Are you influenced by label design?

It was "common knowledge" (or maybe just a "common assumption"?) that the majority of Pittsburgh Brewing Co's numerous canned beers, especially the novelty cans like Olde Frothingslosh and the private label brands, at the time contained Iron City Beer. A few others - notably their short-lived super-premium Sierra Beer - were unique recipes.

 

I was in a bottle shop this week where the owners were trying to be very helpful and I was in a relative hurry but just browsing. After a handful of questions I said something like I was "just looking for something that catches my eye". They made a comment about "those great label designers" which wasn't what I meant. I was meaning looking for something from a brand I know that I haven't had but nothing specific. Funny how their tone was a bit derisive and I found it a slight bit insulting.

Now to be honest when I shop for beer I sometimes just pick up a few beers from brands I've never heard of to experiment. In those cases I've got to assume that label design plays a big role in getting me to at least notice the beer and then read the label and maybe look it up. A corollary to this is the name of the beer, when I'm traveling I've got to assume that when I go to a bar with local beers the names play a role in what I purchase. With over 5,000 breweries in the US alone none of us can possibly know every brewery and taking 20 minutes to choose a beer can get a bit douchie.

 

I won't lie, they do somewhat. Naturally drawn in and attracted to interesting and vibrant packaging vs bland but it is not the soul reason I make a purchase. I believe craft beer and art go hand in hand, it is part of the scene.

Cheers

 

The ONLY thing i like about all the different beers on the shelves these days is the label art.

 

Yes, not only label art, but beer names as well. Beers with clever names get extra hype. Looking at you Juice Lee.

 

"Judge a beer not by the artwork on its label but by the character of its contents" - MLK

 

No, It's all about what's inside, not outside.

 

I am consciously only influenced by label design in a negative way. I will not buy beer when the label is personally offensive or when the label provokes a "yuck" response.

(I know... I might be missing out on a "great" beer... so what? Since I am not a ticker, I don't care. There are plenty of other great beers without yucky or offensive labels!)

Also, I am not expecting any brewer to change their label to accommodate my taste in labels. This is just my opinion and my reaction. They are free to do what they do.

Subconsciously? Who knows? That is why it is called the subconscious!

 

I found this 'fetching' beauty on eBay.

 

I think most people are influenced by marketing whether they like to admit it or not.

I actually think that judging a beer by its label if you have no other information to go on makes sense to some degree. A brewer who puts more care into the beer's presentation may also be more likely to put more care into the beer. There are obviously many examples where this is not the case, but I do think there is some correlation there.

 

Some posts have touched on this already, but it's worth highlighting the difference between conscious and unconscious effects with these sorts of questions.

The conscious part is easier to answer, and as many people have mentioned a label that has good, clear, information about the beer can be a big plus without even considering the larger design/artwork. But a big part of the trick to marketing lies in the more subtle and not entirely conscious effects it can have. A good label isn't going to turn a terrible beer into a great one, or vice versa, but it can reinforce (or lessen) an affinity for a particular brand, or nudge a beer into seeming more (or less) personally appealing than other beers that are roughly as good.

And you don't need a big, flashy, piece of artwork to accomplish this - a very simple or clean design can do the same thing if it's done right. It's kind of a freaky thing to consider, but in general a fairly large percentage of our behavior is governed by things we're not always entirely aware of.

 

That tells me something about you that I did not need to know!

 

I will sometimes buy a single bottle if I like the label, but overall I really don't care most of the time.

 

I look at labels all the time but never buy just because of the label art.

 

I was upset though, the beer didn't taste like shit. Whatever happened to truth in advertising?

 

The look of the label/bottle plays a big factor for me. If I am looking for new beer I am quicker to pick up the bottle with the nice label and read about it or check for reviews online than the one with the plain label. I also find that I'm a sucker for wax dipped beers. To me it makes the beer look much more upscale and interesting.

 

In a bit of a plug, my friend did this label for an area brewery. Damn fine beer too!

http://freshbreaddesign.com/images/ahf combo.jpg?crc=182106294

 

Just like people, it's inside that counts!

I really hate when good labels get changed just for the sake of change though (or in hopes that a fancy new label will increase sales figures). I'm looking at you Troegs, Long Trail, BBC!

 

Sometimes. If the label is really cool, I will try it. Hoof Hearted, for example, makes some really cool ones like Konkey Dong and I'll have what she's having. Tired Hands has some cool artwork as well.

But it should always be about the beer.

 

Oh yeah...I really don't know what some breweries are thinking...Stillwater comes to mind;Stapler?....Vacuum?....What the hell am I drinking?? And if you're going to have a crappy label AT LEAST give some info...Style? What kind of hops? Short description of flavor? PLEASE!