Co-Marketing with Breweries & Taprooms: Turning Taproom Regulars into Festival Ticket Buyers

Introduction
Co-marketing with breweries and taprooms can be a game-changer for beer festival promoters. These local beer hubs already have a community of loyal beer enthusiasts – exactly the kind of audience that would love a great beer festival. By partnering with breweries and taproom owners, a festival producer can convert those taproom regulars into festival attendees, boosting ticket sales and enhancing the event’s brand. This strategy isn’t limited by geography, either. From small-town brew fests to internationally renowned beer festivals, engaging the craft beer community through co-marketing has proven to drive excitement and fill venues across the US, UK, Europe, Asia, and beyond.

Why Partner with Breweries & Taprooms for Festival Marketing?

Breweries and taprooms are natural allies for beer festivals. They’re not just vendors; they’re community gathering spots for craft beer lovers. Leveraging their existing patron base and credibility can amplify your festival’s reach. Here’s why these partnerships are so valuable:

• Shared Audience: Taproom visitors are already beer fans. If you’re organizing a beer festival, chances are high that taproom patrons would be interested in attending. Partnering with a brewery means tapping into a ready-made audience of enthusiasts who trust that brewery’s recommendations.
• Local Trust & Credibility: Breweries often have strong local followings. When a favorite taproom endorses an upcoming beer festival, it carries weight. Their patrons are more likely to trust the festival’s quality if their beloved brewery is involved or promoting it.
• Mutual Benefit: It’s a win-win relationship. The festival gains more attendees, and the brewery gains exposure. Festival-goers might discover new breweries at the event (increasing the brewery’s customer base), and brewery regulars get a new beer experience to look forward to. In many cases, breweries also get a direct revenue boost by selling their beer at the festival or receiving a commission for ticket referrals.
• Community Building: Co-marketing fosters a sense of community. It signals that the festival is by the community, for the community, which can be a persuasive angle in marketing. For example, a regional beer festival in Australia might highlight how it’s bringing together all the local craft breweries – turning the event into a celebration of the entire local beer scene, not just a standalone event.

Building a Turnkey Marketing Kit for Brewery Partners

To make it easy (and appealing) for breweries and taprooms to promote your festival, provide them with a turnkey marketing kit. This kit should include everything a brewery needs to spread the word with minimal effort. By making promotion plug-and-play, you greatly increase the likelihood that busy brewery staff will actually execute the campaign. Key components of a successful co-marketing kit include:

• Posters & Flyers: Design eye-catching posters that advertise your festival and provide them to partner taprooms. Include essential details (festival name, date, venue, a bit of enticing info like headline breweries or bands, etc.) and make sure the poster prominently features a QR code or short URL for tickets. The poster can even nod to the specific brewery partnership – for example, “Don’t miss [Festival Name], featuring [Brewery Name] and 50+ craft breweries!” This personal touch connects the brewery’s regulars to the festival.
• QR Codes for Easy Ticket Sales: Include unique QR codes on printed materials for each brewery partner. When scanned, these should lead directly to the festival’s ticket page (or a special tracking link – more on that soon). QR codes let taproom visitors pull out their phone and buy a ticket on the spot, right when their interest is piqued. Position posters near high-traffic areas in the taproom (like near the bar or entrance) so they catch eyes. For tech-savvy promotion, some festivals even print table toppers or coasters with QR codes, turning every surface into a sales point.
• Social Media Assets: Provide ready-to-use digital assets for social media – images, short promo videos, and suggested captions tailored for platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Busy brewery managers might not have time to craft marketing content from scratch, so hand them pre-made posts highlighting the festival. For instance, share a few graphics: one could be “[Brewery Name] is pouring at [Festival]! ? Join us on [Date] – scan the QR or hit the link to get your tickets.” Another might be a co-branded image of the brewery’s logo alongside the festival branding. By supplying polished visuals and text, you make it effortless for the brewery to just copy, paste, and publish.
• Affiliate Links or Promo Codes: Perhaps the most crucial element – give each brewery partner their own tracking link or promo code. Modern event ticketing platforms (such as Ticket Fairy) allow festival organizers to generate unique referral links or codes for partners. If [Brewery X] shares their special link, any ticket sold through it is tracked. This serves two purposes: it lets you attribute sales to that partner, and it can enable a reward system. Some festival producers choose to offer a small commission or a flat reward (e.g., $1 per ticket or certain % of each ticket’s value) to the brewery for every sale through their link. Even if you don’t offer a financial kickback, the data itself is gold – you and the brewery can see exactly how many tickets their referrals generated. If using Ticket Fairy, for instance, all referral sales are visible on your dashboard in real time, and you can easily share those stats with your partners.

