BRAND BUZZ W RITTE N B Y D AV I D S CH U E MAN N
WHY WORKING WITH
A BRANDING EXPERT MATTERS When new customers encounter your brand, they meet your packaging before anything else — after all, we drink with our eyes first.
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ou’ve spent so much time and money to start your brand and your heart and soul are in every sip. While it may be a bargain at first glance, hiring an amateur is risky and will likely cost you far more time, money, and lost sales in the long run. Experts never seem expensive once you’ve paid amateurs. Experts don’t exist by accident either. Years, often decades, of experience separate experts from the rest. But experience doesn’t always equal expertise — experts will not only have deep and broad industry knowledge but an abundance of focused creativity paired with deep market insights on what will sell. Here’s how to identify experts in the alcohol beverage industry:
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First and foremost, the alcohol beverage industry is highly regulated — an expert will be fluent in TTB regulations. They will be able to deliver final files that are legally compliant, and if issues or questions arise, they’ll navigate these alongside you to solve them. Experts ask the crucial questions up front, setting clear aesthetic and strategic goals at project kickoff. They will make sure they understand key objectives and budget restrictions, and their creative and strategic questions are answered
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before starting work, to save budget and time. They will work with you to understand your business plan, tiering structure, and sales objectives.
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An industry expert understands supply chain challenges. They can help you navigate this complex landscape and will have best-in-class vendor relationships that you will be able to leverage to get the best materials and thus, the best packaging results possible.
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Experts will help manage the production process, gather bids, and negotiate the best possible pricing. Once vendors are chosen, they will conduct meetings to avoid pitfalls and leverage cost savings.
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An expert will have a high level of technical knowledge on bottling, canning, and other downstream production processes to ensure your design produces seamlessly.
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They are experts in materials and sourcing — they will recommend paper, print methods, and other packaging solutions that make sense within your budget.
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