Mountain Man Brewing Co.
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Case 2: Mountain Man Brewing Company Prepared for: Marketing 181 Date: February 9, 2011
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Question 1: There are many factors that have enabled MMBC to create a strong brand. These include: taste, perceived quality, image, tradition, and authenticity. Taste is achieved through a selection of rare Bavarian hops and unusual strains of barley creating a defined Mountain Man quality. In addition, Mountain Man Lagers’ distinctively bitter flavor and higher alcohol content sets this beer apart from its competitors, which uniquely contributes to the company’s brand equity. To complement the richer stronger taste, a dark colored bottle is used to enhance perceived taste and quality. The 1925 original design of coal miners imprinted on the front promotes tradition, regional loyalty, and authenticity. By association the picture links the blue-collar worker to the image; therefore MMBC is able to target consumers of age 35+.
Mountain Man Brewing Company is able to distinguish its beer apart from its competitors mainly through its high-perceived quality and brand image strongly appealing to West Virginia population where Mountain Man Lager is also known as “West Virginia Beer.” In addition, MMBC has a high brand loyalty rate of 53% in comparison to their competitors who have a lower brand loyalty rate (i.e. Bud Light 36%, Budweiser 42%). Thus, the Mountain Man Lager has the brand loyalty advantage over its competitors. MMBC is also able to distinguish itself from competitors by Mountain Man Lager being produced and distributed by an in-house small marketing team in West Virginia. Consumers in the region have close brand ties in comparison to larger breweries that do not have distributers acting as direct promoters of brand.
Even though MMBC has a strong brand name many things have caused its decline. The key qualities that have built a strong brand exclude
Case 2: Mountain Man Brewing Company Prepared for: Marketing 181 Date: February 9, 2011
-------------------------------------------------
Question 1: There are many factors that have enabled MMBC to create a strong brand. These include: taste, perceived quality, image, tradition, and authenticity. Taste is achieved through a selection of rare Bavarian hops and unusual strains of barley creating a defined Mountain Man quality. In addition, Mountain Man Lagers’ distinctively bitter flavor and higher alcohol content sets this beer apart from its competitors, which uniquely contributes to the company’s brand equity. To complement the richer stronger taste, a dark colored bottle is used to enhance perceived taste and quality. The 1925 original design of coal miners imprinted on the front promotes tradition, regional loyalty, and authenticity. By association the picture links the blue-collar worker to the image; therefore MMBC is able to target consumers of age 35+.
Mountain Man Brewing Company is able to distinguish its beer apart from its competitors mainly through its high-perceived quality and brand image strongly appealing to West Virginia population where Mountain Man Lager is also known as “West Virginia Beer.” In addition, MMBC has a high brand loyalty rate of 53% in comparison to their competitors who have a lower brand loyalty rate (i.e. Bud Light 36%, Budweiser 42%). Thus, the Mountain Man Lager has the brand loyalty advantage over its competitors. MMBC is also able to distinguish itself from competitors by Mountain Man Lager being produced and distributed by an in-house small marketing team in West Virginia. Consumers in the region have close brand ties in comparison to larger breweries that do not have distributers acting as direct promoters of brand.
Even though MMBC has a strong brand name many things have caused its decline. The key qualities that have built a strong brand exclude