Author: Tim Burgess

Custom coffee sleeves (like the ones produced by Sleeve a Message) are an essential component of our modern day, on-the-go, coffee-driven lifestyles—but have you ever stopped and wondered who invented coffee cup sleeves? While it might seem like every coffee shop and convenience store has been shelling them out with delicious hot coffee forever, the coffee cup sleeve as we know it is a relatively new invention. And we have one person to thank for that. His name: Jay Sorensen.

Who is Jay Sorensen

Once a manager of a family-owned gas station in Portland, Jay Sorensen left the family business for a career as a realtor. But it would be embossed cardboard, and not Beaver State real estate through which Sorensen would leave his most lasting impression. He first came up with the concept for what we now know as coffee cup sleeves in 1989 after purchasing a cup of coffee from a local drive thru. A minor spill caused him to burn his fingers, lose grip of the cup, and spill the cup’s remaining contents onto his lap. While painful, this unfortunate occurrence would spark the idea that would one day revolutionize the on-the-go coffee industry.

Eager to develop a way to hold paper coffee cups safely and comfortably, Sorensen first tinkered with the idea of a double-layered cup that would ultimately prove to be quite expensive and not very environmentally friendly. In 1991, he developed the sleeker, more compact, and eventually iconic design we’re familiar with today. He called his creation the “Java Jacket”. 

The Rise of the Coffee Sleeve

Sorensen went full time with his concept in 1993 with an initial investment of $20,000. And after a few early start-up frustrations and obstacles, it was clear he had a hit on his hands. In fact, one of Sorensen’s first sales, perhaps serendipitously, was that very same cafe at which he had his initial (and uncomfortable) inspiration. Through various trade shows (most notably the 1995 Seattle Coffeefest), Sorensen found more and more avenues for his now high demand invention.

And speaking of Seattle coffee, as you’re probably well aware, the 1990s saw the astronomical rise of a certain Seattle-based coffee shop. And sure enough, Sorensen wisely pitched his coffee sleeve concept to the Starbucks brass. And they liked it! However, the deal Starbucks proposed was less than favorable for Sorensen and crew and, unable to come to a mutual agreement, the two parties went their separate ways. Sorensen was granted a patent for his Java Jacket…and LBP Manufacturing was granted one of their own for a similar product they’d call the “Coffee Clutch”. LBP became Starbucks main supplier of coffee sleeves. 

Coffee Sleeves Today

Even though the Starbucks thing didn’t pan out, Sorensen probably isn’t losing much sleep over it as his company sells approximately 1 billion of his sleeves annually. In the United States, more than 400 million cups of coffee are sold every single day with more than 250 million served up on the go. And it’s a safe bet that the vast majority of these are wrapped safely in some variation of Sorensen’s original 1991 design. That equates to billions of consumer fingers spared from scalding hot liquids every morning.

Here at Sleeve a Message, we hold our own patented design for a “seamless” printed coffee sleeves with custom messaging and print more than 50,000,000 impressions on our own custom sleeves annually for foodservice and hospitality clients as well as anyone wanting to commemorate a special occasion in a unique and fun fashion. The aim in the Sleeve a Message design was to reduce the turn-around time and minimum order needed to produce a custom sleeve; thus allowing for more relevant messages to be printed on the sleeve. Sleeve a Message also boasts a variable printing feature which as described by founder David Dresner, “creates a fortune cookie-esque effect so customers are curious what will be on their sleeve next.”

Conclusion

At Sleeve a Message, we LOVE coffee sleeves and believe they are one of the best ways to brand your business, commemorate your special event, or simply get your message across effectively. We carry a wide variety of sleeve options and styles and our team is ready to help you design the sleeve that gets your message across. And the next time you pick up your sleeve order, or swing by your local coffee shop, raise a wrapped cup to the coffee cup sleeve inventor who made it all possible.

