When competing in a highly saturated market, you need to position yourself favorably amongst the competition and good branding can do just that. Branding your beverage company increases value, delivers your message, and legitimizes your company through the use of strong visual representation. It carries a great deal of importance because it serves as a guide to understanding the purpose of the business and how to align yourself within the market.

Why is Branding Important?

There are a multitude of reasons good branding contributes to the success of your spirit company. It starts by connecting you and your consumer on a visual level. A well-designed logo will get you far. Just think about McDonald’s golden arches or Target’s bullseye. Good branding is the “face” of your company and a critical aspect of providing a powerful message. When done correctly, the professional appearance builds credibility and separates you because you look polished. Branding is a functional piece of marketing communication that gets your name in front of your consumers. At its core, it is the most basic form of advertising.

Why You Should Consider Rebranding

If you’ve already launched a spirit brand or are acquiring a new one, rebranding isn’t inevitable if there is already success behind the name. However, consumers are faced with plenty of opportunities to make choices when they buy their favorite spirits, and you want to convey the most up-to-date image to stay relevant. Fortunately, your product is complete with a unique selling position whether it be the ingredients or the distilling process and good branding will tell consumers your story. By updating the branding, you give yourself a chance to convey a feeling when consumers are scanning the shelves. Some questions you can ask yourself when branding/rebranding is:

  • What do people want to feel when they choose my brand?
  • What aspects of my brand fits my consumer’s personality?
  • Where are my consumers located in relation to my business?
  • How is my product made and does the packaging reflect this?

How to Start Branding Your Business

When it comes to branding your business you want to hire a reputable firm that can help you on your journey. Ideally, you’ll want to find one with experience working with other spirit brands. Many companies believe investing in professional design is costly, but hiring someone who hasn’t worked with spirits before might make some expensive mistakes regarding specific areas like labeling. Similarly, taking on this responsibility on your own could also set you back. If you think about the time and effort you might put into developing your branding only to abandon them later, you’ve used up valuable time that could have moved your business forward in other areas. If you want to get the best results and keep expenses down, choose a firm that

Do Each of Your Spirits Need Their Own Branding?

The answer is both yes and no. It isn’t ideal to create separate logos and labels for each spirit you offer. Especially if you are new or are offering a new spirit, you want to keep the logo the same throughout the packaging so your consumers who bought and loved your bourbon know they might also enjoy your vodka. These two spirits aren’t located in the same area of a liquor store so keeping all of the brandings the same will help them easily identify your products. You should only consider different merchandise after you’ve established a solid reputation.

Branding with Form and Function

When designing your branding, you should consider the look in addition to the function. It’s advisable to consider stock bottles and labeling at the beginning because you can purchase stock quantities that help to keep costs down. Once you’ve made a substantial position in the market, you can look into investing in custom bottles that align with your message. In an article from Artisan Spirit, Josh Mayr from the Wishkah River Distillery said, “I’m looking to find more congruency in the type of glass we use. That would allow me to stack my orders in a manner where I’m getting discounts on volume across the spectrum of my products rather than by each single product. Glass is expensive.”

When buying glass, you get what you pay for, and it plays a large role in your packaging presentation. Plan carefully.

At Brindiamo Group we’ve helped build successful beverage companies and their brand image. Our team of veteran beverage industry entrepreneurs utilizes a unique approach to assisting with development on all fronts to help you reach your goal! Contact us today to learn more.

Lozier, Chris. “Rebranding Advice From The Experienced.” Artisan Spirits Magazine, Winter 2016, p74&75.