Brewbound Podcast: How to Rebrand Without Upsetting Your Drinkers

Isaac Arthur (left) and Oceania Eagan

Anchor Brewing launched a brand refresh earlier this year that was met with a chilly reception on social media.

The 125-year-old craft brewery responded in a very self-aware way, calling itself “that friend you think of fondly, but haven’t called in months or even years.”

“After years of struggling to turn the tide, we were faced with a very challenging decision: make a bold stand to preserve our recipes and legacy or allow Anchor to be forgotten,” the company wrote on social media. “Our history is our foundation, but it will be lost if no one sees us.”

Herein lies the issue for a beloved, but oft passed over legacy craft brand: Evolve or be forgotten.

“We don’t expect to change everyone’s mind, but we hope this helps you better understand why we are forging ahead in this direction: to keep going,” Anchor wrote.

On the latest edition of the Brewbound Podcast, Blind Tiger Design founder and creative director Oceania Eagan and and CODO Design co-founder and partner Isaac Arthur join the Brewbound team to discuss how to pull off a rebrand without making your fans angry and how to rally them behind it.

Listen to the episode above and on popular platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify

New episodes of the Brewbound Podcast are published every other Thursday. Check Brewbound’s upcoming events schedule for future podcast episodes and streaming video programming.

Email podcast@brewbound.com with questions, comments or suggestions for future shows and guests.