By assembling this kit, you effectively turn your brewery partners into an extension of your festival’s marketing team. All they have to do is put up the poster, share a few posts (with their custom link), and maybe mention the festival to customers – the materials do the talking. It’s plug-and-play marketing for them and amplified reach for you.

Aligning Schedules: Collaboration Releases, Takeovers & Co-Promotions

Timing and coordination are everything in co-marketing. A savvy festival organizer will align their promotional calendar with each brewery partner’s schedule to maximize impact. Here’s how thoughtful timing and collaborative events can supercharge the partnership:

• Collaboration Beer Releases: If time and resources allow, consider brewing a special collaboration beer with your partner brewery to commemorate the festival. Collaboration brews are popular in the beer industry (two brands co-create a unique beer), and they generate buzz. Imagine a limited-edition IPA named after your festival, brewed by a beloved local brewery – it’s instant hype for both the event and the brewery. Plan the release of this beer a few weeks or months before the festival. The release party at the brewery doubles as a promotional event: as people flock to try the new beer, they also learn about the festival. Many will buy tickets on the spot, especially if you tie in a promo (e.g., “First 50 people to buy festival tickets at the release party get a free pint!”).
• Taproom Pre-Parties & Tap Takeovers: Organize pre-festival parties at participating taprooms. These can be casual meetups or themed events where the festival is the focus. For example, a week or two before the festival, host a “Festival Preview Night” at the brewery. You might bring in a small live music act (if it’s a music & beer festival), or just have the brewery dedicate a tap to a special beer that will be at the festival. Some festivals do “tap takeovers” in reverse – instead of one brewery taking over a bar’s taps, the festival brings in a sneak peek of multiple breweries’ beers to one taproom for a night. Attendees of these pre-parties get to sample what’s coming at the festival, mingle with other excited ticket-holders, and of course, purchase tickets if they haven’t yet. In London and Berlin, for instance, craft beer festivals often partner with local pubs and breweries to host fringe events during the week leading up to the main festival weekend, creating a city-wide buzz.
• Synchronized Announcements: Coordinate big announcements with your brewery partners. When you announce the festival lineup or a headline sponsor, have breweries simultaneously announce their involvement. This creates a wave of consistent information hitting the audience from multiple channels at once. If a brewery is launching a new seasonal beer and you’re about to ramp up festival ticket promotions, see if those can be tied together: a social post from the brewery might read “We just tapped our summer ale! (P.S. catch it at the Summer Brew Fest next month!).” Aligning these messages in the brewery’s content calendar ensures the festival stays on the radar over time, not just a one-off mention.
• Mutual Content Creation: Content co-creation can enrich both brands’ marketing. For example, write a short blog or profile about each partner brewery on the festival website (“Meet Our Brewery Partners” series), while the breweries can interview the festival organizers or do a behind-the-scenes of “getting ready for the fest” on their channels. By exchanging content, you both fill your social feeds or blogs with interesting stories and naturally cross-promote. In places like New Zealand and Canada, festival organizers have embraced storytelling in co-marketing – highlighting local breweries’ stories made the festival feel like a community celebration, and the breweries reciprocated by sharing festival spotlights.

