Beer for Women Ad Design Contest!

[The Beer Babe]

There are an array of ads out there that are aimed at men as beer drinkers, and a disparaging lack of ads for women. At the Beer Babe, I challenge you to find creative ways to approach the growing ranks of female beer drinkers in the world through media!

Women are making up a rapidly growing market section for craft beer, and its about time that some media was created to reflect that. So how better to approach it than by putting my favorite beer drinkers to the task!

For contest details, check out Beer for Women Ad Design Contest!

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

Hey Beer Babe ... might post your info here too, if you haven't already! Great idea!

[John LeMasney]

I love the challenge. As a designer, I always like to have some directional specifications from the client. Not being a woman, it's difficult to imagine what kinds of things attract you to a beer, visually speaking. I'm asking you each individually, of course, rather that asking you to define a larger women's aesthetic. For example, what labels really turn you on? Can you list a few of your favorite breweries (as label designers, for example)? I don't know if I'm a representative male, but I like Founders (hyperrealism and typography), Stone (demons, gargoyles, and gothic imagery), Victory (pop, patriotic, and playful), Southern Tier (propaganda poster) Mikkeller (eurodesigner, minimalist), and Great Divide (action movie poster) but I think of them as all kind of masculine. DFH's Fort is a bit more feminine, though their label design in general is lacking (all about the beer for them). Bell's seems to have a more feminine, refined aesthetic. Want a gallery of Beer labels for inspiration? I just happen to be making one as my latest life's project: http://picasaweb.google.com/lemasney
I'd love to do some label design, but I'd like to know what makes you, as a (female) client, happy. Any other female label appreciators out there, I'm sure the Beer Babe would love you to add to the discussion!

Cheers!

John.

[John LeMasney]

Just saw the BBC video on the contest page, Beer Babe. A good intro to the issues, and thanks. I'm looking forward to submitting an entry.

[The Beer Babe]

I'm still thinking about your previous question, and I promise I'll follow up with a decent answer soon.

However, In general I think there are a few key angles - sophistication (somehow refuting that beer is "low class"), social benefits (something that "we" like to drink together, discuss), and indulgence (that a good stout can be just as comforting or delicious as chocolate or wine). There are lots of paths from those three ideas.

It might take some work to undo the years of really masculine ads for beer in our heads, but we're already drinking more beer than before, so its time the image caught up with what's really going on.

[John LeMasney]

I think a series might do the best work, and preferably from a guild or association, rather than by a particular brewer. I think something like posters might do the job, taking common ideas in beer ads today and turning them on their head to make the point that beer is not just for men, can be just as sophisticated as wine, is not a caloric issue if enjoyed responsibly, and that the social divide between beer and wine is thinner than it used to be. I also created a list of notes from the video:

issues/points:
a pint in the hand of a woman looks 'bad'
not ladylike
casual
relaxed
image of holding a pint.
gender:wine correspondence
figure may suffer
being 'pretty'
not about taste
not about figure
bottles
smaller glass
who am I? -- fashionable, sophisticated
fruit beers
nice, stylish
1. great taste
2. less calories
3. refreshing
stout
water, hops,
sweetness.
chocolate.
success of cider

[The Beer Babe]

I've been thinking about my favorite labels, and I think I have a few categories.

1. Antiqued - Something that looks written in an older font, has a traditional deisn or looks elegant. The two that come to mind are Goose Island Matilda & Pere Jaques, Some Allagash, and Anchor Steam Christmas.

2. Abstract or fine art labels - Ones that look like they are drawn, painted or created for the artistic aestetic first and foremost. Examples: Deschutes Jubilale

3. Labels featuring non-objectified women tastfully. Examples: Dogfish Fort, Chateau Jihau

More thoughts soon. Those are the first which came to mind :)

[John LeMasney]

All nice examples, and I like the way you are thinking. I'm thinking now that I might take existing brands and rebrand them to appeal to the fairer gender, or at least make a different impression on women. I have to look again at how this could meet the requirements of the contest.

[Ray Grace]

How bout half naked men mud wrestling, ha! had to say it.
Maybe something to do with a romantic meal, good food with good beer.