Building a Strong Craft Beverage Brand: The Power of Consistency Across Every Channel
In the craft beverage world, gone are the days where good liquid alone is enough to build a loyal customer base (although this is still very important!). Your brand’s identity—shaped through consistent branding and messaging—plays a huge role in helping you stand out, and can make all the difference when it comes time for the consumer to make a purchase at the bar or on the grocery store aisle. Whether it’s tap handles, merchandise, event setups, or social media presence, keeping your brand’s visuals and message cohesive across every platform builds recognition, trust, and loyalty with your audience.
Example: From tap handles, to merch and even little details like keg collars, our friends at Pure Project have their branding dialed across mediums.
Why Consistency Matters
Boosts Brand Recognition
In a crowded market, consistency makes your brand recognizable. Whether someone sees your product at a bar, on Instagram, or at an event, having the same look and feel across all channels makes it easier for customers to identify and remember you. If your logo, colors, and fonts are consistent, customers will instantly know it’s your brand, whether they’re looking at a tap handle or a t-shirt.Builds Trust and Loyalty
Consistency helps to establish reliability. A brand that looks different at every touchpoint can confuse customers and erode trust. On the other hand, when everything from your tap handles to your social media presence aligns, it shows professionalism and builds customer confidence, encouraging long-term loyalty.Reinforces Your Brand Story
Every touchpoint is an opportunity to tell your brand’s story, whether it’s about your brewing process, local ingredients, or sustainability efforts. If your messaging is consistent—whether it’s on social media, at events, or on merchandise—it strengthens your narrative and deepens customer connections.
How to Maintain Consistency
1. Visual Identity
Make sure your logo, colors, fonts, and design elements stay the same across all channels. Your tap handles, merchandise, and social media should all reflect your brand’s visual identity, making it easy for customers to recognize you wherever they encounter your product. Work with your brand designer to create a set of brand guidelines that you can share with your team and any relevant stakeholders (distributors, retailers, etc.) and STICK TO THEM! Small changes and tweaks are OK to better fit with a season, occasion, theme, etc., as long as they are on-brand with your existing brand identity.
Example: A snippet of our Shore Up Supply Brand Guidelines
2. Unified Messaging
The tone of your messaging should align across platforms. Whether you use humor, storytelling, or a more formal approach, keeping a consistent voice helps reinforce your brand’s personality and build a stronger connection with your audience.
3. Event Presence
At events, your setup should reflect your brand identity, from banners, to tablecloths, to staff uniforms and beyond. A cohesive design at festivals, tastings, or tap takeovers reinforces your brand’s story and makes a lasting impression on customers.
4. Digital Marketing
Your website and social media presence should mirror your brand’s visual and messaging consistency. Whether you’re posting on Instagram, responding to customer comments, or publishing a blog post for your website, ensure that your voice stays aligned with your brand’s tone and style.
5. Merchandise
Merchandise is a great branding tool. Ensure your products, like shirts, hats or pint glasses, match your overall brand look and feel. Consistent merchandise design gives customers another way to connect with your brand and spread the word. Merch is an extension of your brand, so make sure your merch offerings are thoughtful and resonant with your brand and core demographic.
Conclusion
In an increasingly saturated and competitive market, consistency is key to building recognition, trust, and loyalty. By ensuring your brand’s visuals and messaging stay aligned across tap handles, merchandise, events, and digital marketing efforts, you create a cohesive and memorable experience for customers. These are only a handful of examples of different marketing mediums, but we think you get the picture: This consistency not only helps set you apart from the competition but also builds stronger, lasting relationships with your audience.