Whether your daily coffee habits take place in solace at your kitchen table, in morning rush hour on the freeway, or surrounded by small-talking co-workers in the break room (or all three some days), coffee is what keeps us going. So it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that we can instinctively get a little obsessive, sentimental, and heck, even romantic about the magic, caffeinated bean potion. Here are some of the wisest, deepest, sweetest, and sappiest coffee quotes ever uttered by humans (as well as a few that just made us LOL).

“It’s amazing how the world begins to change through the eyes of a cup of coffee.”
-Donna A. Favors
You noticed that too? I thought it was just me!

“I never laugh until I’ve had my coffee.”
-Clark Gable
Nope. It’s impossible.

“We want to do a lot of stuff; we’re not in great shape. We didn’t get a good night’s sleep. We’re a little depressed. Coffee solves all these problems in one delightful little cup.”
-Jerry Seinfeld
As usual, Jerry totally gets it.

“Way too much coffee. But if it weren’t for the coffee, I’d have no identifiable personality whatsoever.”
-David Letterman
And we always thought it was water in those “Late Show” mugs on Dave’s desk.

“It is inhumane, in my opinion, to force people who have a genuine medical need for coffee to wait in line behind people who apparently view it as some kind of recreational activity.”
-Dave Barry
How is this not already a law?

“I don’t know where my ideas come from. I will admit, however, that one key ingredient is caffeine. I get a couple cups of coffee into me and weird things just start to happen.”
-Gary Larson
It’s like he’s reading our collective minds.

“Never say no to coffee.”
-Cesar
That settles it. I’m totally getting this tattooed on my body later today.

“I do not question anyone anymore. I drink coffee and I live.”
-Tahar Ben Jelloun
I just have one question. Where’s the coffee?

“People don’t seem as annoying when I’ve got coffee.”
-Tommy Cotton, Promises
Huh. Looks like I’m getting two tattoos today.

“The Lord must have created coffee to reward humans for those bad times they sometimes have on Earth.”
-Sahara Sanders, INDIGO DIARIES: A Series of Novels
I mean that’s really the only explanation I can think of.

“Life isn’t sugarcoated. Why should coffee be?”
-Tommy Wallach, Thanks for the Trouble
That’s a good point (but I’m not giving up my sugar). Sorry, not sorry.

“Don’t ever let anyone tell you that fairy tales aren’t real. I drink a potion made from magic beans every day, and it brings me back to life.”
-Nanea Hoffman
Sometimes four or five times a day. But who’s counting?

“Asking me to do ANYTHING before I’ve had my first cup of coffee should be an episode on 1000 Ways to DIE.”
-Comic Strip Mama
A little grim…but not entirely inaccurate.

“A silent yawn is a scream for coffee.”
-T. Haque
I guess I’d never thought of it like that. But I’m going to start!

“May your coffee kick in before reality does.”
-Unknown
This needs to be on a mug (a big one).

“The powers of a man’s mind are directly proportional to the quantity of coffee he drinks.”
-Sir James MacKintosh
-If true, I think I might be underutilizing mine.

“Sometimes, they just make coffee cups too small.”
-Michelle M. Pillow
Just leave the carafe, please. Thanks.

Finding the perfect gift for the coffee-obsessed friend, co-worker, or family member can be a lot of fun if you just know where to look. Fortunately, shopping for coffee accessories is a major weakness of ours. So we decided to share some of our favorite coffee lover gifts for this holiday season.

Coffee Passport Journal 

For the traveling coffee aficionado, this book is the perfect companion to document expeditions one cup at a time. The passport-sized book allows the user to keep tabs on every java-related experience as they sample the world’s roasteries and independent shops.

Atlas Coffee Club Subscription

Of course for the coffee lover who can’t just jet off to Italy or Brazil for a cup of joe, might we suggest delivering the goods right to their front door. There are many coffee subscription services out there, but we absolutely love Atlas Coffee Club. Packages start at just $55 and each delivery includes the coffee, brewing recommendations, and a postcard from its country of origin.

