With so many craft beers available in the market, it can be hard for a consumer to choose one. To differentiate themselves from the rest, brands are using their labels to help them stand out on the shelf or behind the bar, says Edward Hsyeh, U.S. analyst for Euromonitor International, Chicago. For example, if consumers peek behind the bar and see a craft beer with an interesting label, they might be enticed to try it, he says.
Most craft beer labels and packaging designs are not cutting-edge, Hsyeh observes. Instead, they often include a vintage or nostalgic feel, harkening back to an older time. For example, 8-Bit, a hop-rocketed American pale ale brewed by Tallgrass Brewing Co., Manhattan, Kan., includes an image of the 1980s arcade game character Pac-Man. As such, the craft brew was named the official beer of retro gamers, according to Tallgrass Brewing Co.