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?

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