Personalized Coffee Mug

Are we all in agreement how cute these mugs are? Simply design your custom avatar, enter your name, and receive the perfect mug that is distinctly “you”. Go ahead and order for the whole family while you’re at it!

Starbucks Holiday Bundle

At this point, the Starbucks Holiday Blend is just as much a part of the season as Santa Claus and claymation TV specials. As is tradition, the complete Starbucks set is available in a festive package deal that includes two kinds of K-Cup Pods and delicious cookie straws. The bundle retails for just $25.99.

“Coffee Around The World” Art Print

Admittedly not for everyone, I can’t help but love this decorative (and informative) art print and I want it hanging in my kitchen, like, right now. And if this isn’t your thing, just do a bit more digging on Etsy. We are obsessed with their coffee-themed collections! 

The World Atlas of Coffee: From Beans to Brewing

There are many books about the history and heritage of coffee, and we’re not going to pretend to have read them all. So until we do, might we recommend this literal world atlas of coffee from around the globe. You’re sure to learn a thing or two.

Death Wish Coffee: The World’s Strongest Coffee

We admit, we haven’t tried this one (yet). But the claim of being the “world’s strongest coffee” has our curiosity genuinely piqued. The coffee is USDA certified organic and packs enough caffeine to warrant its own warning label. At less than $20 for a pound of ground coffee, it might just be worth it.

Freehand Luggage Travel Cup Holder

A friend sent this link my way thinking I’d get a chuckle out of such an amusing novelty gift. But the joke’s on her as this product is no gag (and yes, I bought it). Having a free hand without having to give up my coffee will make parading through crowded airports at least a little more bearable.

MilkPro Milk Frother

If you prefer your coffee a little heavy on the foam, and aren’t lucky enough to live inside of a coffee shop, then you need this tool in your arsenal. In just 15 seconds, you’ll have barista-quality frothy coffee made right in your own kitchen.

Heat-Activated Mug

Not sure where you stand on the whole novelty gift idea, but this guy was too cool to not include. Turn a “sleepy” mug into an “awake” mug by filling it with piping hot coffee. How else, right?

Starbucks Gift Card

Is it simple and a little obvious? Absolutely. Does that make it any less of a great gift for a coffee lover? Of course not.

Have anything you want to add? Just shoot us a message! We’d love to hear your suggestions as well.

Whether you’re promoting your business, planning a wedding or an event or otherwise need some promotional flair, designing your own cool drink coasters is a fun way to get the job done. But there are a few important decisions you’ll need to make as you begin to conceptualize a design and purpose for your custom drink coasters. Here are a few things you should do and expect to be ready to answer to when it comes time to print your coasters.

Visualize your design

Obviously, before you get started, you’ll need to have a design or concept in mind for your coaster (or coasters)! For inspiration, you can browse our website or social media for ideas or examples of what some of our customers have done with their custom coasters. Think about the reason you need coasters. Are they for a specific event, or general promotion for a business? Are they more functional or promotional? The purpose for the coasters will drive your design inspiration, as well as a lot of the other decisions you’ll have to make regarding your coasters!

Black and white or color?

Color print designs obviously pack a punch, but there are plenty of cool drink coasters that send a message using just black ink! Black ink tends to work especially for more text-based coaster designs, or designs using minimalist artwork. Color, obviously, can work for these kinds of designs as well, but is especially suited for complex designs with different shades and hues.

Single or double sided?

The question of whether to pick single- or double-sided designs for your coasters will come down to both your design idea and the purpose of the coasters. Many customers use both sides of their custom coasters to encourage users to make a choice or send a message. Maybe you want one side of the coaster to represent the groom’s side of the wedding and one side to represent the bride’s. Maybe you want to print a trivia question on one side of the coaster and have the answer on the reverse side. Maybe you just want your business’s logo printed on one side instead of both. Maybe you just can’t pick between one design concept and another. (Although, if that’s the case, have we mentioned we offer variable printing options?)

