Brand and deliver
Simon Turton, editorial director & founder of Hand Crafted Drinks Magazine takes a look at how brands and companies can stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
Every year hundreds of new wines, beers and spirits are launched in the UK by companies based around the country and across the globe. Valued at £50bn in 2023, the UK drinks market is one of the most dynamic and sophisticated in the world. Whether it’s a new start-up artisan brewery, creating their first batch of hand-crafted ales, or a new range of vodka from an international distillery, branding is one of the most important elements in the marketing mix.
It goes without saying that the products must be good in order to succeed in a competitive market, but the problem is making yourself heard. The key to market success is a brand identity that is easily recognised, that is relevant to the product and one that can be understood. Brands that need an explanation are less likely to succeed than those whose identity is clear, well designed and appropriate to both the target market and its segment.
Consistency is vital to communicate the key messages and the brand’s core values — from the choice of the bottle and its design, to vehicle graphics and online media.
Websites are the cornerstone of a successful brand and on-going marketing activity; they must be responsive — ensuring they appear correctly on all screen sizes — and they have to be dynamic to increase the dwell time Video content is becoming increasingly important to help reinforce brands’ core messages and authenticity.
One of the reasons why the smaller batch producers have gained so much traction in recent years is that they appeal to a growing customer base for whom provenance is important and who want to choose locally sourced products.
This partly explains why the international brewers and distillers are acquiring smaller regional producers — a policy designed to capitalise on the trend for local, authentic and artisan brands. In bars, pubs and restaurants, brands need to have visibility, otherwise customers choose what they know, but it’s also important for bar staff to be trained to be able to advise on what’s available.
Pump clips, table-talkers and POS information all help to promote beers, ales and lagers, especially when they’re either new to market or to a region. For new spirits brands they must have back bar appeal and, again, it’s essential that bar staff can advise customers on the choices available for their given tipple, including cocktails.
Wine lists must be kept up to date when new wines are available and sommeliers must be able to provide accurate information to help the customer choose the most suitable wine, including all new products. At the heart of all marketing activity is the brand identity, which market research can help to ensure remains relevant.
Older established brands, especially from family run or from smaller producers, will have equity in their brand identity, but the owners must always ensure that they remain relevant to the next generation of consumers. Brands that are left untouched for years could be seen as classic and traditional, but there is a danger that they could be perceived as stagnant and out-of-touch.
The key to success is a great product; no amount of dressing a poor wine, spirit or beer will work for long.
To promote the new product requires an integrated approach to marketing and promotion; a strong brand identity applied across all marketing materials; a dynamic website that is well designed, easy to navigate and optimised for the main search engines.
Support for sales representatives and every company employs is essential; they’re your brand ambassadors. It is also essential that the venues that stock the products are supported — all staff must be well informed and have detailed product knowledge. Since launching in 2020, at Hand Crafted Drinks Magazine we have seen dozens of new products come to market and witnessed many new companies launching.
Despite Covid and the cost-of-living crisis, the artisan and hand-crafted drinks sector remains buoyant and we look forward to continuing to report on this exciting industry.
