These days, drinkers (both male and female) are far more discerning and like to keep things varied. They’re often on the look-out for new flavours, and interesting, creative approaches to their beverages. Innovation. The way in which companies create beer has also changed significantly. To keep up with market demand, breweries are continually experimenting, fighting to bring new products to the public and to stay a step ahead of the pack.
Drinking has always been perceived as a social activity. Nowadays, it’s also a form of social status. Many people no longer want to be associated with popular brands, and would rather be seen drinking something a little more ‘exclusive’.
It has become more mobile. Craft brewers have caught on to the current trend, and now offer their beverages in cans, enabling consumers to take their drinks on hikes, picnics and festivals.
One of the best things about the craft beer industry is that it opens up the playing field a little, allowing almost anyone to create their own distinctive drinks. All it takes is a little initial investment, some creativity and a desire to make a mark in a rapidly growing marketplace!
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE VARIETY
Associated with this larger more industrial approach were strong marketing campaigns and an effort to make beer as cheaply as possible.
This created an environment where, through the 80s and 90s, peoples choice of beer was largely influenced by marketing. Barely clad bikini models, appealing frogs, 'less filling' themes, were all used to capture peoples attention and drive their choice.
Craft beer, especially in the last 10 years, offers an alternative approach where people are offered a wide variety of options and encouraged to choose their favourites. The most significant change, to me, has been this empowerment of human choice that appeals to craft beer drinkers. I believe craft beer is popular for denying the industry approach and blindly obeying marketing trickery when choosing beers.
Craft beer offers an environment where variety of flavour is offered and the consumer must make a choice more driven by their own power.
In short, craft beers popularity is in part due to the philosophical mindset of the breweries who encourage consumers not to blindly follow marketing tools to fill industry pockets but to choose what they like and support smaller businesses who, rather than spend their profits on more marketing, focus on the quality of the product and truly let the consumers decide which are best.
Lately, I see a powerful pull to return to the golden era of marketing-driven beer homogenisation as more and more craft breweries are bought up by the big two beer companies. But at least for the moment we have a very cool consumer driven marketplace where the best elements of capitalism are apparent.
_____
It's the comparison of a product brewed for mass, public consumption and beer brewed for you.
Mass brewers rely more on marketing and advertising to create their product. They use 'adjuncts' like rice
Craft brewing uses traditional ingredients and techniques (along with those non-traditional) to create a small batch product whose appeal lies with its taste and ABV. A clever name and label don't hurt though.
No comments:
Post a Comment