Mountain Man Brewing Company Case Analysis
Mountain Man Brewing Company does not want to go another year with revenue lost from Mountain Man Lager. By adding a light beer to the product line it could gain loyalty from a younger crowd and attract more then just the workingman. At the same time he does not want to lose the brand equality that has taken years to create. He is also faced with solid monopolies in the beer world that make it hard to keep up. Chris is faced with a hard decision, will taking a chance and changing the image really be the right move for Mountain Man.
By introducing a new product line called Mountain Man Light the company would be able to reach a broader audience. They would no longer focus on the workingman, they would appeal to a younger generation of beer drinkers. They would also be able to gain a woman base, women being extremely heath cautious would be more likely to purchase the beer if it came to a “light” version with fewer calories. By launching a Mountain Man Light it would also play down most peoples perception of the Mountain Man Original being too strong and only a manly mans beer.
Mountain Man Brewing Company is a beer for the workingman. It has been around since 1925 and has gained strong loyalty from the baby boomer generation. Mountain Man has strong brand awareness down south and if you asked anyone over the 21 they are more then likely able to recognize the name even if they do not drink it themselves. The brand has been able to stay in the game with strong competitors such as, Anheuser Bush, Miller, and Adolf Coors.
The uniqueness of the taste along with the higher then average alcohol content is what makes its loyal customers coming back for more. One alternative to look at for the Mountain Man Brewing Company is to look and see how hard it would be to distribute it into restraints and local bars with the option to have it available on draft. By putting extra money into re-promoting the same recipe it would be a lot less costly. By offering specials at local bars such as dollar Mountain Man’s on Tuesday nights would introduce the beer to a younger generation.
Since the younger generation is the one to target because they do not have a beer preference yet this is a way that could get them hooked and at the same time make them proud to share a six pack that both the young 21 year old and his 55-year-old dad would both enjoy by keeping the tradition of alive. Other alternatives could be to go with the Mountain Man Light and don’t play it safe what so ever. If you’re going to be successful, your products must be different. Mountain Man should use loud colors to attract people attention, along with changing up the shape of your average beer bottle.
Other ways to not play it safe while promoting Mountain Man Light could be to use non-traditional shelving system. Instead of taking valuable shelving space away from Mountain Man place 6 or 12 packs in the middle of isles in a pyramid shape, that way people do not associate the two as much. My recommendation to the Mountain Man Brewing Company would be to keep the product just how it is and not introduce a Mountain Man Light. If a brand is able to last generation after generation there is a reason for this.
Strong brand awareness is hard to come by with so many new beer products appearing on the shelves each times you walk into any convenience store. The recognizable taste and working man persona is what kept them in the game year after year. If the company wants to boost revenue and assure they last in the future I would look into prompting at local bars and giving the younger crowd a chance to try the beer and even change their old perception about it. West Virginia’s beer should stay as just that and keep the tradition alive.