Choose your shape

The two standard shapes for coasters are round and square. Largely, the choice of shape is going to come down to what you plan to print on the coaster and how you see it laid out. For some designs, a square coaster is a better fit. For others, a round coaster is a better fit. If your coaster company has a template or software you can use (more on that later) to design your coasters, try both the square and round options to see what looks better.

Choose your width

When selecting your coasters, you’ll likely have a choice of different widths as well as shapes. At Sleeve a Message, we offer two widths each of our square and round coasters. In general, the width difference doesn’t matter too greatly in terms of functionality, but a slightly larger coaster can be a blessing when it comes to a design that would be just a little too crowded on a smaller coaster.

Choose your thickness

Choosing the right thickness for your coaster largely comes down to how you plan to use it. Sleeve a Message offers coasters that are 40pt, 60pt and 80pt, with 40pt being the thinnest and 80pt being the thickest. A 40pt coaster is lightweight and good for single-use applications, as they tend to start showing signs of warping or water absorption. If you only need a single-use coaster, 40pt will get the job done. However, if you’re looking for something that can stand up to heavier repeated use, 80pt is the way to go. 80pt is the choice that most bars and restaurants choose, looking to invest in a product that’s going to last the longest. And, if you’re looking to split the difference, the 60pt is perfect. Many customers pick the 60pt as the “just right” balance between the two: sturdier and more luxe feeling than the 40pt, but not quite the heavy-hitter the 80pt is.

Use a template

Once you’ve made some important decisions regarding the layout, shape and specifications of your coasters, it’s time to start piecing the design together. Many custom coaster companies supply customers with a template to work with when designing their coasters. This can be a huge asset to help you visualize how your coaster design will be laid out.

Make sure your design meets specifications set by your coaster provider

Whether you order your coasters from Sleeve a Message or elsewhere, the service you use should provide you with some guidelines for artwork requirements and guidelines based on the coaster specifications you’ve chosen. Make sure the design you’ve created (or have in mind) fits their specifications. In some instances, you might be able to work closely with designers or representatives at the coaster provider to fine tune your designs or ideas. They should be interested in helping you achieve the best possible outcome and should know not to print something they know will be an inferior product. After all, your goal and their goal is one and the same: to provide you with the cool drink coasters of your dreams!

Learn more about custom coffee cup sleeves and custom coasters from Sleeve a Message.

As your team begins planning out its events calendar for 2019, consider handing out company branded coasters at your next trade show. With hundreds to perhaps thousands of people attending your industry’s most prominent and important events, this is a great opportunity to put your sales message in front of show attendees. Here are a few reasons why branded coasters are a great option for your next trade show booth promotional item.

● We’ve all been there…you attend an industry trade show and at the end of the day, your swag bag is overflowing with pens, post-its, and other items you’ll likely leave in your hotel room before heading home. Branded coasters are a way to stand out from the crowd by providing show attendees with an item that they can actually use. Make sure to prominently include your company’s logo and contact information, along with a compelling sales message or offer, to further encourage them to hang on to your coaster. Providing a ‘show special’ to be redeemed at a later date is another way to encourage attendees to keep your company branded coaster on hand.
● Coasters allow for a highly targeted marketing message geared directly to your show’s best prospects. Consider providing a special offer only for folks who attend the show–utilize a unique phone number, email address, or QR code to track how many leads you receive from the trade show. You could even conduct some A/B testing by handing out coasters with two different offers to see which performs better, providing your sales team with valuable intel for future marketing efforts.
● Hosting morning coffees and afternoon happy hours at your booth is a perfect way to engage with your customers and prospects in a laid-back setting. Be sure to hand each person a branded coaster along with their drink. As your team spends time chatting with each attendee, they’ll continually be seeing your company logo and brand messaging.

