Granville Island Brewing has launched a new design on its packaging and cans that brings it back to its roots in a bid to better stand out in an increasingly competitive segment.
“Given the level of ‘noise’ on the craft beer shelf nowadays, it was vital that we didn’t get lost in it, and so we reimagined our design, pulling on some influences from our original designs of decades past, with a modern twist,” says Brendan Dalton, brand manager for the brewer. “We felt that we had strayed from an identity that was easily recognizable to our consumers and authentic to what or ‘who’ our brand has always been. According to Dalton, after conducting a detailed level of market research amongst its target demographic, it was clear that consumers felt a similar way.
The new look for Granville Island reimagines the old with larger, clearer font and a more dynamic visual presentation that incorporates imagery of landmarks from Vancouver and Canada’s west coast. Designed in partnership with Brand Opus, the reimagining is an eye-popping twist on what the brand has always done.
“Paying tribute to the city we call home is something our brand and visual identity have done for many years. For us, it was important to reaffirm that connection with the city and remind ourselves of our own history,” explains Dalton. “While most brands represent locations in Vancouver specifically, we have a few that depict locations outside of the city such as the Sunshine Coast or Cypress Mountains. The goal was not just to represent the city, but also the west coast lifestyle … While we love our city, it’s important to portray our connection to British Columbia also.”
But the new look – and the new names for its core line of beverages to reflect popular Vancouver neighbourhoods such as Kitsilano, English Bay and False Creek – aren’t the only nods in this new design. It’s also about the brand’s history as one of the country’s pioneering microbreweries, which “is definitely something unique to Granville Island Brewing and a large source of bride for us,” he adds.
“Owning our own history is key to the design and approach of the brand going forward,” says Dalton.
The new look is being promoted through awareness-building and engagement efforts, featuring “programs and activities that support our consumers in doing more of the things they love,” Dalton elaborates. “We have amazing partners in our local ski hills, for example, so expect our winter season to be driven at store level with ski passes and unique ski and snowboarding equipment.”
The goal is to build an immediate connection between the brand and its new look, and the lives of those who reside in B.C. and the hobbies they love.
“People who live in B.C. have a love for craft beer that goes hand-in-hand with their passion for getting out and doing the things they love, whether that’s playing volleyball at the beach, or skiing the slopes of the North Shore, and of course enjoying a beer afterwards,” notes Dalton. “This insight really played into our new brand direction, and you’ll see it reflected in our new packaging.”
