For the first time since 2020, the Scottish brewery BrewDog has redesigned the look of its main cans. We’ve seen changes made to its Punk IPA, Hazy Jane, Lost Lager, and Elvis Juice cans, as well as some other changes behind the scenes – but what’s the reason?
The company explained the rebrand will bring “A fresh look for our beers. Fresh food in our bars. Fresh faces at the heart of the company.”
BrewDog insists this revamp gives each beer a “more individual identity”, but the internet seems united in one question: Did it just change the colours and call it a day? Here’s a look inside the BrewDog rebrand.
From ‘disrupting the industry’ to giving fonts a facelift
via Unsplash
The new look comes with a new slogan: “Brewed Fresh”. Because, you know, apparently it wasn’t before?
BrewDog’s COO Lauren Carrol calls this “the start of a new era”, claiming it will “disrupt the category”. Which is bold, especially when the new look screams edgy enough for marketing, bland enough for Tesco. The cans have all been redesigned and feature a different pattern now, with some using a new font.
Punk IPA now “packs more of a punch”, but it’s unclear whether the ingredients have stayed the same across all of its new cans. Lost Lager gets a “light facelift” with “simplified messaging”, and Elvis Juice has been aligned with its US design, though who’s really noticed? Sure, the cans are glossier.
Same BrewDog, different label: Fruity and vaguely chaotic
Despite the facelift, some things remain painfully familiar: The beers still cost half your student loan, with some pints costing £7.10. They still scream first date at a craft bar, and like any beer to be fair, lay for weeks in the recycling bin after a “quiet one”.
To mix things up, the BrewDog rebrand also launched two new fruity brews exclusive to Co-op: Fruit Burst IPA and Orange Crush. They sound less like craft beers and more like discontinued Fanta flavours. The first is “bursting with tropical, passionfruit, and berry notes” (cute), while the other offers “tangy citrus aromas”. All yours for a modest £6 to £7.50 per four pack. A steal.
Did it pass the vibe check?
via Unsplash
It’s safe to say people aren’t exactly raising a can to the rebrand, and it’s not just about the new fonts. The company is yet to boast about its new cans on the @brewdogofficial Instagram grid, so some people won’t even be aware of it.
BrewDog’s image has also faced challenges in recent years, from criticism over workplace culture to a pink “beer for girls” campaign that was meant to highlight gender inequality.
In response to the campaign, BrewDog’s global head of marketing Sarah Warman said at the time: “The fact that the gender pay gap is still an issue in 2018 shows that a lot of lip service is being paid, but not enough action is being taken to tackle inequality. With Pink IPA, we are making a statement the only way we know how – with beer.
“Pink IPA is clearly an over the top ridiculing of the types of sexist marketing we often see from brands trying to engage a female audience.
“We always anticipated that some people might not immediately appreciate the irony of Pink IPA but that did not deter us in our mission to spark a conversation about the gender pay gap.”
Throw in an average beer, and a PR strategy that seems to run on vibes and TikTok trends, and it’s no wonder some people are rolling their eyes at yet another “bold new era”. Turns out you can polish a can, but you can’t polish a reputation.
At the end of the day, it’s still the same Brewdog: Vaguely punk, very performative, and definitely spenny. But hey, if you’re going to drink it, at least now it clashes less with your kitchen tiles.
Featured image via TikTok and Unsplash
