In the craft beverage industry, there's an uncomfortable truth that many founders don't want to hear: your brand probably looks like everyone else's. Taprooms are blurring together. Shelf sets in retail locations have become a blob of sameness. When every brand claims to be "local," "crafted with high-quality ingredients," and "community-focused," the result is that no one actually stands out.
This isn't meant to be insulting—it's a wake-up call. In today's saturated market where beer, wine, spirits, cider, mead, and non-alcoholic beverages are all competing for the same consumer dollars, being good isn't enough anymore. You have to be absolutely memorable.
That's why we sat down with Amanda DeVries, creative director and founder of Eye Candy Design, to explore how craft beverage brands can break free from the sameness trap and create branding that actually converts browsers into buyers.
The Designer Who Thinks Like a Consumer (and a Farmer)
Before we dive into branding strategy, it's worth understanding what makes Amanda's perspective unique. Unlike many designers who went straight from art school to agency life, Amanda's journey took some fascinating detours that inform her approach to CPG branding today.
She started with an engineering degree, bringing logical, analytical thinking to creative work. But after having kids and looking for better work-life balance, she discovered graphic design and fell head over heels. "I found it very intuitive," Amanda explains, "and thought this was something that I could maybe dictate my own hours, work from home."
But here's where the story gets interesting. Her husband also had a career pivot—from engineering to growing organic vegetables. They moved from Ottawa to Southwestern Ontario and started a farm sixteen years ago. It was through the farm that Amanda's true calling emerged.
"We started meeting some other artisanal producers—someone who's making herbal teas or someone who's making sauerkraut, and they were buying our cabbage," Amanda recalls. "Those initial people asked me for some labels knowing that I was a designer, and literally, a light bulb went off."
That lightbulb moment came with a revelation about consumer psychology: "This industry is so fascinating. There's so much consumer psychology when it comes to purchasing food products and beverages." In 2017, she decided to focus exclusively on food and beverage branding and packaging design, and hasn't looked back since.
This combination of analytical thinking, design expertise, and deep immersion in the artisanal food and beverage world gives Amanda a unique lens for understanding what actually works on shelf and in taprooms.
Why Craft Beverage Brands Fall Into the Sameness Trap
The sameness problem in craft beverages isn't happening because founders are lazy or uncreative. It's happening because of several systemic issues in how brands approach their visual identity and market positioning.
Following Trends Instead of Leading Them
One of the biggest culprits is trend-following. When a particular design style starts working—whether it's minimalist labels, hand-drawn illustrations, or vintage typography—everyone jumps on the bandwagon. Before you know it, the craft beverage aisle looks like it was designed by the same person.
"When every brand is saying the same thing—we're local, we're crafted with high quality ingredients, we're community focused—what happens is that no one actually stands out," Amanda points out. The messaging blends together, and the visual language does too.
Prioritizing Aesthetics Over Strategy
Many craft beverage brands approach branding backward. They start with "I want it to look cool" instead of "Who am I trying to reach, and what will make them choose me over the competition?"
Amanda emphasizes that design isn't just about making things pretty—it's about selling products. "Design is supposed to do—here's a big hint—it's to sell things," she explains. Every design decision should be rooted in understanding your target consumer and what motivates their purchasing decisions.
Budget Constraints Leading to DIY Disasters
Let's be real: most craft beverage startups don't have big budgets for branding. This often leads to DIY label design or using generic templates that hundreds of other brands are also using. The result? You guessed it—sameness.
But as Amanda will explain later, limited budgets don't have to mean limited impact. The key is knowing where to invest your resources and how to level up strategically.
The Psychology Behind Package Design That Sells
Understanding consumer behavior is the secret weapon that separates brands that blend in from brands that stand out. Amanda's approach is deeply rooted in consumer psychology, and her insights can transform how you think about your packaging and branding.
The Three-Second Shelf Test
Here's a sobering reality: you have approximately three seconds to catch a consumer's attention when they're browsing a shelf or taproom menu. In those three seconds, your package needs to:
Be visually distinct enough to catch their eye
Communicate what the product is
Trigger an emotional response that makes them want to learn more
"There's so much consumer psychology when it comes to purchasing food products and beverages," Amanda notes. This isn't about manipulation—it's about understanding how people actually make decisions and designing accordingly.
The Power of Differentiation
Differentiation doesn't mean being weird for the sake of being weird. It means finding the unique intersection of your brand values, your target audience's preferences, and white space in the market.
Amanda encourages brands to look at what everyone else in their category is doing—and then do something different. If everyone has dark, moody labels, maybe yours should be bright and energetic. If everyone's using script fonts, maybe you use bold sans serifs. The goal is to stand out while still being appropriate for your brand story and audience.
Tapping Into Customer Insights
One of Amanda's most valuable pieces of advice is deceptively simple: talk to your customers. "When you ask people for their opinion, they love to give it," she says. "It's free information sitting right there."
For taprooms and tasting rooms especially, you have a captive audience of people who've already chosen your brand. Ask them:
How did they hear about you?
What made them choose you over competitors?
What do they like about your branding?
What could be clearer or more compelling?
Amanda shares an example of working with a dairy retail store: "I asked them to collect that data for the next three months, especially during the busy Christmas season, and then we're going to use that in January when we start to look at the rebrand differently."
This approach costs nothing but time and attention, yet it provides invaluable insights that can inform everything from your label design to your taproom experience.
How to Break Out of the Sameness Trap (Without Starting Over)
The good news is that you don't need to throw everything out and start from scratch to differentiate your brand. Amanda offers practical strategies for leveling up your brand on a budget.
