Disrupted a Global
Commodity Market
Honor six generations of Yakima hop farmers
Yakima Chief Hops 360° Brand Strategy
Challenge
Conflicting Objectives Post-Merger
- Fear of tarnishing the legacy of both brands.
- Customers still had baggage related to brands prior to merger.
- All messaging focused on quality without proof.
- Hops are a commodity.
Goal
Unify six generations of Yakima hop farmers under a single global brand.
Insight
- American hops set the standard and are causing a craft beer renaissance globally.
- Beer drinkers are starting to pay attention to hop varietals.
- The “maker culture” trend is influencing home brewers to seek out premium hops.
- The Yakima-Chief brand had a global sterling reputation.
Strategy
- Celebrate Yakima with a name change to Yakima Chief Hops.
- Develop a new positioning focused on farming and science.
- Design a new identity that helps YCH stand apart from the green sea of sameness.
- Invest in technology and better integration with the global sales teams.
- Build an e-commerce platform & client portal.
Go-to-market Strategy: Position: Beer geek’s ally
Tagline: American hops from the Pacific Northwest
Results
- Unified two brands into the global leader in American hops.
- Disrupted how hops are bought & sold globally.
Scope of Work
- Audits & Analysis
- Audience Insights
- Research & Insights
- Trend Analysis
- Brand Positioning
- Naming
- Visual Strategy
- Packaging Design
- Environmental Design
- Branded Ecosystem
- Sales Collateral
- Photo Art Direction
- Tradeshow
- Building Signage
- Brand Bible
- Website
“When we needed help differentiating our brand in a crowded market space, Retail Voodoo and their unique process led the organization to a compelling and exciting space.”
– Kate Ruffing CMO, Yakima Chief Hops
We helped Yakima Chief Hops disrupt the hops industry. What’s your brand’s growth challenge?