Branded coasters will help your business stand out from your competitors, promote any show specials you might be offering, and provide an item of value that show attendees will hang on to. This is a cost-effective way to promote your business in a very specific manner to your target audience. Browse our custom coasters and discover how branded coasters to help make your next trade show a huge success!

Personalized coasters are a fun, unique way to promote your business. Not only that, they also provide you with the opportunity to provide a specific, impactful sales or promotional message to your customers. Here are just a few of the many ways you can utilize personalized coasters to promote your business.

● Promote upcoming specials & events at your establishment: Today consumers are hit with a barrage of marketing messages, so breaking through the clutter can sometimes present a challenge. Personalized coasters are a great low-key method of promoting your upcoming specials and events. The customer is already at your establishment, making this a no-brainer way to encourage them to return in the future. You might even consider offering a special coupon or discount on the coaster to further entice them to attend.

● Partner with other local businesses on shared promotions: Personalized coasters can also be used to let customers know about any shared promotions you might be planning. For example, maybe you are a restaurant owner with an upcoming Beer Dinner featuring a local brewery’s beers. Custom coasters are a great way to get the word out and ensure plenty of early reservations, helping to make the event a success for all involved.

● Highlight community events that your business is sponsoring: If your company is sponsoring or participating in any local community events, personalized coasters are a great way to highlight them. This benefits both the event by providing additional marketing exposure, and your business because many consumers prefer to support companies that are active participants in the community.

● Provide interactive messaging: To keep your customers engaged and build stronger relationships with them, consider adding interactive messaging such as trivia questions, fun facts, puzzles or games to your coasters. You can feature up to 20 different designs within a single order, which keeps your messaging fresh and your customers engaged.

● Feature vendor promotions: Many vendors and suppliers have co-op marketing dollars that they are eager to share with their customers–including you. Think about how you can include your vendors in marketing messages placed on personalized coasters to help promote not only your brand but also theirs–and in the process get them to pay for it!

These are just a few examples of how your business can use personalized coasters to build brand awareness and amplify your marketing message. There are many other ways you can add personalized coasters into your marketing mix, and are limited only by your imagination. Click here to browse our personalized coasters and find out how they can help your business grow!

Personalized coasters are a staple of events big and small, and one of the most cost-effective ways to deliver your message to friends, family and potential customers. While you might not be neglecting the place of coasters in the events you’re hosting, you might be underestimating the possibilities of using personalized coasters. After you’ve laid out the spread for the event you’re hosting, complete your decorative touches by adding custom coasters for the event.

Coasters are 100% recyclable, unlike a lot of other party favors or decorations, and they help protect your home, business or rental space by protecting tabletop surfaces from moisture damage caused by beverages. Here are a few ways you can incorporate personalized coasters into your next event, gathering or holiday party.

Personalized Wedding Coasters

Weddings are one of the most popular events for personalized coasters, and for good reason. They’re extremely decorative and personalized events, and that personalization goes right down to the coasters guests are using while in attendance. With multiple beverage stations at your cocktail hour or reception, there are plenty of opportunities for the use of personalized wedding coasters, and the options for messaging on your coasters are limitless.

Personalized wedding coasters are an opportunity to add a festive touch with a touching message or image that matches the wedding’s theme or décor. You could also choose a more commemorative option for your personalized wedding coasters by including yours and your partner’s name and wedding date, or a selection from your vows. You could include fun facts or trivia about your relationship, such as how long you’ve been together, weird traditions you have and more.

Another popular choice for personalized wedding coasters are to include blank lines on the coaster, with a message encouraging guests to leave a few words of advice or congratulations to the happy couple. The filled-in coasters make a useful (and unique) memento for the newlyweds.

If you’re using a wedding hashtag to encourage your guests to share images on social media, adding the hashtag to your personalized wedding coasters is a great way to keep the hashtag fresh in your guests’ minds, especially as the drinks start flowing. You could also use personalized coasters to help guests remember which table they’re seated at. With personalized wedding coasters, the customization can be as personal as you want it to be.

