This might sting... but someone’s got to say it.

I sat down with a brilliant brewery the other day.

They’ve got something really exciting brewing, pun absolutely intended.

Great ambitions. Solid growth. A genuinely unique edge.
And when they shared who was on the team, I was impressed:

• A head brewer

• A sales lead

• A “branding person”

So I asked what their branding person does.

The answer?

“Oh, they do all our design work.”

Ah.

That’s a designer. Not a branding person.

Now don’t get me wrong, good design is essential.
But branding is something else entirely.

What’s the difference?

Branding is everything that comes before design.

It’s the strategy behind what you look like, sound like, and feel like.

It’s how you know who your drinkers are and why they should care.

It’s the reason behind your choices, from what beers you brew to how you write your social posts to why you stand out on a shelf.

Think of branding as the compass.

Design is how you draw the map.

If all you’ve got is a designer, they might be creating beautiful cans and social posts… but if there’s no strategic foundation underneath it, you’ll end up blending in.

And that’s a fast track to sounding just like everyone else.

So what should you do?

Before your next rebrand, beer launch, or website refresh…
Ask yourself:

• What do we stand for as a brewery?

• What makes us different, and how are we showing that?

• Who are we really trying to reach, and where are they?

• What kind of brewery are we beyond the beer style?

If you can’t answer those questions with clarity and confidence,
you don’t need a designer.

You need to work on your brand.

And if that sounds daunting, I’ve got your back.

Hugs & Kisses…

Tim