Microbreweries and Place Marketing -? Madison, WI

Abstract

Microbreweries have established themselves as providers of unique, high-quality beer in what has become a flourishing niche in the beer market. Over the course of recent decades they have set themselves apart from the mass produced beers of large brewing corporations. Incorporating the concepts of economies of scale, niche consumption and resource partitioning, cultural capital, and neolocalism, we research and analyze the marketing tactics of three microbreweries in Madison, Wisconsin. Our research team attempts to draw conclusions about their use of geographic principles. Capital Brewery, Ale Asylum, and Karben4 produce very specialized beers, and in turn have created distinct brands for themselves. In this way, they stand out in the highly competitive niche that microbreweries occupy. Capital Brewery maintains a traditional image rooted in place marketing concepts related to Madison and the state of Wisconsin at large. Ale Asylum and Karben4 use edgier and more contemporary attention grabbing images to appeal to younger demographics of beer consumers.