personality.

Interior Rhinegeist, Cincinnati, is one of my favorite spaces. The front entrance is modest with minimal signs/ banners. Located in the 1895 exo-skeleton of the old Christian Moerlein factory, it's historic.

Inside, it's up you go, via vintage-type industrial stair construction. Where is it all leading?

Is this climb worth it? Oh, yah.

Spiritual awakening. The natural lighting is almost magical. I felt as if I'd just entered a "cathedral of beer." Arrival is the reward. You just know this will be good.

Shifting scale again, I'm fond of 350 Brewing, Tinley Park, Illinois.

Signage is limited to Illuminated channel letters per lease agreement. Up close, there's an inviting view through the windows. Looks like a fun place. Once inside, first-impressions are amplified.

Definitely fun. Crazy, unusual signage. Bright colors, wild letter fonts, contrasting mix of construction materials evoke a dynamic collision effect of industrial grunge, comic book flash and quirkiness.

The place is high-energy. Even when empty.

Inside Proclamation, the attention of visitors is quickly snagged.

Big place, high ceilings. Mega-scale wall logo. Is that Atari?

Proclamation Ale Co. entrance.

(Below: service bar and bottom image game wal.)

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Your eyes are led down to the bank of vintage video games along the same wall. Brilliant.

Proc deserves kudos for another idea. They've got an ultra-long bar which caused problems at first.

Servers couldn't efficiently get to customers approaching the entire length. Solution? Queue management tapes/posts. Never seen it in taproom use before. That works.

Sound

Highland Brewing, Asheville, NC

Consider the full sensual experience, including the place where your brews are consumed. How do you effectively use what you have to express the personality of your business and your products?

Having managed concerts, music gigs and original music talent, I'm attuned to noise and room acoustics. Always a challenge to find balance between positively dynamic and distractingly noisy.

Changes per audience, too. Are you managing to your intended customer group?

Highland Brewing's taproom is one of the best I've experienced.

Another cavernously-big space.

Hard surfaces. High potential for boomy echoes. A planning challenge as the room is intended as a 500-plus person music venue as well. Solution: sound baffles.

Lots of them. Done on a budget, done effectively.

Light Plenty of alternatives and options there. Warm or cool in hue?

Spot or broad flood? Intimate or daytime bright? Natural or artificial? All of the above? More choices to cover than this intro article allows. Lighting design is a professional discipline worth many separate articles.

You're not selling beer, you're selling experience

Rhinegeist, Cincinnati, OH

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I've been reminding my craft beer connections for years. Consider the full sensual experience, including the place where your brews are

Highland tasting room. consumed. How do you effectively use what you have to express the personality of your business and your products?

In future issues this year, we'll be covering architectural and lighting design as used in branded environments. We're looking forward to welcoming guest writers who are tops in their respective fields.

Stay tuned!

Eric Johnson is the strategy director for Craft Brand & Marketing Magazine.

He can be reached at ericj@cbam-mag.com.

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leadership

By Eric Balinski

‘Unseen Is Unsold’ A look at the art of craft beer artwork

In visual marketing, the axiom that "Unseen is Unsold" suggests that products that are not noticed will not get bought by customers. This notion rests on the idea that the consumer's choice process is heavily influenced by their visual search.

With huge craft beer sections in stores these days, standing out may not be so easy. Online, people use search engines to find what they want.

Searching in a store, people's saccadic eye movement is a key search tool. You will see the relationship of eye movement and memory as you read on.

Visual marketing for craft brewers starts with significant work and imagination that are part of creating a craft beer label. Craft beer labels are much more than product identification, as it often expresses the craft

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brewery's brand identity, story, and even its ethos in compelling artistic imagery and words.

The brand imagery is often created by local artists, a brand design firm, or even a brewer with a passion for art and beer making. The resulting outcome of a craft beer label is an important component for branding as well as merchandising with its merchandising significance becoming greater as a brewer expands distribution.

The challenge is standing out among all the other craft beer labels from other brewers who put in as much work, passion and imagination into their labels. (For tips on what makes great brand identity and design, see the "The Fine Art of Label Design" in our digital issue at www.cbam-mag.com.)

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Now let's discuss what you may not be considering about your visual marketing. Perhaps there is no more underutilized asset a brewer has than its label artwork.