Start With Strategy, Not Design
Before you change a single visual element, get clear on your brand strategy:
Who is your ideal customer? Be specific. "People who like beer" isn't a target audience. "30-45-year-old professionals who prioritize local and sustainable products and are willing to pay premium prices" is.
What makes you genuinely different? Not just "quality ingredients"—everyone says that. What's your unique story, process, or perspective?
What emotion do you want people to feel? Nostalgia? Excitement? Trust? Community? Your branding should be designed to evoke specific feelings.
Audit Your Current Touchpoints
Look at every place a customer encounters your brand:
Product packaging and labels
Taproom or tasting room environment
Website and social media
Marketing materials
Staff uniforms and merchandise
Ask yourself: Is the experience consistent? Does it all tell the same story? Are there easy wins where small changes could have big impact?
Invest Strategically
When you have limited resources, prioritize the touchpoints that matter most to your business model. If you're primarily a taproom business, your physical space and experience might matter more than elaborate packaging. If you're focused on retail distribution, your shelf presence is critical.
Amanda emphasizes that you don't need to do everything at once. "You can level up your brand on a budget without starting over from scratch," she assures. The key is making intentional, strategic improvements over time.
Consider Professional Help for Key Elements
While DIY can work for some things, there are areas where professional design expertise pays for itself. Amanda notes that working with CPG branding specialists brings:
Understanding of consumer psychology
Knowledge of what works (and what doesn't) on shelf
Expertise in creating systems that scale
Connections to printers, compliance experts, and other resources
A well-designed label system, for example, can serve you for years and across multiple products, making it a worthwhile investment.
The Role of Design in Building Brand Equity
Branding isn't just about looking good today—it's about building long-term value in your business. Amanda emphasizes that strong branding creates brand equity that can significantly impact your company's worth.
Consistency Builds Recognition
Every time a customer sees your brand and has a positive experience, you're building equity. But this only works if your branding is consistent enough that they recognize you instantly.
Think about it: if your labels change dramatically every few months, or if your taproom looks completely different from your website, you're not building recognition—you're confusing people.
Design Systems Create Efficiency
A well-designed brand system isn't just one logo or one label—it's a flexible framework that can adapt to different products, formats, and applications while maintaining consistency.
This is especially important for craft beverage brands that often have seasonal releases, limited editions, and growing product lines. A good system lets you create new designs quickly without starting from scratch each time.
Professional Branding Attracts Premium Customers
Let's be blunt: amateur-looking branding attracts price-sensitive customers who may not be loyal to your brand. Professional, strategic branding attracts customers who value quality and are willing to pay for it.
This doesn't mean you need to look corporate or lose your craft appeal. It means your branding should look intentional, polished, and aligned with the quality of your product.
Practical Steps to Get Started Today
Ready to start breaking free from the sameness trap? Here are actionable steps you can take right now:
1. Do a Competitive Audit
Visit retail locations where your products are sold (or would be sold) and look at the shelf. Take photos of the craft beverage section. What patterns do you notice? What stands out? What blends in? Where does your brand fit in this landscape?
Do the same with competitor taprooms and websites. Document what you see.
2. Interview Your Existing Customers
Create a simple questionnaire or just start conversations with your regulars:
"What first attracted you to our brand?"
"How would you describe us to a friend?"
"What makes us different from other [breweries/wineries/distilleries]?"
"What could we do to improve your experience?"
Their answers will likely surprise you and give you valuable insights into what's actually working.
3. Define Your Brand Positioning
Complete these sentences:
We are the only [category] that [unique differentiator]
Our ideal customer is someone who [specific characteristics]
When people choose us, they should feel [emotion]
We're not for people who [anti-positioning]
This exercise forces clarity and will inform all your future branding decisions.
4. Identify Your Quick Wins
Based on your audit and customer feedback, what are 2-3 things you could improve in the next 90 days without a massive investment? Maybe it's:
Redesigning your menu boards for better readability
Creating a more cohesive Instagram aesthetic
Updating your taproom signage
Refreshing your website homepage
Start small and build momentum.
5. Create a Longer-Term Branding Roadmap
Once you've tackled quick wins, map out a 6-12 month plan for more substantial improvements. This might include:
Working with a professional designer on a label refresh
Renovating your taproom space
Developing a comprehensive brand style guide
Creating a new website
Having a roadmap helps you budget appropriately and ensures you're making strategic progress rather than reactive changes.
The Bottom Line: Differentiate or Disappear
In today's saturated craft beverage market, sameness is a business risk you can't afford. Consumers have more choices than ever, and they're increasingly sophisticated in their purchasing decisions. If your brand doesn't stand out, doesn't communicate clearly, and doesn't create an emotional connection, you'll lose sales to competitors who do.
But here's the encouraging news: differentiation doesn't require a massive budget or starting from scratch. It requires strategic thinking, customer understanding, and intentional design decisions.
As Amanda DeVries reminds us, design isn't decoration—it's a business tool for selling products. When approached strategically, your branding becomes one of your most valuable assets, building recognition, trust, and loyalty over time.
The craft beverage industry is too vibrant, too creative, and too full of genuinely unique stories for everyone to look the same. It's time to break free from the sameness trap and let your brand's true personality shine through.
About This Is Not Your Hobby Podcast
Hosted by Julie Rhodes—consultant, teacher, journalist, and cofounder of a craft brand—This Is Not Your Hobby tackles the real business challenges facing craft beverage brands. No fluff, just practical insights backed by spreadsheets and industry experience.
Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and visit notyourhobbymarketing.com for more resources to level up your craft beverage business.
This blog post is based on Episode 9 of the This Is Not Your Hobby podcast, featuring Amanda DeVries of Eye Candy Design.