Consultancy Services
As a former board-level strategic planner with some of the world’s largest advertising and branding agencies, my in-depth knowledge of the market together with my perspective as a writer and commentator makes me a valuable sounding-board for brewers, drinks marketers, and their agencies. I’ve worked with Heineken, Stella Artois, Young’s, Robinson’s, Magner’s, Diageo, Guinness and Marston’s, as well as advertising, brand strategy and design agencies in London, Europe, Africa and the USA.
I also offer discounted rates to make the expertise enjoyed by these corporations available to smaller brewers.
My role as Chair of Judges for the Beer and Cider Marketing Awards also gives me a rare insight into how marketing best practice is developing in this frenetic, dynamic industry.
Drop me a line if you’d be interested in how I might add value to your business, or sign up for my regular consultancy newsletter, offering free insight into the industry, here.
Marketing Strategy
Whether it’s developing a brand from the beginning, redefining or repositioning an existing brand, looking at a communications mix or simply acting as a sounding board for ideas, I’m experienced at all aspects of strategic brand development and execution, with twenty years marketing experience. I was a board-level strategist before I gave it up to spend more time writing.
Recent Example Project:
“Here’s our new low alcohol beer. Be honest: what do you think of it from both a product and a brand point of view? How should we launch it?”
Market Overview & Trends Analysis
The beer and cider markets are moving ahead at a frenetic pace and people’s levels of knowledge and appreciation are constantly evolving. I do my best to stay on top of this and offer insight and perspective to both existing players and prospective new entrants.
Recent Example Project:
“We want to invest in the craft beer sector. Can you tell us what the hell is going on and where it’s going to go from here?”
Market Research
I am an experienced qualitative research moderator and have designed, run and debriefed research for clients including Marston’s, Robinsons and Magner’s.
Recent Example Project:
“We’re looking at launching a new brand extension but we’ve lost our way in trying to come up with research concepts and we’re worried we’ve all just got too close to it. Could you take a fresh look at them and rewrite them so they make sense?”
Pitch Consultancy
If you’re an agency pitching for a beer or cider you need a crash course in the market, trends, current thinking etc. You might also need an outside head to sense-check your ideas before presenting them.
Recent Example Project:
“We’re an agency pitching for a major beer brand but our team have no experience in the sector. Can you bring us up to speed and make us look like beer experts before our chemistry meeting on Wednesday?”
New Product Development
From analysing trends and spotting gaps in the market to coming up with ideas that will work, that people might actually want to drink, and developing these ideas into concepts for research and testing.
Recent Example Project:
“We want to develop some NPD concepts for cider across Europe. Can you come along and (a) run a workshop and (b) take a team who aren’t knowledgeable about cider and inspire and excite them about the possibilities that are out there?”
Training
Whether it’s bar staff who need to learn how to talk to consumers about beer or executives responsible for beer brands suddenly realising they don’t know their hops from their sparger, I can offer tuition in how beer is made, where it comes from, how to taste it, talk about it and serve it.
Recent Example Project:
“I’m opening a new bar with a range of craft beers. My bar staff have a variety of different levels of experience with beer. Can you talk them through the range and give them some tips on how to sell it?”
Copywriting
I’ve written corporate brochures, brewery histories and brewery tours (though not always using my name as an endorsement.) I can combine the key messages and tone you want to get across with a fluent style that never sounds like marketing speak.
Recent Example Project:
“Our brand has a great story but no one knows it. Could you research and write the definitive history of the brand in a way that marketing and PR can cherry-pick useful parts from and use practically?”
Retail Consultancy
If you want a range of beers and/or ciders that stands out from your competitors but you don’t know how to put it together, I can help tailor a range of drinks as well as recommendations for food matching.
Recent Example Project:
“We’re a central London restaurant with a themed menu and we’d like to offer a modest beer range that pairs with the food without being too complicated, aimed at people who are starting to become interested in craft beer but aren’t experts. What brands should we stock, and what beer should we pair with these signature dishes?”