Aligning schedules and marketing efforts like this ensures that festival promotion isn’t happening in a vacuum. Instead, it’s woven into the daily and weekly buzz of the craft beer scene. When done well, by the time the festival rolls around, the partner breweries’ customers have heard about it multiple times – when buying a pint, at a special event, on social media – and are primed to attend.

Turning Brewery Regulars into Festival Attendees

The core goal of co-marketing with taprooms is to convert brewery patrons into festival ticket buyers. This requires more than just blasting ads – it’s about engagement and incentive. Here are tactics to effectively turn those taproom regulars into enthusiastic festival-goers:

• Exclusive Incentives for Brewery Patrons: Give the regulars a little extra push. For example, provide each partner brewery with a unique promo code that offers a small discount on festival tickets (say 10% off) or a value-add (like a free beer token at the festival) for their customers. Advertise this on the posters and social posts specific to that brewery: “Use code BREW123 for 10% off tickets, exclusive to [Brewery Name] patrons!” This not only drives ticket sales but makes those customers feel like VIPs at the festival. Just be sure to track these codes alongside affiliate links to measure success.
• Staff Engagement = Customer Engagement: Brewery staff are influencers in their own right – bartenders and beer-tenders often chat with regulars and can hype the festival in person. Arm the taproom staff with knowledge and perks. Make sure they know the festival details (give them an FAQ sheet or, better yet, free passes to the festival as a thank-you). If the bartenders are excited (“Hey, are you going to the beer fest next month? I’m pouring there, it’s gonna be awesome!”), their enthusiasm rubs off on patrons. In one case, a brewery in California had their staff wear the festival t-shirt during the week tickets launched – it became a conversation starter with every customer who walked in.
• On-Site Ticket Sales or Giveaways: Depending on the arrangement, you might allow the brewery to sell physical tickets or have a small allotment of tickets to give away. Physical ticket sales at a taproom can capture those who may be hesitant to buy online or just appreciate the convenience (though online via QR is generally easiest, some traditionalists might like buying from their trusted taproom). Alternatively, a brewery could run a simple giveaway contest – e.g., drop your business card or fill a form at the bar for a chance to win two festival tickets. This creates a buzz in the taproom and collects leads; even those who don’t win might be compelled to attend after hearing about it repeatedly.
• Festival Previews and Tastings: Use those pre-party events to full effect. If a partner brewery is known for a particular beer style (say a famous stout), and that stout will be at the festival, highlight that: “Get a preview taste of [Brewery]’s award-winning stout, before you enjoy it again at the festival!” For multi-brewery preview events, consider a mini “passport” where if someone visits all partner taprooms during the lead-up (getting a stamp at each when they buy a pint or a ticket), they earn a prize at the festival (like a free taster glass or swag). Ideas like these encourage the brewery’s biggest fans to commit to the festival so they don’t miss out.

By meeting beer enthusiasts where they already are (in the taproom) and giving them reasons to take action, you significantly increase conversion. Remember, a person enjoying a pint at their favorite brewery is likely in the perfect mindset to imagine attending a beer festival – relaxed, receptive, and one QR code scan away from securing their spot.

Sharing Data and Celebrating Success with Partners

One of the biggest advantages of using affiliate links and unique codes is the data feedback loop. Don’t keep that data to yourself – sharing results with your brewery partners is essential for building long-term relationships and proving that co-marketing efforts truly pay off.

