Dogfish Head and the power of story

Posted by Otis Kimzey on Jan 4, 2011 in Marketing | Comments Off

Recently I’ve been enjoying the show “Brew Masters” on the Discovery Channel.  It’s a show that shows the inside workings of one of my favorite breweries, Dogfish Head.  While the premise of a show that shows how beer is made might not sound that interesting, it’s a rather interesting show.  What makes it interesting isn’t the process of combining ingredients to make the beer, it’s the story behind Dogfish Head that makes it interesting.

Sam Calagione, the founder and CEO of Dogfish, is an excellent marketer even though I have never seen a commercial, billboard, or paid trending topic by Dogfish Head.  Through Brew Masters (as well as being featured in the documentary “Beer Wars”), Dogfish has the opportunity to share the stories behind their company, their employees, and their brews.   During the shows, Dogfish tells the story of how they’ve grown from a small company into what they are today, hey reinforce their slogan of “Off center brews for off center people,” and they also go in depth about how much of a story each different beer is (A few examples; Using wood from a small wood surf board company, drawing inspiration from music for a new blend of beer, and traveling the world to see how traditional “Chicha” is made).  I’m sure that these stories not only drive sales of the brews they show made on Brew Masters, but also build interest in their other brews, as well as drive customer loyalty as people get to know the stories of the individuals who work at Dogfish Head.

That’s great and all, but what about you?  You may not have a show on Discovery Channel, but you do have stories to tell.  The great thing about technology today is that you CAN share your stories even without a tv show!

Start blogging, interact with your customers – not only on the front lines, but also on Twitter and Facebook, you can even make your own videos that share your stories.  Create a connection with your customers.  Show them that your brand is real people, that you put your heart and soul into your product, and that there is more to your product than a price.  Become a master storyteller of your brand, your people, and your experiences.  We all have these stories and others are interested in them.