Craft beer marketing and trends shaping the year 2022 in India

Craft beer/breweries are still evolving in India and we are already witnessing diverse and innovative offerings from the players in this space. These heads are clamoring to bring in diverse and unique cultures through their offerings. The changes allow the craft beer industry to grow and evolve accordingly.

Packaging Alterations and Storytelling through design: The beer packaging market in the Asia-Pacific region is mainly driven by changing cultural trends, growing populations, urbanization, and the growing popularity of beer among the younger lot.

Due to various investments and the increasing diffusion of beer in different regions, changing trends are expected to continue, which in turn can stimulate the packaging market. Craft beer labels are carefully designed and therefore the competition is always fierce. The brands are also connecting with the audience through unique and quirky packaging to delivery and takeaways. Growlers have enabled taprooms and microbreweries to increase their sales.

Introduction of various formats and channels of revenue: We are witnessing the expansion of taprooms, and micro-breweries, to offer a plethora of options to consumers. Even the retail brands venturing into taproom concepts are not unknown in India. We see this as a potential onsite revenue model wherein retail brands in the craft space can play with numerous styles of beer and entice consumers with various offerings. This is an opportunity for the consumer to taste a diverse range of styles that are prevalent in the international market and only available in Taprooms and microbreweries in fewer regions in India. It is relatively easier for the brand also to garner feedback from consumers in real-time.

Digital going strong: Beverage brands are adapting to the current climate and radically rethinking their core messages while communicating with consumers on social media. Brands are coming up with high–voltage campaigns, cross-brand and influencer collaborations leading to digital product placements leading to digital visibility in the quirkiest way.

To sustain brand loyalty, it is all the more important to come up with various luring campaigns and visual pull. There has been a noticeable boost in customer interaction with enhancement in visibility and search-ability of brands through their innovative marketing campaigns. It has also enabled the brands and consumers to indulge in an open discussion about interests, preferences, and awareness through social media groups and chat rooms available online. 

The collaborative promotions cross brand activities such as one between beer brand and barware or clothing etc. featuring an entire range of products significant to the collaborating brand gain a lot of digital traction in terms of geographical reach and engagement.

Sampling and participating in small- and large-scale events also give a boost to brand awareness and visibility. Not just the product sampling but brands are also taking innovative routes to make it inclusive and engaging through experiential zones, event giveaways such as brand merch, and personalized gifts with brand initials for the audience. Such association & collaborations make it more fashionable, trendy, and contemporary while taking the craft beer segment into an entirely new direction.