• Real-Time Tracking: As tickets start selling, keep an eye on which partner links and codes are performing. You might notice, for example, that Brewery A’s promotions have sold 100 tickets, while Brewery B’s have sold 30. This insight can help you tailor support – perhaps Brewery B needs an extra push (maybe their poster isn’t in a great spot or they haven’t posted on social media yet). With a platform like Ticket Fairy, every sale attributed to a partner’s link or code is logged and easy to monitor.
• Regular Updates to Partners: Don’t wait until after the festival to share the good news. Send periodic updates to each partner brewery: “Hey [Brewery Name] team, thanks for promoting! So far, you’ve helped sell 75 tickets through your link – amazing! That’s 75 people who might not have come without your support.” These updates keep partners engaged and excited. It also encourages them to keep pushing as the festival date nears, especially if they’re close to a nice round number or perhaps a goal you set together.
• Demonstrating the Lift: After the festival, compile a simple report for your partners. Show the total tickets sold via their channels, and if possible, translate that into tangible impact. For instance, “Your referrals accounted for 15% of our total attendance” or “50 of the attendees you brought had never purchased from us before – new customers for both of us to tap into.” If you offered a commission per ticket, include the payout information in a transparent way. Even if it’s not financial, just showing that their involvement made a real difference will help ensure their buy-in next year.
• Celebrate and Thank Your Partners: Data is important, but so is appreciation. Publicly acknowledge the role of brewery partners in your festival’s success. This could be a shout-out on stage at the festival (“Let’s hear it for all the local breweries that helped make this event happen!”), an appreciation post on social media listing all partners, or a small thank-you gift afterwards (like a plaque, a framed festival poster signed by the team, or an invite to an exclusive brewers-only afterparty). When partners feel valued and see concrete success metrics, they’re more likely to go all-in with co-marketing efforts in the future, creating a virtuous cycle of support.

Scaling Up or Down: Adapting Co-Marketing to Festival Size

Whether you’re running a modest 500-person local festival or a massive international beer expo, co-marketing with breweries and taprooms can be adapted to fit your scale:

• For Small Local Festivals: You might rely heavily on a few key taprooms in your town. If your festival is the first of its kind or relatively new, local breweries can be your strongest champions. Focus on personal relationships – perhaps you know the owners or managers and can coordinate closely. In smaller communities (say a tight-knit brewing community in New Zealand or Colorado), word-of-mouth through brewers can be more effective than formal advertising. A small festival might partner with just 3-5 breweries, but do so deeply: multiple events at each taproom, lots of social media love both ways, and maybe collaborative merch (e.g., the brewery sells a special glass or t-shirt that also has the festival logo).
• For Large Festivals: If you’re organizing a large festival that draws attendees nationally or internationally (like the Great American Beer Festival in the US or the Great British Beer Festival in the UK), you could have dozens or even hundreds of brewery partners. Obviously, you can’t do a custom collab beer with each or a pre-party at every taproom. In these cases, think in tiers: a handful of major brewery sponsors might get the full co-marketing kit and events, while smaller participating breweries might at least get digital assets and tracking links to share. Logistics matter too – shipping physical posters and coordinating across cities or countries requires more lead time. Leverage technology (shared calendars, email updates, maybe a private Facebook group or Slack channel for partner breweries) to keep everyone aligned. Even for big events, the principle holds: breweries promote the festival, and the festival promotes the breweries, together reaching more people than either could alone.
• Different Cultures, Different Approaches: Across countries, take into account local marketing norms. For example, in some regions like Germany or Czech Republic with deep beer hall traditions, you might integrate festival promos into beer halls and traditional events rather than just taprooms. In places like India or Singapore, where craft beer is newer, educating partner venues on how the affiliate tracking works might be necessary (since the concept of festival link sharing could be less familiar). Always adapt the co-marketing kit to what makes sense locally – the core idea of mutual promotion is universal, but the execution might differ. The beauty of co-marketing is its flexibility; it can be as simple as a poster in one pub or as grand as a multi-city pre-festival tour.

