Brand Crush: Pittsburgh’s Draai Laag Brewery

“Our beers combine elements of Belgian and French brewing tradition with local micro flora to create unique, complex beers that can only be described one way, wild by design.”

Draai Laag is one of Pittsburgh’s many craft beer brands and their mantra says it all. What they handcraft is truly wild by design and masterfully created. Brewed on lees, aged in oak casks, ingredients like elderberry and blossom honey … Need I say more?

Recent Brand Revolution

They recently underwent a total brand transformation revolutionizing their bottle art, digital presence and merchandise. In short, it was a spectacular step forward for the brand.

Delicious beer and a great redesign? What’s not to crush on?

Before the Brand Redesign

A look at some of the old brand assets including the logo and bottle art.

The Brand Redesign

The new brand assets.

Iconic Design

The original Draai Laag logo did its job, but the redesign is an absolute masterpiece. It’s simple, iconic and unique. A hopped, turncoat dagger? Genius.

It also isn’t straying from the original.

It works in harmony with the original brand’s typography, except that typography is cleaned up and fitted with some capitalization.

An Outstanding New Website

One of the biggest missing links I see in the branding chain for an organization is a compelling online destination.

Draai Laag, however, isn’t missing this link. In fact, their redesigned website is an absolute champion among Pittsburgh breweries.

And check out this beer page.

Creating An Inviting Atmosphere

Great brands don’t stop their efforts with copy and graphic design. They intentionally create an atmosphere that continues to tell the story.

For a marketing agency, their office communicates something. The way it looks and smells will either strengthen or weaken the overall brand experience.

A brewery is of course no different, especially when it comes to taprooms.

Outdoor Biergarten

Back in July, they opened an inviting outdoor Biergarten. Every bit of it reflects and strengthens their brand.

Renovating the Taproom

They’re also in the process of remodeling their taproom, which demonstrates their level of commitment to the experience their patrons have.

The Morale of the Story

So what can you learn from this month’s brand crush? Here are a few lessons that you can take with you to strengthen your own brand.

Product, Product, Product

If you don’t have a good product, you really don’t have anything at the end of the day. The quality of your product is your brand, especially when you’re in the food and drink industry.

Beyond all the visual pizazz, Draai Laag’s beer has always been absolutely outstanding. This is how they got their name, loyal following and what will continue to propel their success.

If your product isn’t top of its class, no amount of branding—no matter how amazing—will be able to save you.

A Brand Redesign is Noticed, Appreciated and Contagious 

The Draai Laag brand redesign definitely didn’t go unnoticed. Their bottle art visually jumped off the shelves (and physically into my shopping cart). They hit the mark and stayed true to who they are at the core.

A brand redesign makes a difference. The catch, however, is that you have to do it properly. It’s really a make or break kind of operation.

Draai Laag went above and beyond and they’re basking in the spoils.

Go Big or Go Home

If you’re going to redesign your brand, I can’t stress how important it is to integrate that change across all platforms.

Draai Laag’s success isn’t that they just nailed the redesign—they spread that redesign to every corner of the brand.

Websites Matter

We live in a day and age where people make their buying decisions based on what they find online.

For the sake of a brewery, it might not affect whether a dedicated craft beer connoisseur stops on by, but what about that couple looking for something fun to try?  Maybe they’re new to the beer scene. If they arrive at a boring, hideous digital destination, are they going to arrive at your location for some brews? Maybe, maybe not.

For the sake of service provider, your website has a direct correlation to new business. We know that 60-percent of prospects have already made their buying decisions before they reach out. This research is being done online and if you’re not relevant in the process, there’s a chance you’ll get left behind.

Cheers to Draai Laag

Cheers to Draai Laag, their amazing beer and their well-crafted brand.

Images: Above images are from Draai Laag’s website and Facebook page.