The evolution of the term 'craft beer'

As a trade mark attorney, I am always quite fascinated by how brands attract consumers. Beyond just a cool name, interesting logo or catchy slogan (all of which might be registered trade marks!), how do wider and more general branding aspects help to persuade consumers to buy your goods or services?

It is therefore really interesting to see that independent brewers are dropping the general label ‘craft beer’ from their products. The movement away from calling a product ‘craft beer’ seems to be as a result of two things. Firstly, breweries which started off small and produced lower volumes have now grown and are mass-producing their successful products. As a result, what was once a ‘craft beer’ product is no longer. Secondly, established and large-scale breweries seem to have been using the term ‘craft beer’ as a marketing ploy to capitalise on consumers looking for more niche and alternative products.

According to industry experts, this perhaps erroneous use of the term ‘craft beer’ has made it difficult for consumers to really identify what was once considered a ‘craft beer’, i.e. a quality, small-scale and independent product. As a result, independent breweries are seeking alternative terms, with the Society of Independent Brewers recently launching a campaign to promote ‘indie beer’.

What remains to be seen is whether this change in terminology will change consumer behaviour and the extent to which independent breweries can create and maintain a market space for their ‘indie beer’ products.

My colleague Matt has also shared his thoughts on this story here https://reacts.marks-clerk.com/post/102jmj2/a-crafty-move.