Troubleshooting and Lessons Learned

Even seasoned festival producers encounter a few hiccups when co-marketing with breweries. Through trial and error across countless events, here are some lessons and tips to ensure smooth collaboration:

• Ensure Clear Communication: Don’t assume a brewery knows what to do with the materials. When you drop off the kit or send it via email, include a one-page guide on how to use it effectively. For example: “Week 1: put up posters and announce partnership on social. Week 2: share the provided beer-tasting video. Week 3: host the pre-party event,” etc. Over-communicate deadlines and ask if they need anything else. Regular check-ins (without nagging) help; sometimes a brewery is on board in spirit but forgets to put the poster up until you gently remind them.
• Quality Control on Collateral: Not all taprooms have the same lighting or space for posters. Visit the venue if possible and figure out the best size and format for them. A brewery with dim mood lighting might benefit from table talkers or smaller flyers instead of a big poster on a dark wall. Meanwhile, a large modern taproom with a digital display could use a slide you provide for their TV menu screens. Tailor the kit pieces to each venue’s reality for maximum visibility.
• Respect the Brewery’s Brand: Co-marketing is a two-way street. Make sure any co-branded content respects the look and feel of the brewery’s own brand. Get their logo right, use their preferred colors or imagery when mentioning them. Small touches like this make the brewery proud to share the content because it feels authentic to their identity. Also, discuss exclusivity expectations – for instance, if one brewery is a major sponsor, you might agree not to partner with their direct competitor in the same city. Transparency about who else is involved avoids any awkwardness among brewery partners.
• Monitor and Adapt: As tickets sell and feedback comes in, be ready to adapt. If one tactic isn’t working (say, hardly anyone scanned the QR on coasters), focus on the tactics that are (like social media flash sales or contests). Be agile – maybe one brewery’s audience responds better to Facebook while another’s lives on Instagram. Provide alternate materials or messaging to suit different channels as you learn what works.
• Plan for Health & Safety Considerations: If you’re doing in-person promotions like pre-party events, ensure you coordinate with the brewery on safety, capacity, and regulations (especially in a post-2020 world where local health guidelines can change). A crowded taproom event is great unless it violates local restrictions. Always have a backup plan, such as virtual brewery sessions or online tasting events, if an in-person gathering falls through. Some festivals have successfully done “Virtual Taproom Tours” on Facebook Live or Zoom as a fallback, still driving ticket sales while reaching cautious customers.

Each festival and brewery partnership will teach you something new. Embrace the iterative process – even failures (like that one time no one showed up to a poorly timed Tuesday night pre-party) are lessons that help refine your approach for next time. Over years of festival production from Mexico City to Melbourne, the overarching insight remains: collaboration beats isolation. When festivals join forces with the breweries and taprooms in their ecosystem, the whole community wins.

Key Takeaways

• Provide a Turnkey Promo Kit: Make it effortless for breweries to promote your festival by supplying posters, QR codes, social media graphics, and unique ticket links or codes. Lowering the effort increases participation.
• Leverage the Brewery’s Audience: Taproom regulars trust their local brewery. A co-sign from the brewery (posters on the wall, staff talking up the event) lends credibility and targets a highly relevant audience of beer enthusiasts.
• Align Marketing Efforts: Coordinate your promotions with brewery events and schedules. Sync up around collaboration beer releases, host pre-festival taproom parties, and plan social media pushes together for maximum buzz.
• Use Affiliate Tracking & Share the Data: Assign each brewery partner a unique link or code to track ticket sales they generate. Share these metrics with partners frequently – when breweries see the direct impact (and any commission if offered), they’ll be even more invested.
• Offer Exclusive Incentives: Reward the brewery’s customers with special discounts or perks (like exclusive promo codes or bonus goodies at the festival). This extra value can tip a beer fan from “maybe” to “absolutely” attending the festival.
• Maintain Strong Relationships: Communicate clearly, respect each partner’s brand and constraints, and show gratitude. Acknowledge successes, troubleshoot issues together, and always thank partners publicly and privately. Long-term relationships with breweries can turn co-marketing from a one-time effort into a recurring powerhouse for every festival you produce.