Beer fans reject new logo

Creemore Springs Brewery has been taking a beating over its new logo. 

The majority of comments made on Facebook are negative, saying the logo is amateur and that a redesign was not needed. Several people have changed their profile photo to the old logo as a show of protest. 

“Change being uncomfortable is not why 99 per cent of people dislike this branding. It’s because it’s bad and amateur. You couldn’t have focus grouped this? Have a strategy to change it back. The beer being the same doesn’t matter. There are studies showing that alcohol sales are predominantly based on brand experience and not quality. You’d know if you researched before approving this atrocity,” commented one Facebook user. 

Some are defending the beer, saying it is still the same great beer, despite the change in packaging. 

“I almost always pour my Creemore and never spend anytime reading the can or savoring the art… Remember it is the beer that is important. I will always choose the steak rather then the sizzle,” commented Stephen Roat on Creemore.com.

But other loyal customers have said they will no longer buy the beer.

Others have taken offence to Creemore Springs’ response to the negative feedback:

“Wow, first we’d like to take a moment to thank all of you for sharing your thoughts on our new branding.  We are truly grateful for having such passionate fans,” they wrote. “The logo may have changed, but the beer remains the same. And change can sometimes be uncomfortable, especially for folks like ourselves. Truth be told, the market around us is changing so dramatically, we felt it was time to help Creemore stand out in a very competitive and crowded market.  We also felt we had a little more to tell folks about what makes our beer so special…”

They explain that the logo is supposed to highlight what make Creemore beer unique: spring water and the process of fire brewing in a copper kettle.  

“Second, we have an amazing story of our founder John Wiggins, that over 30 years ago at age 57, faced with adversity and challenges, saw possibilities with the village, and the spring, and started the brewery which not only put the beer, but a whole village, on the map,” said Creemore Springs.

“We still live those same values of hard work, fresh thinking and being brave today.  And felt by opening up the traditional banner that our name sat in and having it flow with an open end to it paid homage to John and these values. We knew, like John, no matter what lies ahead and at any point in life there are always possibilities, and it is never too late for new beginnings.” 

“I hope that at least gives you an idea of how the new logo came to be. We thank everyone for their thoughts and for those not as fond of the new look as others, we hope you continue to enjoy the beer, and in the spirit of possibilities, warm up to the new packaging over time.”

We asked Wiggins what he thought of the new logo. He said the new logo brings to mind a serpent, one he doesn’t want squiggling around in his belly. 

“For the few customers gained trying something different, you’ll lose hundreds of disillusioned loyalists off the bottom. Loyalists that aren’t liable to forgive you,” writes Wiggins.

“Creemore Springs has enjoyed an enviable reputation for consistent quality and taste. Its logo on its product, from day one, is a guarantee nothing has changed, it’s the same today as yesterday, and will be tomorrow. The famous brands of the world have never changed their logos, some for 500 years, for good reason. It’s a guarantee their product is the same,” he continues. “…Don’t be surprised that the influx of over 400 competitors has flattened your bottom line. This is a time to build on your reputation, changing it is throwing away thirty years of gaining an enviable presence in a very competitive market.”

Wiggins, who sold his shares five years before the Molson take-over, had expressed concerns that people who drink Creemore Springs wouldn’t buy beer made by a big corporation. 

Creemore Springs, in a recent interview with The Echo, said the rebranding was a local initiative and not one dictated by Molson Coors.