New Craft Brewery
ROLE Freelance Creative Director CLIENT Monkey Wrench Brewing YEAR 2016-2020
Environmental Design
16,000 sq ft seems like a lot at first! City ordinances that restricted the exterior meant I had to use the facade space effectively. The majority of operating hours are at night, placing high importance on the single exterior signage.
I helped create a memorable backlit sign to act as a roadside beacon to thirsty travelers. The mounted exterior signage featured bright LEDs with ambient color-changing cycles.
The mundane office template was transformed into a psychedelic, rock-infused hangout.
May 2018
Feb 2020
The taproom mural provides a fantastic photo backdrop and electrifies the indoor space. I commissioned and directed a local artist.
I helped form the layout of the warehouse and beer garden spaces, allowing different zones and foot traffic to mesh together.
I painted this mural in June 2020. This fun warehouse art provided a great selfie backdrop for patrons.
From my design and digital marketing efforts, the brand is easy to find online these days.
What
I played a vital role in transforming a backyard home brew hobby into a commercial business operation called Monkey Wrench Brewing (MWB). In 2016, I began working with the founder to develop the brand's personality, cultivate a community, and construct a manufacturing facility leading up to the brewery's opening in January 2020. I was involved with high-level decisions and responsible for owning the full-spectrum of commercial responsibilities up until my exit in the summer of 2020.
Why
We must stand out from the crowd to make some noise. Approaching professional status warranted a much-needed and refined creative strategy to prepare to successfully enter the market. This was a vital play, as the beer industry is not known for seeing new breweries with such a level of thoughtful branding right out the gates.
How
I laced the brand with personality to establish instant recognition with a new, iconic logo that would also convey a bright, fun, DIY, music theme. This refreshed branding achieves the goal of creating nostalgia with a modern twist. I had already coined a sticky tagline "Wrench it UP a Notch" to offer a verbal tie-in to the garage, music, DIY, and good times vibe. Now, the company was armed with a complete, memorable branding that stood out on small screens and large signage alike.
I introduced the makeover a year ahead of opening the doors to generate hype and organic buzz in the community. I used this new eye-catching color scheme, typography, and artwork to light up every aspect of marketing content: website, social media accounts, videos, ads, merch, environmental pieces, and more. To further emphasize consistency, I helped set up the POS and establish product names.
I applied the new branding throughout digital marketing plus the physical interior of the taproom by customizing the floors, bar, taps, and more. I also designed the massive backlit exterior sign, which seems to glow like The Bat Signal at night! I commissioned and directed a local muralist for a taproom wall piece, which included a homage to the original Peace, Love, and Hops monkeys from the old logo version. I documented the entire brewery construction to provide a continuous peek inside the project.
I introduced the makeover a year ahead of opening the doors to generate hype and organic buzz in the community. I used this new eye-catching color scheme, typography, and artwork to light up every aspect of marketing content: website, social media accounts, videos, ads, merch, environmental pieces, and more. To further emphasize consistency, I helped set up the POS and establish product names.
I applied the new branding throughout digital marketing plus the physical interior of the taproom by customizing the floors, bar, taps, and more. I also designed the massive backlit exterior sign, which seems to glow like The Bat Signal at night! I commissioned and directed a local muralist for a taproom wall piece, which included a homage to the original Peace, Love, and Hops monkeys from the old logo version. I documented the entire brewery construction to provide a continuous peek inside the project.
Impact
The impact was massively positive feedback and propelled the brand into a special "must-watch" startup status. This unique brand identity legitimatized the company amongst a wave of other newcomers. It represented the evolution of the backyard dream into a tangible reality. Local audiences took notice of the creatively professional efforts; followers, engagement, and merchandise sales soared...prior to the business a drop of beer. The new destination lived up to all of the pre-opening hype and was ready for its big debut.
When the doors did open in January 2020, it was a packed house every day until state laws mandated the business into To-Go sales only in March. The success of the first two months continued into the spring despite the unprecedented challenges. Merchandise was selling out every weekend. From April-May, I completed a successful Mainvest crowd-funding campaign. MWB was the first business in GA to offer this revenue-sharing program. By July 2020, the business had grown to ten employees.
MWB gained high visibility as an upcoming brewery in 2019-2020 and garnered dozens of articles, including videos with the AJC and 11 Alive News. My efforts put this place on the map and paved the way for thousands of supportive online reviews and continued investor interest. The backyard dream was now a reality with a growing, multi-million dollar valuation.
When the doors did open in January 2020, it was a packed house every day until state laws mandated the business into To-Go sales only in March. The success of the first two months continued into the spring despite the unprecedented challenges. Merchandise was selling out every weekend. From April-May, I completed a successful Mainvest crowd-funding campaign. MWB was the first business in GA to offer this revenue-sharing program. By July 2020, the business had grown to ten employees.
MWB gained high visibility as an upcoming brewery in 2019-2020 and garnered dozens of articles, including videos with the AJC and 11 Alive News. My efforts put this place on the map and paved the way for thousands of supportive online reviews and continued investor interest. The backyard dream was now a reality with a growing, multi-million dollar valuation.