A label's magnificent depth, color and complexity in its artwork and graphics can be lost on the shelf among the many other competing artistic label's with magnificent depth, color and complexity, all of whom are unseen because they are so small. As such, being unseen leads to potentially becoming unsold.

To me, this is a real shame because craft beer labels are often pieces of artwork. Their small size limits how your craft beer fans appreciate the creativity and beauty of your label art, thus reducing your brand's identity. The small size also limits the mental impression it makes on your fans, too.

Perhaps if craft brewers thought more of their label art and graphics as artwork, there would be more ways to help your beer fans experience it and remember you. Perhaps if a craft brewer thought more like a cognitive or a neuro scientist, the brewer might recognize the brain can be trained to recognize even small images and symbols, but first there needs to be an indelible impression in the craft beer fan's brain. Hum? Forget for a moment you make great beer. What if you were an artist that made their living as an artist? Through hard work and diligent effort, your artwork becomes admired, thus growing your fame and business. Your success reaches a point where you branch out and use your brand identity to market items other than your works of art.

This is exactly what artist Michael Godard, a.k.a., "The Rock Star of the Art World," has done with his artwork based on olives.

Yep, olive art has made him one of the most sought after artists in

the world. Godard's success enabled him to parlay his popularity into craft distilled spirits – a vodka and a gin.

Naturally, as an artist with a widely recognized style, Godard created new art, one called "Mr. Smooth," for his vodka, and another piece, "The Spa Treatment," for his gin. These pieces of art became the basis of Godard's bottle labels, with each label measuring 3.5 inches by 7.5 inches on his 750ml size bottles.

People see clearly the detail and beauty of the artistry in the brand label’s motif.

Godard fans’ brains also will more easily remember his label art, too, as the larger size leaves a more detailed mental impression.

Granted, they are bigger than a typical craft label, but still pretty small to appreciate the detail of his art in the labels. If you've seen typical vodka shelf displays in a liquor store, these labels might standout even with their small size, but they could just as easily be lost, too.

You are thinking to yourself right now, you also create specific label art for each specific brew. Yes true, nothing new here. However, the interesting question to consider is, how would a world famed artist market their craft made brand?

Well with a tasting coupled with an art exhibit of course.

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leadership

The Fine Art of Label Design If you’re thinking about using a favorite painting, drawing, or photograph in your next product label design, here are tips from a design pro to maximize the effectiveness of the finished label: 1. R egardless of whether the Art is a painting or photograph, there must be sufficient areas of the image where typography can be placed.

Remember, the entire label is a combination of the imagery and the wording. Don’t think of the imagery by itself, but rather how well it works with the wording to convey your intended message.

2. I f the Art is a painting on canvas or an illustration/photograph on paper the Art needs to either be scanned directly or photographed (avoid harsh lighting and glare) and converted into a digital file.

Be careful the resolution is compatible with the output device, whether a digital printing machine or an offset lithography press (depends on quantity and budget).

3. Speaking of budget, are you doing this yourself or will you be working with a graphic designer or a design firm? Pros usually

know all the steps and little details along the way to help you avoid the pitfalls. Working with a designer is usually worth the added cost because most times you’ll get a better outcome than trying to do it all yourself. But you can keep the budget down by doing a lot of the legwork yourself. Bring some sketches of your label design to show the designer your rough ideas.

Then they’ll show you additional refinements and even ideas you may not have thought about. Always remember to keep refining the details until it’s right. Don’t just go with your first idea out of the gate. It’s a process.

4. It’s also important to do the research. Go online, shop at local stores, and read industry trade magazine to look at similar product label designs and see which ones you think look the best. There are also design books and organiza-

tions that hold annual competitions for “Best Label Design” and “Best Craft Beer Branding Design”.

Familiarize yourself with what’s considered to be the best in your field, then develop your label that reflects the intended level of quality and competence you’re looking for your brand.

5. Typography is equally important as the imagery on your label.

What you say and how you say it is as important (and perhaps even more important!) than the Art that accompanies it. Font selection and quality, together with additional and required text, must be refined, revised, honed, and checked until it is the best you can make it. Keep refining and making changes until you get it right. It all takes time, effort, and elbow grease. But the more you put in, the more it comes out and shows in the quality of the finished product.

