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Rebecca Johnson
PRS 340
October 26, 2015
Narragansett Beer Assignment
Overview of Narragansett Beer
History

Narragansett Brewing Company was founded in 1890 in Cranston, RI, with its
first beer produced in December of that same year. The company had the
most modern bottling plant in the region and officially became the largest

brewer in New England in 1914.

After being bought by Falstaff Brewing Company on July 15, 1965,
Narragansett Beer continued brewing in RI until Falstaff was bought out and

headquarters moved to California in 1975.

The original Cranston brewery was closed on July 31, 1981, and production of
the beer was moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where sales declined after

customers complained about reduced quality of the beer.

The brand was bought in 2005 by Rhode Island investors and is now owned
by Mark Hellendrung and contract brewed through Genesee Brewing

Company.
Lager and light beers are brewed in Rochester N.Y., whereas bock and porter
are craft brewed in Providence R.I. and Pawcatuck C.T.

Partnerships and Sponsors

Narragansett Beer sponsored the Braves and eventually the Boston Red Sox
broadcasts until it was eventually replaced in the late 1960s. While
sponsoring the Red Sox, logos such as Hi Neighbor, Have a Gansett and
Our Own New England Beer were popular and featured predominately on
Red Sox paraphernalia, schedules, advertisements, as well as the radio and
television. Additionally, Curt Gowdy, announcer for the Red Sox, became the

spokesperson for the beer.

In January 1934 Theodore Geisel, more famously known as Dr. Seuss,
partnered with Narragansett to design the Chief Gansett image as well as
several other advertisements.

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In the classic horror movie Jaws, Narragansett was the choice of beer for
Captain Quint. In 2012 Narragansett ran a campaign called Crush it like
Quint during shark week honoring his choice by temporarily bringing back

the 1975 can design with the slogan Honor the man. Crush the can.
Narragansett Beer has more recently partnered with Rhode Island brands
such as Dels Lemonade, Allies Donuts, and Autocraft to create beers
inspired by their products. They continue to have a presence at Red Sox
events and games with promotion booths and events.

Evolution of the brand

Defined as the beer of baseball, Narragansett products and marketing were

designed and influenced to appeal to baseball lover, particularly the Red Sox.
Once their sponsorship ended, Narragansett continued to design their brand
towards baseball lovers, but also took other sports into account. 1975 was a

turning point as their beer was featured in the classic movie Jaws.
After changing hands several times and

Challenges

The combined effect of being sold to Falstaff Brewing Company and no longer
sponsoring the Red Sox led to declining sales for what was once the most
popular beer in New England, to the point where the company almost went

under.
After buying the brand in 2005, investors have been working towards
revamping the beers image and regaining the popularity it lost.

Current Status

The company is currently owned by Mark Hellendrung and pulled $12 million

in revenue in 2014.
Available beers include: Original Lager, Light, India Pale Ale, Allies Donuts

Double Chocolate Porter, Reanimator Helles Lager, and Innsmouth Olde Ale.
Current campaign: The Made on Honor Series, 125 in 125, hash tag
#MadeinHonor

Recommendations for Target Audiences

New Englanders

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The value of the New England audience absolutely cannot be ignored. New
Hampshire alone led the country in beer consumption in a 2012 study, with
states like Vermont and Maine following not far behind (Who Are the Largest
Target Audiences in Alcohol Advertising?). Two-thirds of Narragansetts sales are
from New England alone, a seemingly obvious target for a beer named after a
beach town in Rhode Island. However, its reach is well beyond the shores of
Narragansett. Even states that border New England, for example New York,
have seen an increase in sales. In an article for the Boston Globe, a Brooklyn
bartender even commented that people who had formerly butchered the beers
name now come into the bar looking for a Gansett (How Narragansett
became cool again). Geography may seem like the most important factor in
capturing this demographic, however a large part of this audience will also be
driven by something less physical: nostalgia. For example, in an article from the
Journal of Consumer Research, participants were given ads for a product and
asked how much they would pay for it based on the ad. Those individuals who
felt nostalgic while looking at the ad were likely to consider it more valuable,
offering to pay more. This suggests a link between nostalgia and its ability to
make us feel socially connected, a valuable affect that consumers often do not
even realize sways their decision (Nostalgia Effect).

