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By Clare Goggin Sivits On August 17, 2022

Taking a Spirits Brand from Concept to Launch

Based along Florida’s scenic route that hugs the Gulf Coast, 30A Distilling Co. crafts rum, vodka and bourbon. The brand aims to celebrate the communities along the route with high-quality products. 

Taking a brand from the concept phase to launch requires planning, strategy, design and content. It calls for a careful mixture of creativity and vision and we struck that balance when we collaborated with 30A Distilling Co.

When we teamed up with the Florida craft distillery, we brought their brand to life. That included developing branding from scratch, finding an audience, spreading awareness and creating demand.

Here’s how 30A Distilling Co. evolved through each step of the branding and design process.

1. Branding Workshop

White copy is shown against a blue background above the photo of an office with colorful sticky notes and white boards. The copy reads: "We have a fraction of a second to create a first impression. Is your brand sending the right message?"

Our Branding Workshop consists of identifying the purpose and values of the brand, defining the brand’s personality and really honing the brand identity.

During a branding workshop, we meet one-on-one with the client to build out the brand. For 30A Distilling Co., we noted the importance of the surrounding community.

2. Branding

With insights from the Branding Workshop, we develop a brand voice, story and strategy. For 30A Distilling, we made it a priority to create a voice and story that appealed to locals and tourists alike.

Blue copy reads: "Consistency is key. You could raise your revenue by 10 to 20 percent with brand consistency alone, so it's important to dial in your messaging as early as possible."

Through the workshop, we discovered that we should make it a priority to create a voice and narrative that appealed to locals and tourists alike. The distillery’s branding incorporates stories about how each of the spirits speak to a beloved local area.

3. Logo Design and Label System

Labels designed for craft distillery 30A Distilling Co. hang on a frame.

Logo design and development, as well as a label system, requires a consistent look and color scheme.

The logo and label system for 30A incorporated colors that have a beach and laid-back spirit to them. The labels we designed to identify how 30A Distilling Co. spirits tie to specific Florida communities.

Increase brand recognition by 80 percent with a signature brand color.

4. SEO Research

Blue copy against a white background reads, "Traffic from organic search constitutes 53.3 percent of website visits on average. It's important that your business shows up at the top of the pages that are most relevant to you. This can be accomplished through methods like blogging, backlinks, regular keyword research."

Before creating a website and copy for any brand, it’s important to know the SEO landscape for the business as a whole.

In terms of 30A Distilling Co., we looked at not only the industry but also the local area and how search terms and keywords trended in those areas. When used organically in content, SEO helps brands, like 30A Distilling Co., improve ranking in search results.

5. Website Design

A computer screen, a tablet, and a mobile phone all display a website for craft distillery 30A Distilling Co.

A website is an important destination for any business. When it comes to a distillery, it’s an effective way to communicate and spread awareness about the brand, its spirits and its tasting room.

When we designed 30A Distilling Co.’s website, we took into account all the various elements of the business and its story.

30A’s website has seen 5.7K unique visitors since its launch 4 months ago.

6. Social Media and Blog Content

Blue text on a white background reads, "Since its launch, 34 percent of all 30A website visitors have come from social media."

In order to maintain search ranking, a brand needs to continually create effective content that uses optimized keywords and search terms.

We post social content for 30A Distilling Co. three to five times per week and publish blog posts one to two times per month, keeping keywords and search terms in mind.

Blue text on a white background reads, "Our press release was picked up by 12 media outlets."

7. Public Relations

When a distillery opens, releases a new spirit, or has another noteworthy milestone, it can be useful to send out a press release.

Postcards and merchandise as well as a booth at an event were designed by High-Proof Creative for craft distillery 30A Distilling Co.

We wrote a press release for 30A Distilling Co.’s grand opening party and sent it to local and national outlets to review.

8. Ads and Peripheral Assets

Advertising can support the goal of reaching a relevant audience that may not be aware of a brand. It’s also important to consider that your audience doesn’t interact with your brand exclusively online.

To spread more brand awareness, we designed ads for both print and digital use. We also developed banners, booths and merchandise for 30A Distilling Co. that fans can experience in real life. These have been used at events and at the tasting room.

Blue text against a white background reads, "74 percent of baby boomers think email is the most personal way to connect with a brand. 72 percent of Gen X, 64 percent of Millenials, and 60 percent of Gen Z feel the same way."

9. Newsletter

A newsletter is an effective way to keep an existing audience tuned in to events and news.

For 30A Distilling Co., we kept fans in the know about the launch and release of new spirits.

Email HighProofCreative@gmail.com to discuss your brand’s growth strategy.

Clare Goggin Sivits

As a marketer with a strong writing background, Clare Goggin Sivits has worked in the beer, spirits, and wine industries for nearly a decade. She oversaw digital marketing for a small wine startup as well as a craft brewery and distillery with a nationwide footprint. A Florida ex-pat, Clare now lives in Portland, Oregon, and continues to write about craft beverage marketing and the industry as a whole.

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