Highland Brewing Company
us through these hard times, and caring enough to share their feedback as we try to do so many new things and adapt to the times.
Highland Brewing Company - Rooftop.
What role should a brand play in being a leader in a distressed market? Highland was built by our community, so community support has always been deeply embedded in our business model, no matter the state of the world around us. So the moment we learned that we would be able to keep brewing and keep our staff employed, we looked externally to see how we could help others. Highland was Asheville’s first craft brewery and we want to lead by example. Right now, we are supporting people, particularly the bar and restaurant workers, with our most comprehensive giving initiative to date. “Give Back with Gaelic” is a program running through the end of the year in which we will donate a portion of the proceeds from sales of our flagship beer, Gaelic Ale, to 12 non-profits supporting hospitality workers across our whole Southeastern distribution footprint. With our brand, we can set a tone in response to our shared experience of the pandemic.
What is the best piece of advice you can offer to other brands in how to deal with the unthinkable like this? My father was born in Jamaica, but his family is Chinese. When I took over the leadership of the business from him, he gave me a scroll with two Chinese characters on it. Together, the symbols mean crisis. Apart, they mean risk and opportunity. He said, “When you are in crisis, you feel the risk. Look for opportunity.”
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CRAFT BRAND AND MARKETING
SEPTEMBER 2020
CBAM-MAG.COM