Gil Roessner is a leading marketing communications graphic designer and creative director with a long track record of award-winning creativity in the design and production of print, video and online media projects - from concept through completion. To see a full range of projects and services, please visit: http://www.roessner.net

At Godard tasting events, his actual label artwork is prominently displayed throughout the tasting area in a 24-inch wide x 41-inch tall size.

To put it in perspective, Godard's spirit labels have 26.25 square inches of viewing area, while the tasting room exhibit art pieces had 984 square inches of viewing area or 37.5 times great size than the 750ml bottle label. (Godard's 1.5L bottles have 50 square inches of viewing area) The result: The Godard craft spirit tasting-art exhibitions gave Godard's fans a full sensory

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experience of taste, smell, sound (of other Godard fans' enthusiasm and comments) as well as full visual imagery of his vodka and gin brand. People see clearly the detail and beauty of the artistry in the brand label's motif. Godard fans' brains also will more easily remember his label art, too, as the larger size leaves a more detailed mental impression.

Now when that fan goes to buy vodka or gin in the store, no matter how crowded the shelf is or

the sameness visually is on the shelf, that fan's saccadic eye movement rapidly scans the shelf space and more easily locks in on Godard's brand that is their memory bank.

That is, our minds naturally go to what they recognize, especially when there is a compelling brand story behind the image. (For more on the Saccadic Eye Movement, check out our sidebar in our digital issue at www.cbam-mag.com.)

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leadership

Understanding Saccadic Eye Movement Saccade eye movements are the quick movements made by your eyes, characterized by a sudden change from point to point. Saccades direct the fovea portion of your eye onto an object or region of interest enabling high-acuity detailed visual analysis at that location. In normal viewing, several saccades are made each second and their destinations are selected by our cognitive brain process.

Vision is dependent upon the information taken in during fixation pauses between saccades. Sometimes these movements are small, as when your eyes are

When Godard arrived at the event, his reaction to this piece was priceless. Nothing drew his attention more, that is, his sweeping saccade eye movement upon entering the room, locked in right away to what was so embedded in his mind. He was pulled to see his own work, shown in a new way and format.

Once the tasting was underway, his loyal fans and collectors were also drawn to the illuminated piece because they, too, had never experience his work in such a way, yet their mental queus gave them instant recognition that it was relevant.

At the end of the tasting-exhibit, he autographed the piece because he felt it was an impressive fan tribute piece of his work. Today, that piece is hanging in my personal space, right next to the Giclee print version of Mr. Smooth.

The Visual Marketing Lessons for Craft Brewers: •B randing is about creating an all-out visual sensory experience (which is why most craft brewers spend time and creativity on it.)

• Consider your craft beer labels as pieces of art, expressing the craft brewery's brand identity, story, and even its ethos in compelling artist imagery by using it to maximize how your fans fully experience what you do and who you are.

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reading a beer label. They can also be bigger, such as when viewing a large picture on a wall. Although some saccades can be done intentionally, most of the time, they are a reflex that happens without our awareness.

Saccades are important to us as they help us notice the interesting parts of a picture. The parts your eyes rest on between its rapid movements are called fixations. These fixation aid your memory and later can become a memory guided saccade where your eyes move toward a remembered point of interest.

• The visual experience of the label is lost by its small size. That one reality often makes it an under-utilized asset of the craft brewer.

Don't be afraid to find new ways to display it in ways that are larger and bolder. This will increase your brand story being etch into the memory of your fans.

Things to consider: • Increase label art visibility at your next tap takeover • Create a gallery of your own label artwork in your tasting room or pub • Leverage your creative designs to further enhance blend the décor of a craft brewery, a retail location or a craft brand pub location • Better leverage your label art on your social media and website • Bigger is better as people's eyes will spend more time on the details of your craft beer artwork leading to more details in the memory Remember another old axiom, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Don't let yours become just underutilized assets. Give a full visual sensory experience for your beer fans.

Now please go back to producing a great craft beer.

Eric Balinski is the owner of Synection, LLC, which is a strategy and growth consultancy firm. For more information, visit: synection.com.

