From marketing plans and creative displays to names and label designs, coming up with a slew of “killer” ideas can be burdensome to one person. That’s why utilizing many people in the brewery can be a key to your success.
WeldWerks has a program where anyone can submit an idea for a beer, explained Skip Schwartz, head brewer for the Colorado company.
“We have a lot of repeat beers that have come from co-workers from all over the company,” he said. “I think adding this type of freethinking helps keep the creativity rolling in.”
One of WeldWerks most successful brands, Bamm Bamm Rubble Rubble came for the brewery’s sales team.
“We have 60-plus co-workers with all different ideas and perspectives,” Schwartz said. “[It] gives us a boatload of new ideas.
“Some of them have to be workshopped a little but a lot of them come to us as full-fledged ideas. I think listening to every voice no matter the department is crucial for not just creativity but for your company’s collective vision. You never know which one of your co-workers is sitting on a big idea and giving them an outlet is huge.”
Sometimes, in the instance of Ohio’s Twin Oast Brewing, the person buying the beer can be a help.
“The great thing about humans is that everyone thinks differently, and sometimes solutions to problems or creative ideas stem when you’re least expecting it,” said co-founder Cory Smith. “We were discussing potential names for a Wheat Beer (Witbier/Blanche). We love having fun with our beer names, however, it didn’t seem like any of our punny ideas were sticking until a regular patron chimed in with “Malt Witman” – a genius idea.”
MadTree has a Creative Director who Marketing Manager Trevor Self said does a fantastic job of sparking thoughts in creative brainstorms and making sure the Cincinnati team has dedicated time to think creatively with no bounds or limits attached initially.
”We meet weekly as a team to show work in progress and bounce ideas or thoughts off of each other too in order to produce the best possible results,” Self said.
If you’re really stuck, said LUKI Brewery co-founder Jeff Smith, go completely outside of your typical channels.
”Talk to people who know nothing, or don’t care about craft beer,” he said. “Talk to them, and bounce ideas around. You don’t want to just create an echo chamber of craft beer professionals for your ideas and getting a truly outside perspective can do wonders.”
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