Surly Brewing Walks the Walk
Are you living your brand? We have said it before: the best—and easiest—way for a business to appear authentic is to actually be authentic.
Meet Bidwell ID client Surly Brewing Company. This Minnesota craft brewery with a cultlike fan base may have tapped into a whole new level of authenticity.
Surly has been brewing up plans to build a 60,000-square-foot restaurant complex complete with a bar and an event center. Public response to the $20 million expansion has been tremendously positive. However, under Minnesota law, the new “destination brewery” will be too big to sell beer on the premises.
Why not fight the system? Why not get surly? That’s exactly what owner Omar Ansari is doing.
“Get Surly” is no longer just a tagline or branding tool; it is the vehicle by which the company is lining up support for overturning the law. Surly is combating the law with a PR effort that resembles a grassroots campaign. It is driving followers to get “GET SURLY” and take action. Surly enthusiasts are knocking on doors at local bars and encouraging them to join the fight. Employees are also getting fans emotionally charged and devoted to voicing their opinions. Surly’s blog outlines the situation and encourages followers to write to their representatives.
Might the “too big” law fail? Unlikely, but possible. Either way, Surly will come out on top. By living their brand, Surly continues to deliver fans exactly what they want.
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Live Your Brand. Change the Law.
Surly Brewing Walks the Walk
Meet Bidwell ID client Surly Brewing Company. This Minnesota craft brewery with a cultlike fan base may have tapped into a whole new level of authenticity.
Surly has been brewing up plans to build a 60,000-square-foot restaurant complex complete with a bar and an event center. Public response to the $20 million expansion has been tremendously positive. However, under Minnesota law, the new “destination brewery” will be too big to sell beer on the premises.
Why not fight the system? Why not get surly? That’s exactly what owner Omar Ansari is doing.
“Get Surly” is no longer just a tagline or branding tool; it is the vehicle by which the company is lining up support for overturning the law. Surly is combating the law with a PR effort that resembles a grassroots campaign. It is driving followers to get “GET SURLY” and take action. Surly enthusiasts are knocking on doors at local bars and encouraging them to join the fight. Employees are also getting fans emotionally charged and devoted to voicing their opinions. Surly’s blog outlines the situation and encourages followers to write to their representatives.
Might the “too big” law fail? Unlikely, but possible. Either way, Surly will come out on top. By living their brand, Surly continues to deliver fans exactly what they want.