Prototyping the future Attacat branding
...with beer
Brew Monday - Brewing five beers that reflect Attacat
An eon before Covid-19 entered the common lexicon, the team took a trip to Stewart Brewing’s craft beer kitchen.
We chose the 20th January 2020 so we had a good antidote to what is meant to be the most depressing day of the year. Blue Monday was to become Brew Monday.
The aim: brew the Attacat brand values into a range of five beers. It marked an important milestone on a long and often stressful journey towards the forthcoming Attacat branding.
Although Brew Monday was primarily about doing something different and entertaining, the more serious aim was to cement the team’s understanding of what is behind “Grow Together”, the phrase that sums up what Attacat is all about.
"Grow together" so everyone involved benefits
Of course Attacat is about growing businesses online. It has and likely always will be. However it’s the way we do it and what led to digital marketing in the first place that is the Attacat difference. We seek to do it in a way that adds to the lives of our clients’ customers, our team, our partners and of course our clients. Everyone involved benefits or “grows” in one way or another.
It may be a subtle difference but we believe it’s the driving difference. We believe it is why our people are so proactive and passionate. We believe it is why clients stick with us for a decade or more and it’s why we all keep growing year after year.
Although many of us are having to take a pause from financial growth at the moment, few would argue that we aren’t growing as people and helping each other through this crisis.
It’s the philosophy behind “grow together” that I believe will also drive the return to financial growth as we and our businesses all come out of this, together and stronger.
Brewing in the values
With the short amount of time and a relatively limited range of ingredients there were certainly limits in what we could do. If I’m honest the exercise did a great job of creating the conversations and deepening the teams understanding of “grow together”. Getting ingredients and brewing methods that really speak “Attacat” was a bit more of a challenge.
Never the less, the five brew teams, each with their own take on “grow together”, have delivered five remarkably drinkable beers. That in itself is a typical Attacat trait: not losing sight of what’s most important.
Meet the beers
The Stout
Our stout brewers were inspired by the amazing powers of yeast and the parallels with “grow together”. Did you know that whilst the yeast works away at creating the alcohol, it also grows? And as it can be reused it can not only repeat the process but each brew means it can take on the challenge of more or bigger brews. The other key ingredient? Chocolate barley. There are few days at Attacat without mention of chocolate. Vegan
The IPA
Unlike the standard IPAs, this RyePA defies expectations of a pale ale, just like Attacat defies the typical persona of an agency. Our unwavering positivity and optimism is represented by the fruity flavours, while the higher alcohol content is symbolic of our fierce drive to deliver results. Unfiltered and packed with flavour. Vegan.
The Pilsner
A pilsner may be simple on the surface but there’s lots going on underneath. It’s a crowd pleaser that stands the test of time because of its focus on quality: the ingredients and the techniques. It’s transparency is natural and genuine. No artificial ingredients were used to make it look that way. Vegan.
The Lager
A classic pale lager with a twist. Inspired by the tradition of Attacat Friday beers. Enjoy 5% at 5pm on the 5th day of the week for maximum enjoyment. From a tiny office in Stockbridge to our George Street office then looking into the future with The Stack – there will always be Friday beers. We grow with you but always take our traditions with us. Vegetarian.
The Golden Ale
Thinking of tomorrow, today. A session beer with a relatively low alcohol content to reflect the idea of playing the long game and achieving a sustainable result (a key outcome of growing together). Vegetarian.
(The plus sign was created by using an algorithm to autogenerate the image based on a piece of real abstract art – I’d say that’s pretty Attacat, wouldn’t you?)
In a perfect world...
The Stewart Craft Beer Kitchen is a wonderful experience. As novices with only a few hours though, there were limits that James, the resident brewer, rightly imposed on us to ensure we ended up with quality beer. Our perfect world scenario would have involved:
One label we didn’t aspire to is “organic”. Whilst “organic” is a clear message, sometimes the most natural and responsibly grown ingredients don’t fit into the organic criteria. We are proud that the ingredients in these beers are all natural and responsibly sourced. We don’t feel a need to slow ourselves down in the bureaucracy associated with organic.
The non-designer designs and the plus signs
Why the plus signs?
Our ongoing brand process has led to the creative concept of a plus sign to represent “grow together”. If our why is “Grow Together”, our how is “by adding to lives” and that was the original inspiration. But it’s a symbol that represents so much more:
+ For growth, getting bigger
+ For marketing that adds to the overall offering
+ For positivity and optimism
+ For doing more than average and being above average
+ For togetherness and being greater than the sum of the parts (That applies to relationships between our clients too).
+ For its association with the 1s and 0s of digital. Maths and tech have close associations.
+For not being negative (Success at the cost of others is not an option)
+ For adding to lives
The prototype pluses
We aspire to having a visual identity that will have the feel of a gallery of modern art pluses. Our plan is to commission artists and illustrators who will create truely interesting plus signs. Something that will make you think and will add to our lives through simply creating some intrigue..
But what do you do when you have just one hour and no artists on hand? Well you have a go of course. Or in digital marketing speak you produce some prototypes so you have something that will start the conversation and deliver value straight away.
And that’s what we have until the artists arrive. The five different plus signs were produced by the brewers as part of their day off digital marketing. They won’t be part of our final visual identity but you have to start somewhere!
In the meantime...
Whilst we wait for the final identity, please enjoy the beer. We are sorry we can’t enjoy it together in person but if you fancy getting onto Zoom whilst sampling it, let us know and we’ll make it a date!
Ready to talk marketing?
... and beer
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