Craftwashing in the U.S. beer industry (original) (raw)
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Bottle Revolution: Constructing Consumer and Producer Identities in the Craft Beer Industry
Research Papers in Economics, 2014
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2020
Over the last few decades, the production and consumption of craft beer in the United States has witnessed a spectacular increase. According to the Brewer’s Association (2020), there were approximately 89 breweries operating in the United States in 1978 compared to 8,386 in 2019. Along with this rapid market expansion, the cultural status of beer also underwent significant changes. Despite the exponential rise in the number of craft breweries as well as the emergence of a craft beer culture, little empirical scholarship on the field of craft beer exists. In this study, I analyze the rapid status shift of craft beer by exploring its social history of changes that occurred both exogenously to the cultural field of craft beer as well as endogenous developments within the field. Further, I examine in detail the emergence and role of a critical discourse surrounding craft beer culture in relation to its involvement in the elevation of status as well as the construction of symbolic and so...
Agents of change: An investigation of how craft breweries educate their consumers.
2012
Within the last 20 years, the number of breweries in Australia has grown from 11 to almost 150. The new entrants to this market are ‘craft breweries’: small, independent and traditional breweries, which differentiate their products on taste and ingredients. The products they offer are often not ‘standard’ commercial lagers (e.g. VB, Fosters, Budweiser, Heineken, Carlsberg), and many consumers have little knowledge of, and experience with, speciality ales. From a consumer socialisation perspective, this study investigates how craft brewers educate their consumers about their products in the state of Victoria, Australia. Based on in- depth interviews with the business owners, we examine craft brewers as sources of influence – or socialisation agents – within a boutique industry. The results indicate that the craft brewers position themselves as experts and as such may be an important socialisation agent.
How storytelling impacts branding for craft beer
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This paper explores millennial consumers’ perceptions regarding how brand storytelling can contribute to building brand equity for the craft beer industry. Since time began, stories provided deeper meaning of life, uniting cultures and fortifying religious beliefs. People like to experience life through stories since they enhance relationships, serve as learning tools and help build an all-important sense of community. The study adds value to academics by extending the literature about storytelling and examining the ‘Extended Transportation-Imagery Model’ (Van Laer et al., 2014). The research enhances craft beer brewers’ understanding of how storytelling can build their brands while targeting the fickle needs of millennials. This group, 21-34 year olds are credited for being trend hunters, value conscious, purchasing organic and healthy and also noted for spending more on craft beer each month than they do on their mobile phones and utilities (Settembre, 2019) becoming a profitable ...
2017
The American craft beer industry has seen tremendous growth in the last two decades and exemplifies the growing artisanal and locavore movements which are shaping a variety of industries and reflect shifts in stakeholder motivations, particularly Millennials. Through a series of interviews with craft beer professionals, this study explores the role of public relations in the craft beer industry, what is unique about public relations within industry, and the strategies breweries use to build relationships with one another and other stakeholders. Findings do not only apply to craft beer, but other industries influenced by the locavore and artisanal movements.
Craft' as a contested term: authenticity and meaning among British beer consumers
2018
This chapter analyses associations consumers attach to the ‘craft’ label in the context of the booming craft-brewing industry. Craft has long been employed as a symbol of distinct artisanship in this industry, but there are currently claims of a ‘craft beer revolution’. The increasing number of craft breweries is in alignment with consumers’ increasing need for authenticity (Kadirov, Varey and Wooliscroft, 2014). Authenticity is becoming one of the cornerstones of contemporary marketing (Brown, Sherry and Kozinets, 2003). In this study, we analyse brewing industry definitions of craft, and argue that the term has been used and abused by both brewers and consumers, to signify much more than the dictionary perspective of attachment to traditional methods and skills. Through 16 interviews, we reveal how the current ambiguity around craft is evident in its usage by consumers, via locating our findings within theoretical debates on authenticity. We argue that this ambiguity is a challeng...
We present an exploratory analysis of historical narratives and data covering 200 years of beer brewing in the Canadian province of Ontario. These data are used to illuminate the process of collective identity emergence in established organisational fields. We argue that established fields are typically littered with identity remnants from ancestral organisations and related institutional configurations that can facilitate the successful emergence of new collective identities. In our analysis we first show how multiple identity elements fell by the wayside as the beer brewing field matured and settled on a corporate path. We go on to detail how some of these identity elements were subsequently recovered during the recent decades which marked the successful emergence and proliferation of craft beer brewing. Our study has implications for research on collective identity and organisational legacy, and we stress the importance of taking a historical lens for understanding present day phenomena.
Exploring the Impact of Legislation on the Development of Craft Beer
Beverages, 2017
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the ways in which federal and state legislation has impacted the growth of the US craft beer industry. In order to achieve this purpose, the city of Charlotte in North Carolina (N.C.) will be used as a case study. The research is conceptual in nature, a preferred choice as it allows a researcher to break down the issue into its constituent parts in order to gain a broader understanding. The research demonstrates that the legal framework in place for the production and distribution of alcoholic beverages in the U.S.A., which is a legacy of the Prohibition movement of the last century, continues to have a significant impact on the development of the craft beer industry. The growth in the number of breweries across the U.S.A. has been driven by the craft brewing industry and has provided consumers with a vastly increased array of choices (Burgdorf, 2016). The growth in the craft beer industry has not been proportional across all states, however. While many factors influence the growth of craft breweries (Carroll and Swaminathan, 2000), regulations such as those that restrict how brewers can distribute and retail beer have inhibited growth in many states, limiting consumer choice. The research demonstrates that change can be effected, as it has in N.C., through consumer pressure at the grassroots level. This paper provides an original perspective to the consideration of the growth of this important industry, arguing that future growth in the sector will continue to be impacted by the legislative frameworks in place. This in turn impacts on the ability of entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, and on aspects of consumer choice.