Beer and Branding: Does the label really matter?
I’ll admit it. I walk into the local cold case and feel a bit overwhelmed by the impressive number of hometown brews Charlotte has to offer. According to the CRVA there are more than 30 breweries in the Charlotte region, with more coming soon or in the planning stages. So I’ll make my pick according to brew style and then … by whether or not I like the label.
Go ahead, mock my lack of hops haughtiness or brewhouse devotion, but as it turns out, I am far from alone. Out of necessity, art and ale go hand-in-hand in an effort to stand out on crowded, over-saturated beer shelves. The number of craft breweries in the US now exceeds 4,000, making it a more than $20 billion industry. North Carolina produces more than 675,000 barrels per year.
So how do you differentiate one golden brew in a bottle from another, especially when your consumer is increasingly looking at what you stand for as much as how your product tastes? The people behind Tuesday’s Beer & Branding Showcase event at NoDa Brewing Co. say the answer lies in great design.
Why? Because labels have a big job to do. Some effectively tout a special ingredient, from the highly anticipated pumpkin season to stranger ingredients like cotton candy. Some labels seek to convey authority or age, suggesting the brewer has perfected their craft. While others desperately hope to entertain or grab your attention, walking the line between intrigue and offensiveness (often making you question the quality of the contents inside).
Also guilty of being obsessed with design are some of the biggest consumers of craft beer: young creative types. One Seattle-based designer, Harvey Shepard, created a successful blog-turned-book out of the trend called “Oh Beautiful Beer!” (Check out NC’s best here.)
Still not convinced labels matter? Well here’s your chance to get involved and see for yourself. NoDa Brewing Company will host the third annual Beer & Branding Showcase event on Tuesday, Sept. 27. I asked Bree Basham, President of the AIGA’s Charlotte chapter, what inspired the organization to start this annual bash.
“When the craft brewing scene started exploding in Charlotte, we thought it was a great time to bring together two great things – local craft brewing and design,” she said. “We wanted to foster collaboration on a local level and create something that was just an all around-fun event for everyone involved.”
How it works:
– Local designers have paired up with local home brewers to create a beer and a brand.
– A panel of experts will chose the winning beer, which will be released as a part of the NoDable Series.
– Attendees will also choose “crowd favorites,” awarding first, second and third place titles.
– The event goes from 5-7:30 p.m. Voting ends at 7 p.m. Get there early, because the first 70 people get a free tasting glass from Queen City Brewers Festival.
– And if making all those beer label decisions makes you thirsty, you can not only partake in NoDa’s latest brews, but you can also sample the home brewers’ competing entries. (Yes, please.) While you’re there, thank one of the designers for helping you chose the perfect pint.
Want to go?
The Beer & Branding Showcase is free to the general public and will be held 5-7:30 p.m. Sept. 27 at NoDa Brewing Company, 2921 N. Tryon Street.
Photos: Keisha Luzzi
This story was originally published September 25, 2016 at 10:48 PM with the headline "Beer and Branding: Does the label really matter?."