Branding Regular Beer

It happens all the time in movies.

The main character enters a bar, sits down and says to the bartender “Gimme a beer.”

Of course, in the real world, you have to be a little more specific.

But thanks to DuClaw Brewing Company, that same main character could ask for a Regular Beer and get it.

The Maryland brewery produces more than a dozen regular and seasonal beers.

Here’s how DuClaw describes Regular Beer:  

“This is beer that tastes like regular beer. For the times you want to drink regular beer.”

A Branding Palate Cleanser

When we do branding work for clients, a key step is identifying the open space for positioning and messaging. The Braithwaite branding team analyzes competitor claims and differentiators to map the areas where a brand can compete.

DuClaw could have chosen to compete on taste, exotic hops and ingredients, or in countless other categories. No doubt there were already competitors in those spaces. DuClaw would have had to devote energy and resources into beating out competitors already making those claims.

So, it went after a branding space that’s about as simple and straightforward as you can get.

Yet despite being incredibly simple, it’s also unique and memorable.

It speaks to a beer-drinking audience who may be more likely to resist elaborate or flowery marketing claims. It’s the audience who knows exactly what to expect when they buy a “regular beer.”

It’s worth noting that this is not a case of a brand opting for a stripped-down marketing budget and approach. Its other beers are heavily branded, from the Dad Bod Double IPA to the Sweet Baby Java Espresso Bean Infused Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter.

Those efforts may work well for more complex beers, and DuClaw is smart to maintain different brand elements for different products with different audiences. For Regular Beer, a regular, stripped down marketing approach goes down easy.