Point Brewery Updates Packaging

The Stevens Point Brewery, Stevens Point, Wis., recently updated the packaging for its Point Special beer. The packaging derives from a Point Special label introduced in the early 1900s. That label shows a Wisconsin river flowing through a stand of snow-covered pine trees and was incorporated into a more contemporary label design. "We brought back a classic label design," says Barb Starr, product manager at Barton Beers Ltd., Chicago, which owns and distributes Point Special. "It features a script 'P' for Point and a more old-fashioned look, yet [incorporates] a contemporary, bolder design for an upscale look."The trend is to go back to your heritage. We looked at all the labels and picked the best elements," she adds, which include the banner behind the logo and the signature colors of red, white, blue and gold.The brew is available only in the Midwest, and the new packaging began making its way into stores in June. By the end of November, all the old packaging was replaced. To introduce the new packaging to consumers, a variety of point-of-purchase materials was produced. The newest display piece is a corrugated display bin, which arrived in stores in November. The unit holds five cases of Point Special.A 4-foot, die-cut image of the Point Special bottle forms the sides of the bin, which was designed to display 12-packs and six-packs of the brew. Interchangeable header cards provide a fresh look and succeed in keeping the displays in stores for a longer period of time. Separate header cards were produced for the Christmas season and to highlight the brand's Bock brew, which is also sporting a new label. An additional header card is currently in the works for summer, Starr says.The 5,000 bins, which were designed and produced by Phoenix Display & Packaging in West Deptford, N.J., were preceded by backlit neon signs and inflatable rafts, which were introduced in June. "We're trying to introduce the [new] packaging by way of P-O-S," she explains. Approximately 1,500 bottle-shaped neon signs were produced by Milwaukee-based KCS Industries. The inflatable rafts, resembling the state of Wisconsin, were manufactured by Sterling Promotional in Great Neck, N.Y.Additional point-of-purchase materials include tap knobs (also shaped like the state of Wisconsin), easel cards, table tents, vinyl banners, customized imprint posters, static stickers and bull's eyes."We were very careful to be consistent in presenting the new design with a full array of P-O-S. It represents a consistent use of graphics, which is what we've been striving for," Starr notes."We wanted to introduce the new packaging, present a quality image for the brand and take a regional approach," Starr explains. "We wanted to make the P-O-S different from that of other beer companies and are concentrating on getting good quality P-O-S," she adds.

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