Learn how to create an authentic brand identity for your business.
Budweiser's Super Bowl XVII ad, "Six Degrees of Bud"[1], begins with the question: "Who drinks Budweiser?" To answer, a six-pack is passed from a construction worker to three cooks in a food truck: "the people who grind." It makes its way through a group of friends playing basketball—"those who don’t back down"—and up a staircase to "the ones who don't quit," shown mid-track in a recording studio.
The ad isn't so much about Budweiser's beer as it is about its brand identity: a company-created vision that touts their brand as the common denominator among hard-working folks who like to end their day with a cold beer. How you'd like your brand to be perceived is just one question to consider when building an identity for your brewery, winery, or distillery, but we’re here to help.
For some expert advice, we spoke to Blair Ault[2], national Brand Ambassador for Milam & Greene Whiskey; Bobby DeSeyn[3], former brand manager of Cavalier Distributing; and Nicole Stufflebeme[4], owner of Lupinus Artisan Ales. Their insights will help you build a strong brand identity that prompts brand recognition and resonates with your target audience.
Why is brand identity important?
Brand identity is commonly referred to as the visible elements of a brand, such as the brand logo, name, and color palette. But just like your personal identity, it's more than meets the eye.
Your brand identity is also your brand personality, values, and culture—the qualities that make you more than a name on a menu or tap handle. It's the atmosphere you create for your guests and why customers buy your brand over others. Brand identity is important because it's what differentiates you from competitors, which is more than what your logo can achieve on its own.
Interested in developing your visual brand identity? Learn more here.
How to build brand identity
Tip #1: Build your brand story around your product (and not vice versa)
In early 2020, Milam & Greene Whiskey was under new ownership and had recently transitioned from its previous brand name, Ben Milam Whiskey. When the pandemic forced the distillery to halt operations, its leadership team and newly hired Brand Ambassador, Blair Ault[2], found themselves with ample time to develop their brand story.
"There was a whole new way of thinking about Milam & Greene and how it was going to fit into the whiskey scene," explains Ault. "Do we go with the angle that we're women-owned and operated? Or is there another way of thinking about whiskey that we haven't discovered yet?"
Developing your brand story as an alcoholic beverage (bev-alc) brand involves asking questions about the experience you want buyers to have when they purchase, consume, and share your product. Your brand story should also articulate why customers should choose your brand over others: Do you use all local ingredients? Is a percentage of your profits donated to an important cause?
What's most critical is that your story puts the spotlight on your product. For this reason, Ault was hesitant to center the brand's identity on being women-owned and operated. "Being women isn't a brand, and it's not what's going to get people to buy our product again, especially if it isn’t suited to their palate. If your story leaves out your product, you won't have customer loyalty."
"Don't buy our whiskey because it has two women's names on the bottle," Ault says. "Buy it because it's the most delicious whiskey at this price point."
Capterra services and tips
Building a strong brand identity is a team effort involving leadership, marketing, and sales. But Milam & Greene outsources the creation of their visual identity, such as their brand color, logo, and business card design, to a branding agency. These agencies help businesses create a unique brand image to position their products in the market. Could your brand use one? Find out here.
Tip #2: Integrate your brand through the right events and partnerships
A common mistake that bev-alc leaders make is to accept any and all invitations to have their product featured at events or to partner with other brands. All publicity is good publicity, right?
Not so fast. Part of building a brand identity is to envision what events and partnerships make the most sense for your brand. "If you go to a concert and have a certain type of beer, you're attaching that experience to that brand," explains Bobby DeSeyn[3]. "You aren't going to go to a concert and get a really good piece of paper, then go out and buy that paper on Monday."
DeSeyn worked for five years as the brand manager for beer, wine, and spirits distribution company Cavalier Distributing. During his stint, he focused heavily on experiential marketing—i.e., marketing that considers what sort of experiences customers will associate with your brand. Here are a few ways to determine what events or partnerships make sense for your brand:
Establish your values and goals, and determine what you want from a partnership. Will working with this other brand allow you to increase contributions to an important cause? Will it motivate your target audience to support local businesses?
Pay attention to events that like-minded businesses are attending or stores where they're holding tastings.
Observe what other accounts your target audience is following on social media.
Make a note of the menu at a local bar or restaurant. Does your product fill a void, or would it pair well with their other offerings?
Host your own events. If the atmosphere or experience you're trying to create for your target audience doesn't exist yet, consider starting that beer or wine festival yourself.
While following in the footsteps of other brands is one way to determine your brand identity, DeSeyn warns against partnerships that aren't authentic to your brand. "It's great to celebrate Pride Month, for instance, but if you're adding a rainbow to your logo for one month and that's it, it's disingenuous. If you want to participate, make sure you support that cause year round."
Capterra tools and tips
If your brand has been around a few years or more, DeSeyn suggests holding focus groups to find out what consumers think about your brand. Community software is one way to solicit this sort of feedback, and it can generate reports that you can incorporate into your brand strategy. Click here for tools that offer a free trial.
Tip #3: Ensure your entire team knows how to embody your brand identity
Brand building is one thing; ensuring your brand identity is upheld by all the members of your organization is another. Nicole Stufflebeme[4] has held marketing and sales roles for breweries from Great Falls, Montana, to New York City, so she knows a thing or two about representing brands in vastly different markets.
"Intention, honesty, clarity, and really listening to your people: If you have those pillars, the vision you're trying to articulate for your brand is less likely to get lost in translation," Stufflebeme explains. "But it's definitely challenging when you have salespeople in different regions or even different countries—there are only so many accountability measures you can put in place."
What accountability measures can you put in place to ensure your team embodies your brand identity?
A kickoff meeting for your new or revamped brand identity. Holding a meeting to present your new logo, branding, and brand mission can get everyone on the same page.
Regular meetings with public-facing employees. Conversations with team members who serve as the face of your brand (e.g., sales and delivery people, servers, tour guides) are great opportunities to set expectations and answer questions.
Shadowing opportunities for new salespeople or servers. Hearing how seasoned employees talk about your brand is a smart way to have brand voice and tone modeled.
A brand style guide or rule book for your company's design and brand specifications. This resource ensures consistency in your marketing materials and is helpful to have on hand if you need to print new business cards or a banner for an event. If you need help creating a brand style guide, a branding agency can help.
Sometimes your staff won't represent your brand the way you'd like them to—whether in person or through their social media platform. "If something doesn't align with your brand messaging, it might be time to say, 'Hey, can we talk about this really quick?'" Stufflebeme says. "It doesn't need to be a 'Big Brother's watching you' situation, but do try to be as transparent as possible."
Capterra tools and tips
Digital asset management software allows your marketing team to keep all visual brand assets, such as your logo template and merchandise designs, in one place for storage and sharing. These tools also make it easy for brand ambassadors such as Ault to quickly and easily produce fliers and social media posts when needed. Here's a list of vendors that offer a free trial.
Maintain a strong brand identity by investing in resources
Building your brand story around your product, pursuing the right events and partnerships, and educating your team are three effective ways to build a consistent brand identity. But maintaining that brand identity can be challenging, particularly if you experience staff turnover or other structural changes in your company.
Investing in resources that align with your values can help you maintain a successful brand identity. Examples include investments in solar panels if sustainability is important to your brand, or access to mental health services for your employees. This way, you can ensure your values are as recognizable to potential customers as your visual branding elements.
Searching for a branding agency to hire for your business? We’ve got you covered. Check out our list of companies in the following areas: