Mother Earth Brewing adding Brewers Association logo on all packaging

Discussion in 'Beer News' started by sherm1016, Jun 5, 2013.

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  1. sherm1016

    sherm1016 Pundit (867) Aug 10, 2009 Wisconsin

    http://beerpulse.com/2013/06/mother...rewers-association-logo-on-all-packaging-550/

    Seemed inevitable that someone would do this. I know nothing about Mother Earth NC, apart from their brouhaha with the Mother Earth people in CA. It's not clear to me from the press release how much support this has from the Brewers Association apart from their permission. I have not heard of a larger campaign to get this on all BA member packaging at some point.

    Seems to me that it could have both positive and negative consequences. My biggest concern is the somewhat wishy washy definition of "Craft", notably the vague definition of "Traditional" and the arbitrary barrel limit set to suit the BA's needs.

    I'm not a huge fan of the move, but again, it seemed inevitable. Maybe it goes nowhere. Maybe not.
     
    #1 sherm1016, Jun 5, 2013
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  2. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,145) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Used to be pretty common for breweries to put the logo of the now-defunct United States Brewers Association (the old "Big Brewers" organization) on their advertising - seems I've seen it on old labels, as well, but can't think of a good example.

    Of course, contrary to popular belief, you don't have to be a "Craft Brewer" to belong to the Brewers Association. Their membership includes these "Non-Craft" brewers as listed on that notorious and now deleted "Blacklist" (among others):

    • Anheuser Busch (all 12 breweries)
    • Goose Island
    • Craft Brews Alliance (4 breweries)
    • MillerCoors (8 breweries)
    • Blue Moon
    • Leinenkugel (2 breweries)
    • Yuengling (3 breweries)

    So, will the B.A. deny those dues-paying members the use of their logo?
     
    #2 jesskidden, Jun 5, 2013
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  3. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,145) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Oh, yeah :flushed: , there was:

    [​IMG]
     
    #3 jesskidden, Jun 5, 2013
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  4. sherm1016

    sherm1016 Pundit (867) Aug 10, 2009 Wisconsin

    What was the impetus for the old United States Brewers Association logo being added to packaging? Who were they trying to differentiate from?
     
    #4 sherm1016, Jun 5, 2013
  5. jesskidden

    jesskidden Grand Pooh-Bah (3,145) Aug 10, 2005 New Jersey
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    No different than any other trade association, like the logo of the Snack Food Association on a package of potato chips or cup cakes.

    The various brewers groups, esp. post-Repeal, had advertising and marketing codes, programs to co-operate with state and federal government regulators, and attempted to "clean up" retail shops and bars, etc. They were interested in (and best known publicly due to a long running "Beer Belongs" ad campaign of) promoting beer as the "Beverage of Moderation" in an effort to prevent more regulation/return to aspects of Prohibition, etc.
     
    #5 jesskidden, Jun 6, 2013
  6. dbrauneis

    dbrauneis Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,071) Dec 8, 2007 North Carolina
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I guess my thoughts on this are "so what and what effect does this have on consumers?"
     
    #6 dbrauneis, Jun 6, 2013
  7. sherm1016

    sherm1016 Pundit (867) Aug 10, 2009 Wisconsin

    At this point, with it just being applied by Mother Earth, probably none. But if there is further adoption of this, it will be interesting to see if it becomes a symbol of "Craft" beer (as defined by the BA) or if its use will be allowed by all BA member companies, which includes all of the "Crafty" and "Non-Craft" breweries, as jesskidden points out above.

    I personally think that the "Craft" versus "Crafty" discussion was somewhat premature, mainly due to the wishy washy definition of "Craft". I think we need a more concrete and logical definition of "Craft" before we start putting little symbols on our bottles and cans to denote what is "Craft" and what is not.
     
    #7 sherm1016, Jun 6, 2013
  8. dbrauneis

    dbrauneis Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,071) Dec 8, 2007 North Carolina
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I guess I don't really get too worked up about the "craft" vs. "crafty" designation - I'm more concerned with good vs. not good.
     
    #8 dbrauneis, Jun 6, 2013
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  9. Chaz

    Chaz Grand Pooh-Bah (3,668) Feb 3, 2002 Minnesota
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Breweries paying membership dues to the BA ought to be able to advertise themselves as such, at least insofar as their dues are paid and current. How this might affect label approval is one ****ling question I'd have, but the end result in terms of how sales are affected (increased vs. decreased) is another question. :sunglasses:
     
    #9 Chaz, Jun 6, 2013
  10. sherm1016

    sherm1016 Pundit (867) Aug 10, 2009 Wisconsin

    Agree. However, that is not Mother Earth's intent, per their press release. Perhaps they don't realize that the "Crafty" and BMC breweries are also dues paying members of the BA and/or don't believe that they should be allowed to advertise as such.
     
    #10 sherm1016, Jun 6, 2013
  11. sherm1016

    sherm1016 Pundit (867) Aug 10, 2009 Wisconsin

    #11 sherm1016, Jun 6, 2013
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