History of the Independent Craft Brewer Seal
The Independent Craft Brewer Seal was launched on June 27, 2017 as a tool to identify breweries that meet the definition of a craft brewer. That day, 432 American craft breweries signed up to use it. Today, over 5,000 craft brewers representing over 85% of craft beer volume use the seal. The first users see it as a mark of distinction, differentiation and certification. “Take Craft Back,” which launched in October 2017, was the first campaign to feature the likeness of the seal. “Take Craft Back” had a mammoth goal: to raise $213 billion to buy Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), reversing the scenario of the global company that has bought 10 independent US breweries since 2011. The campaign has raised more than $3.8 million in pledges. the support of nearly 12,000 people.
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Choice
Building on the momentum of “Take Craft Back”, the Brewers Association launched “It’s Independence You Taste” in August 2018. The campaign centered around two commercial spots, “Independence” and “Choice”, to put small brewers on the big stage across multiple channels, including linear TV, digital TV, social media and Pandora Radio. Historic in scope, the national advertising campaign increased awareness of the independent craft brewer seal on major channels including CBS Sports Network, Comedy Central, Travel Channel and various other CBS shows. In 2019, the effort and success of the campaign continued. See here for a summary of the growing momentum.
The seal captures the spirit of what small independent craft brewers have achieved. Brewers have added the seal to everything related to their brands, especially packaged beer – bottles, cans, six-pack holders, boxes, keg collars, and more. For many people, beer isn’t just about what’s in the glass, it’s also about the people who brew it and the brewery owner behind the brands.
