The challenge

• In 1998, Highland Brewing Company was a very small local brewery in Asheville, North Carolina.

• Despite their focus on highest-quality Scottish-inspired beer, they were growing very slowly and had no clear market differentiator. The marketing budget was exceptionally small, so “breaking through the clutter” was imperative.

The solution

• A tagline and poster that would be daring enough to get notoriety and insure the company could not go unnoticed.

• Revised logo and packaging emphasizing handmade, small-batch nature of product.

The results

• Poster won Gold Addy award and Best of Show – Print when introduced. There were reports of poster being stolen from bars, reappearing in dorm rooms.

• Company expanded production and moved into much larger facility: original brewery in downtown Asheville could produce up to 6,500 barrels of beer per year. Company now brews over 50,000 barrels annually with room to grow.