How hard is it to run a mainstream beer brand right now?
Here’s an example: In August this year, Lion announced that it would devote more resources to growing its dairy business, after a decrease of 0.6% in total revenues to $2,674 million for the half year ended 31 March 2014. It also stated its intention to concentrate its strategic marketing on the “health and wellness” credentials of its products. One can’t imagine that beer was included in “products”.
Craft beer, on the other hand, is doing rather well. Also in August, Roy Morgan announced that the number of Australian adults consuming craft beer in an average four-week period had increased to more than one million for the first time. In the last five years, the proportion of Aussie over 18 who drink craft beer in an average four-week period went from 3.5% in March 2010 to 5.7%.
Like many boutique beers, Cricketers Arms, has a story to tell. Cricketers Arms brand manager, Grayson Cook, tells it to PKN:
“Cricketers Arms was developed as a tribute to creator Paul Scott watching his father play cricket as a kid and participating in the long standing tradition of sharing a post-match beer with the opposing team. This idea of creating great tasting beers to “honour friendships and celebrate achievements” is something that is unique in the Australian boutique beer market.
“Boutique beer brands in Australia use ingredients, techniques and passion to craft great tasting, high quality and differentiated brews for consumers and Cricketers Arms stays true to this. I strongly believe that due to the expanding cider and craft beer market, this only benefits consumers by not only providing more choice for consumers but opportunities for smaller brands to make waves in the Australian beer and cider market.”
In April 2013, Independent Distillers Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Japanese beverage giant, Asahi, bought Cricketers Arms beer. The brand has recently undergone a redesign. PKN asked Cricketers Arms why and how that happened.
PKN: Who did the redesign and what was the thinking behind the changes?
Grayson Cook: The new Cricketers Arms masterbrand and packaging design was re-launched in October 2014 and created by packaging design agency, Bonney Creative.
To communicate the Cricketers Arms positioning, we developed a new masterbrand logo which is symbolic of unification and togetherness – paying homage to the spirit of the brand, post-game mateship, sharing a beer after a long day in the field, which was communicated throughout the packaging. The interwoven ‘C’ and ‘A’ have been hand-crafted and are unique to the brand's distinctive assets.
PKN: You always had the six-packs and cartons? Any packaging form changes? Production or printing changes?
GC: Most of the packaging materials, printing and production have remained the same. We have retained brown glass bottles to minimise light from impacting taste and crown seals to maximise freshness. However we’ve moved from synthetic to paper labels with a matte finish to connect with the traditions of the brand story and the crafted beer inside. We are always reviewing the latest packaging trends and formats so watch this space in 2015.
PKN: Sustainability initiatives?
GC: Cricketers Arms is brewed in a state of the art brewery with European designed technology, which results in minimum water usage and effluent discharged is able to be treated by the municipal authorities. Energy usage is also efficient, there is energy recovery on the kettle and energy expended during pasteurisation is recovered to preheat the incoming beer. By-products from the brewing process are used for cattle food. All packaging materials are recycled by our suppliers (OI and Visy). Warehousing is at ambient temperatures and product shelf life is managed by good manufacturing practice.
PKN: There is a much more cohesiveness now (across the range). Was this to encourage experimentation by consumers? To build brand awareness?
GC: Yes, a clear brand identity helps to structure the Cricketers Arms position both in the present day and into the future. We wanted to create clarity, continuity and greater value for the consumer and to tell the brand story. It also allows us to optimise the space on packaging to efficiently communicate brand and product attributes. Finally, the masterbrand colour allows for brand blocking on shelf while colours and naming conventions differentiates between brews making it easier for shoppers to shop the range.
