Just yesterday BrewDog, an independent brewery based not far from Aberdeen announced a 250% rise in sales for the first quarter of 2010. This would be seen as a phenomenal increase at any time, but when even the biggest commercial brewers are feeling the strain of decreased demand it appears all the more impressive.

So how have they done it? Firstly, it needs to be said that BrewDog are making beer which is very different from anything else on the market. Very few UK brewers have taken the experimental approach to brewing that BrewDog’s 26 year old directors Martin Dickie and James Watt have. From the cheeky 1.1% ABV ‘Nanny State’ to the potent 41% ABV ‘Sink the Bismarck’, there’s no denying the fact BrewDog are making beers worthy of headlines. And the headlines are where much of their exposure has come from. The BBC, Time Magazine, Huffington Post, Telegraph, Guardian and dozens of others, both home and abroad, have latched onto the controversial brews of the Fraserburgh based business. Whilst an ability to make the headlines will always help a company increase its marketing impact, it still takes more than this to help push a 250% quarterly sales rise.

BrewDog have a secret weapon though, and one which few independent brewers are lucky enough to have in their advertising arsenal. BrewDog’s customers are amongst the best brand ambassadors in the business.

Why spend on traditional advertising methods when the people who use your product are so infatuated with it they extol its virtues at every opportunity ? Granted the beer is great, but seldom have I bought anything that has drawn so much comment from the people both selling and drinking it . . .

“Great beer mate”

“Nice choice”

“Have you tried their other stuff?”

“I’m having one when I finish my shift.”

Etc, etc, etc

The beer is definitely tasty enough to draw you into drinking it regularly, but the brand is also able to enforce a sort of attractive exclusivity rarely found in the industry. This is achieved through a strong online presence, relentless tastings and promotions, vibrant artistic design as well as witty, punchy copywriting that genuinely appears to be speaking to consumers directly and ‘on the level’. The intensity of exposure they receive is a real small budget success story and one which stylishly compliments the substance of their products.

Whether they can sustain their sales growth or continue to keep their aggressive marketing campaigns refreshing and effective remains to be seen. As they grow bigger, the likelihood is they’ll struggle to retain the quirky anti-establishment credentials which make those who buy their beer such brilliant brand ambassadors today.

That said, at a time when Tennent’s, Scotland’s largest commercial brewer, appears to be stuttering somewhat, the scope is there for a bigger BrewDog to make real inroads on its dominance. And if there’s one thing which would stimulate creativity across the Scottish drinks industry – both in terms of product and design – it’s a little competition at the top end.

I’m sure a head to head between the traditional Tennent’s and the boisterous new boys BrewDog would be a battle well worth watching out for.