The Midwest

While the majority of sales cumulate in the New England area, marketing to the
Midwest would be highly lucrative for Narragansett. In states such as North and
South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri,
Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska, almost half all of alcohol consumed is beer
(Majority in U.S. Drink Alcohol, Averaging Four Drinks a Week). Additionally, the
relatively low price of Narragansett beers would appeal to customers in the
Midwest. In the most recent U.S. census, the poverty rate in the Midwest ranged
between 11.5% (Minnisota/South Dakota) and 16.2% (Michigan), (U.S Census).

Women

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Beer has a reputation of being just for men, so its unsurprising that
women make up only a fifth of the worlds beer drinking population. However,
selling beer to women is an untapped market with potential to capture a large
audience, as 52% of women say the alcoholic beverage they consume most is
wine (Majority in U.S. Drink Alcohol, Averaging Four Drinks a Week). Marketing
based on traditional what women like stereotypes have been proven to fail,
with brands like Coors and Copenhagen trying to appeal to women with pink
beers, slogans like beer for beer haters and promises of bloat resistance.
While these campaigns have fallen short, other brands such as Bud Light and
Heineken marketed products that are fruity, colorful and light beers that reach
women more subtly and produced fantastic results. Bud Lights sales for the
Ritas line accumulated $462 million in 2012 and expanded to seven different
flavors. Heineken experienced a similar success, with sales topping 17 million
bottles in 2014 and plans to develop new flavors (Brewers Desperately Want
Women To Drink More Beer And Theyve Learned That Pink Beer Isnt The
Answer). Additionally, a 2% increase in the population of women drinking beer
between 2012 and 2013 proves that this audience is development an interest in
beer as well, with more women than men saying theyre drinking beer to find
new brands and new flavors (Survey: Women drinking more beer, men drinking
less?).
Competitive Analysis
National Companies: Verizon and GTECH
Verizon is the largest cellular network in America, providing customers with
phone, Internet and television services, making $127.1billion in 2014 revenue, and
is number 15 in the Fortune 500 list. The colossal company also has several
community outreach programs. One is the Verizon Foundation, whose mission
envisions combining present and future technology to help underprivileged
communities. Verizon focuses this foundation on communities, funding education
programs in science, technology, engineering and math. Verizons public image is
greatly boosted due to their successful pro-education programs. Verizon also
started HopeLine, a donation service where old phones are donated and recycled,

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with the profits benefiting domestic violence victims. Verizons pledge to help end
domestic violence speaks to audiences of all genders, ages, races and religions.
Through these avenues Verizon successfully reaches out to nationwide
communities, associating positive feelings with the brand.
GTECH, also know as International Gaming Company (IGT), designs,
develops, manufactures, sells and distributes gaming and lottery systems. The
company is currently valued at $626 million and produces about half of the slot
machines in the United States. GTECH also places emphasis on its community
responsibility and outreach, aiming to creative educational opportunities, foster
community initiatives and empower employees. GTECHs community involvement
is shown through its After School Advantage (ASA) program that provides digital
learning centers to underprivileged children. The program has installed over 250
digital learning centers across both the U.S., donating an average of $15,000 to
each site. This puts GTECH in an extremely favorable light, with their community
outreach programs having a lasting effect on schools and students. Additionally,
GTECH advocates for responsible gaming, offering programs that allow customers
to make informed choices and managing customer relationships. By advocating
responsible gaming, GTECH gains merit in the eyes of the consumer because that
sends a message: GTECH is a gaming company that cares about the welfare of
their customers.
Rhode Island Companies: Cox Communications and Blue Cross Blue Shield
Cox Communications is a TV, internet, phone and home security provider,
with over 6 million customers throughout the United States. One of the most
popular cable companies in Rhode Island, Coxs community outreach programs
include charitable donations and community scholarships across New England. Cox
dedication to giving back to the community promotes a caring image for the
company and indirectly may helps drive sales. In addition to scholarships, Cox
programs like Cable in the Classroom and the Take Charge! campaign aim to
improve classroom settings and promote safe surfing on the Internet. These two
programs, aimed at children in an educational environment, show how Coxs

