Comments on: The Power of a Good Pumpclip

By: Andy mogg

Andy mogg — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 09:47:41 +0000

I agree with Scoop.

If anyone speaks to brewers about their clips/POS/website please point them in my direction as we can help them stand out for the right reasons and it won’t cost them the earth!!

By: py0

py0 — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 13:17:59 +0000

Nothing brings the girls flocking round quicker than a young man leaning suavely against the bar ordering an “Old Speckled Hen, please”.

The more obviously breweries clearly aim their products at old beardy men, the less likely anyone else is to try it.

By: Rod

Rod — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 09:06:07 +0000

Cartoon pump clips are a total turn-off (and I’m not excluding Hobgoblin from that, despite my respect for Jeff Drew as a brewer), but the worst “marketing” point of sale crime is the “humourous” name. I think this has been discussed here before, but calling your beer “Old Pig-Biter” means I’m most unlikely to try it. Particularly if there’s a nudge-nudge, seaside postcard aspect…..

By: Phil

Phil — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 22:12:41 +0000

Something that tells newbies what it’s like (light, dark, hoppy, malty) and gives their fans instant brand recognition. My pet hate is when breweries do the second part of this but not the first - Titanic and Abbeydale spring to mind. I buy Magic Rock despite the pump clip art, which makes me think of a bad trip (or what I imagine one would be like). But that may just be me.

By: Matt Curtis

Matt Curtis — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 16:32:27 +0000

I love the design of the Magic Rock labels/pumpclips and I think the amount of effort that has gone into them is similar to the amount of effort that goes into their brilliant beers. I think any brewery that really gives a damn about it’s beer should put the same amount of effort into all aspects of their business as it will help them sell more beer and this post makes a great case study of that.

By: Adie

Adie — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 14:54:41 +0000

Although I agree with both posts, I most enjoy the fact that this is posted right after “The Problem With Tasters”…

By: Cheeeseboiger!

Cheeeseboiger! — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 14:38:41 +0000

I couldn’t agree more.

In fact, I wrote about it here —> http://real-ale-reviews.com/like-trousers-like-brain/2011/04/ last year, partly in response to seeing Magic Rock’s branding for the first time and partly knowing that I was soon to have the opportunity to apply my theory to Rooster’s Brewing Co.’s pump clips.

Thankfully, the response has been very positive so far and I think more and more breweries are ‘upping their game’ too.

By: Phil

Phil — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 14:03:46 +0000

Another similar missed opportunity is when the bar in question has no pump clip available at all?

Unless you know the beer already, the words “Scruttles Old Dirigible” scribbled on the back of a torn in two beer mat and cello-taped to a pump does not imply the product within is worth wasting three of four quid on…

By: pubman79

pubman79 — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 14:01:31 +0000

If I don’t recognise any of the beers I always go for the most professional/classy pump clip. I cant stand cartoon ones.

By: Reluctant Scooper

Reluctant Scooper — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 12:44:54 +0000

Perhaps the bar staff should have asked him what he’s like? I frequent a bar that asks confused-looking newbies what they normally drink and signpost them on from there.

Having said that, I could still bang my head on the bar when brewers don’t take advantage of producing an effective point-of-sale advert for their product. Something that tells newbies what it’s like (light, dark, hoppy, malty) and gives their fans instant brand recognition.

When doing the numbers to calculate a brew’s cost, brewers need to factor in a proper percentage to cover effective sales and marketing. It’s a waste of time and money for them otherwise.