BRAND BUZZ W RITTE N B Y D AV I D S CH U E MAN N
BUILDING YOUR
BRAND DREAM TEAM Why choosing the right path with the right partners from the start can pay huge dividends for your brand.
I
t pays to pay the right people — especially when you’re building a spirits brand. When you go it alone, it can be more expensive in the long run. Seemingly affordable freelancers rack up billable hours. What seems like a simple website build turns into a digital catastrophe without a programming expert. Navigating supply chains for bottles, closures, and label paper alone can be confusing at best, and at worst, leave you without crucial packaging elements. When you do it right the first time, with a team of experts, you’ll be able to build pre-launch hype with your digital marketing mix, you’ll have a smoother launch overall, and you’re going to be able to thoroughly brief your sales team so they’re more knowledgeable on the brand upon release. Without key players, you will miss out on building that rapport with your customers, and the sales dollars that come with it. Here are some experts and the reasons why hiring them is getting it done right the first time.
BRAND DESIGN PARTNER A thoughtful and well-executed design invites trial, reinforces quality, and assists with recall. A quality design agency can guide you through the creative process to provide you with strategic packaging that is beautiful, and more importantly sells. They will have all the qualities listed below.
LABEL PRINTER You will want a trusted vendor to print your labels — a trusted printer will provide timely quotes, samples when necessary, and will provide recommendations for paper and treatments that stay within your budget and adhere to your timeline.
▶ DEMONSTRATIVE Ask for samples! An expert label printer
will want to share their work with you. This will demonstrate their high-quality printing equipment — look for number of ink stations, number of presses, foil options, level of emboss/deboss detail.
▶ RESOURCEFUL They will be able to offer a variety of substrate options — if they have trouble sourcing due to supply chain, they’ll be able to suggest similar alternatives that fall within your budget.
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DETAIL ORIENTED Label printing experts think critically and strategically; they want to make sure your final label looks perfect.
▶ PRESS CHECKS Your print vendor should include you in any/
▶ STRATEGIC A brand design partner should not only provide you
all press checking. They’ll want you to be involved in the print process and they will make sure you approve all colors and treatments before the final print run.
▶ STRAIGHTFORWARD They’ll ask the right questions up front, max-
GLASS VENDOR
▶ PRACTICAL They will work within your cost of goods to create a
A good glass vendor will keep you up to date with lead times and available glass. They’ll have options for you if your top bottle choice is unavailable, and they’ll work to find a solution within the weight/ price point you’re looking for.
with a packaging solution that you love, they will also be able to help with brand story, strategy, and positioning. imizing your time and budget to deliver a design you love off the bat.
design solution that is practical and within your budget.
▶ CREATIVE They’ll create a design that you’re thrilled with, and more importantly, captures your target consumer again and again.
▶ ATTENTIVE They will never deliver final art and say goodbye, they’ll
provide print-ready production files and remain available to your vendors, so your vision gets executed.
W W W . ARTISANSPIRITMAG . C O M
▶ These days, many spirits companies use
CUSTOM GLASS
to control their own supply chain. You can access your glass and fine tune your design to perfection at a comparable cost, rather than settle for a bottle you don’t love for the sake of what’s available. 27