CBAM-MAG.COM

design

By Sarah Carpenter

Tap Handles Why you need them and how to design the perfect one

There are so many options today for creating tap handles that are out of this world. But don't fall into the “Tap Handle Trap.”

What's the “Tap Handle Trap?” Glad you asked.

The Trap is when a brewery focuses too much on how awesome they can make their handles without considering consumer behavior and a marketing strategy. Even if your design includes a giant gorilla climbing up a glow in the dark skyscraper carrying a rotating disco ball that plays Saturday Night Fever songs and shoots confetti every time the bartender draws, it's nothing more than a novelty item without a tie-in to your beer style and brand.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Why should you invest in tap handles for your beer? Tap handles are a favorite added value item for distributors and sales reps. Craft breweries are continuing to pop up all over the country, creating a competitive atmosphere.

As a result, your brand has the task of not only trying to make your beer stand out to customers, but also to distributors and sales reps. Because tap

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handles are a proven method for connecting with consumers at the bar, adding a functional, well-designed tap handle to your package will make your brand an easier sell to bar owners. This could be a significant advantage in the effort to put your beer at the top of their distribution list.

Tap handles are both functional, attention-grabbing, and a chance to show a glimpse of your brand's story.

Picture yourself walking into a bar that serves beer. Whether it's the local dive or attached to a 5-star steakhouse, the row of tap handles takes center stage. It's one of the first parts of the bar your eyes go to, and, because they at eye level a customer's eyes will continue to explore them while hanging out at the bar. This scenario presents an opportunity for you to take a bartending accessory and make it a customized piece of branded artwork, showcasing your brand and promoting your beverages.

Now that you know why you need a tap handle, it's time for the next hurdle. How do you design a tap handle that stands out amongst the competition?

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Here are five tips to help get you started:

No. 1 – Make the beer style clear During popular beer-drinking times of the day, bar areas and restaurants are fast paced. Customers feel more under pressure to get their orders in quickly, which means they are less likely to take the time to ask their server what style of beer each tap handle offers. Displaying your brand's beer style loud and proud on the side of the handle will quickly answer that question for both the bartender and bar customers, giving it an upper hand.

down at the beer list and, at a glance, nothing stands out. Then you look up toward the bar at the array of tap handles. Which one stands out?

The one that you can read from a distance. Customers will not always be looking at your tap handle from up close, so it's important to make the beer style and your brand viewable from multiple angles and from far away.

No. 4 – Use contrasting colors between the glaze and art An excellent way to ensure your beer style and brand stand out from a distance is to use contrasting colors. For example, a white glazed tap handle with black typography will be much easier to read than a dark blue glazed tap handle with black typography. Use whatever colors fit your brand best, but make sure they are contrasting enough for the darker mood lighting of a restaurant or bar. Going along with this, using a clean design can also keep your brand standing out.

After all, less is sometimes more.

No. 5 – Choose a custom tap handle shape that's recognizable and unique to you

No. 2 – Stay consistent with your brand across beer styles For those of you with multiple beer styles on tap at the same restaurants and bars, it's essential to maintain some consistency across your brand.

Otherwise, customers will have a harder time connecting your beer to your brewery, which could hurt their recognition of your name in the long run. Plus, consistent handles make it fast and easy to show off your beer.

No. 3 – Make your tap handles legible from multiple angles and a distance Imagine sitting at a restaurant. Your server is asking if you would like anything to drink. You look

Of course, what's written on the tap handle is only half the battle. You also don't want your handles to look like all the others at the bar. Creating a custom tap handle that fits your brewery's story is a fantastic way to make your beer pop. Keep in mind that tap handles are spaced 3 inches apart at the bar when considering how to design your handle. That means the max width we can make it is 2.625 inches. Heavier tap handles are also less appealing, because they can cause problems for the bartender.

With a unique shape, contrasting colors and a visible beer style and brand, your tap handle is already surpassing the competition and ensuring your brand gets the attention it deserves from both customers and distributors alike.

Keep these tips in mind not only when designing your tap handles, but when designing your branding in general. And, of course, please feel free to reach out to Boelter with any of your brand questions and needs by visiting https://tap.beercup.com/cbam Cheers!

Sarah Carpenter is the marketing manager for Boelter Beverage, scarpenter@boelter.com.

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