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support of youth education programs ties them into the community and improves
community relations.
Blue Cross Blue Shield provides health insurance across the ocean state, with
membership in RI totaling over 600,000. Far more than just an insurance company,
Blue Cross Blue Shield has two main outreach programs that support the
community. One is the BlueAngel Community Health Grant, a program that funds
critical health issues affecting the state. This grant has a major impact on the
state, with 54 organizations funded and almost $2.7 million given in grant money
over the past 12 years alone. The other is the Charitable Giving Program,
supporting over 145 nonprofit organizations around RI. Grant recipients include
organizations interested in improving health throughout the community. By giving
money to local health organizations, Blue Cross Blue Shield is seen favorably in the
eyes of customers and sponsors both in Rhode Island and nationally.
Conclusion
Narragansett Beers continued growth depends on focusing on new target
audiences and improving relations with current customers. While taking steps to
identify these audiences is key, actually reaching them is the ultimate goal and it is
attainable. Our most obvious and well-maintained target audience remains New
Englanders. Maintaining a good relationship with customers in this region improves
community relations, improving sales as well. As seen with companies like Cox and
Blue Cross Blue shield, being involved with the community improves public opinion
of a company, ultimately increasing sales and customer loyalty. Narragansett
captures a sense of familiarity in New Englanders, and creating a feeling of
nostalgia creates a lasting bond with the product. Keeping New Englanders
Narragansett fans is the first step in involving new audiences and continuing to
grow.
The Midwest region of the United States may seem random and unrelated to
Narragansetts other target audiences. However, the low price of Narragansett will
fuel sales in a region where beer is the most consumed beverage. While this may
seem like a far reach to gain customers, this area of the United States has
potential to boost sales significantly. It may seem difficult to relate to a different

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region of the United States, as their culture is different than the culture that
Narragansett is produced and advertised in. However, if bar in New York has a high
demand for the famous $5 Tall boy, it shows that any pre-formed stereotypes
about the beer can be turned around by its taste and price. By locking in
audiences the Midwest, Narragansett will successfully gain new customers as well
as continue to grown nationwide.
The final target audience with growth potential is women. A fifth of the
worlds women currently favor beer, offering a rare opportunity to market to an
audience and experience exponential growth. Although there may be a manly
stigma attached to drinking beers, past companies have found success in
marketing to women not by product design, but by flavor and marketing
techniques. The success of Bud Lights Rita line proves that women are not an
unreachable audience when marketed to correctly. In a more modern world where
gender stereotypes are starting to lose favor, marketing to women should be
designed based on interests and preferred tastes. This is completely do-able, and
reaching a target audience this wide would improve brand recognition and loyalty.
When looked at on a larger scale, Narragansett is essentially not appealing to a
market consisting of half the worlds population, an audience that is completely
reachable and has been connected with before. All three of these target audiences
have extended benefits for Narragansett Beer, and strategies created to reach
them will help improve the company for many years to come.

Works Cited
A Clear Purpose A New Identity. (2015). Retrieved October 25, 2015, from
https://www.verizon.com/about/sites/default/files/Verizon_Fact_Sheet.pdf
About Us. Retrieved October 24, 2015.

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Berman, C. Who Are the Largest Target Markets in Alcohol Advertising? Retrieved
October 24, 2015.
Community. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
Cox Communications Fact Sheet. (2015). Retrieved October 24, 2015.
Cox in the Community. (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2015.
Crowell, C. (2013, November 13). Survey: Women drinking more beer, men
drinking less? Retrieved October 24, 2015.
Crush It Like Quint: 1975 Throwback Cans Are Back. (2013, August 8). Retrieved
October 25, 2015.
Greenfield, R. (2015, June 12). How Narragansett became cool again - The Boston
Globe. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
Global Charitable Contributions and Sponsorship Policy. IGT Community
Commitment. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
IGT Global Responsibility. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
International Game Technology PLC. IGT Financial Reports. Retrieved October 28,
2015.
Narragansett Beer (2012 July 23). The Story Of The Famous Narragansett Brewing
Company.
Nostalgia Effect. (2014). Retrieved October 24, 2015.
O'Reilly, L. (2014, October 8). Brewers Desperately Want Women To Drink More
Beer - And
Our Approach. Verizon. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
They've Learned That Pink Beer Isn't The Answer. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
Quick Facts. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
Saad, L. (2012, August 17). Majority in U.S. Drink Alcohol, Averaging Four Drinks a
Week. Retrieved October 24, 2015.