Personalized Coasters for Banquets

Whether it’s a banquet for your company, your softball league, your child’s class at school, a club or any other event, banquets are another popular event for decorative coasters. The personalization will vary depending on the event, but here are a few common ideas to help you start brainstorming.

An end-of-the-year banquet for your child’s class or club is a great opportunity for custom coasters. Consider personalizing coasters with milestones from the school year or season, thank sponsors and teachers or utilize class or club superlatives.

For a company banquet, depending on the theme or reason for the banquet, you could similarly utilize personalized coasters to share facts about the company’s performance, recognize specific employees, or something a little more fun, depending on the banquet and guests.

For a sports team or league, either for you or your children, you can use custom coasters to recognize players, draw attention to different season highlights such as the team with the most wins, or scores per game, or any other relevant highlights.

Personalized Birthday Party Coasters

Personalized birthday party coasters can be used in a variety of different ways, depending on the birthday person and the theme or style of the birthday party. Consider personalizing coasters with the birthday person’s favorite memory from each year of their life. a task that might be a little easier for birthday parties honoring younger people. However, adding favorite memories to coasters is something that can be done for birthdays of all ages. You could also consider personalizing coasters to match the theme of the birthday party or with fun facts about the birthday person.
Personalized Graduation Coasters

Personalized coasters are a great addition to graduation parties. Whether the party is celebrating one graduate in particular or a bunch of graduates, personalized coasters can be used to share facts about the graduate(s), favorite memories from their years at school or well wishes from friends and family. For a high school graduation, consider customizing coasters to reflect at which college or university the graduate(s) will be continuing their studies.
Personalized Baby Shower Coasters
Personalized coasters for baby showers can be incorporated in a number of ways. Many traditional baby shower games can utilize coasters. Having personalized coasters printed with blank lines allows guests to write down their guess for the baby’s birth weight, birth date, birth time, or answers to any other common baby shower game. You could even solicit baby name suggestions, or use the blank space to allow guests to pass on words of advice to the new parents.

If you’ve chosen to reveal the sex of the baby at the shower, you could also have guests write down their guess, or have other coasters printed that they can pick from based on their guess for what the baby will be. Or, again, you could personalize your coasters to match the theme of the party or the parents.

Personalized Coasters for the Fourth of July

The Fourth of July is a great event to incorporate personalized coasters. Customize coasters with important dates or events in American history for an educational twist or use patriotic phrases instead. Use the coasters share trivia or encourage games, like a scavenger hunt that requires guests to work together using the information on their coasters. Your personalized coasters are sure to be a National Treasure, or, at least, the hit of your party.

Personalized Halloween Coasters

There are a lot of ways you can customize coasters for Halloween parties. Consider personalizing a batch of coasters with quotes from your favorite scary movies or print famous monsters like Dracula and Frankenstein on them and encourage their guests to do impressions of the monsters.

Personalized Thanksgiving Coasters

There are a few ways you can utilize customized coasters for Thanksgiving. Before the event, ask your attendees (family members, friends, neighbors) one thing they’re thankful for this year. Then have your party coasters customized with their answers. You could also consider having coasters customized with facts about the history of Thanksgiving to share with your guests.

Personalized New Year’s Eve Coasters

To personalize coasters for a New Year’s Eve party, solicit resolutions from your guests or have a variety of coasters printed with common New Year’s resolutions: getting organized, exercising more, reading more, eating healthily, saving money, taking up a new hobby or learning a new skill, to name a few. Guests can choose a coaster that matches their own personal resolutions, or pledge to add the new resolution to their list. The coasters can act as an icebreaker to help your guests get to know each other better—and guests might even find an accountability buddy to help them see their new resolution through.

Personalized Coasters for Sporting Events

Personalized coasters are a fun way to add some fun for your guests when hosting a watch party for a game. Have coasters made to allow party goers to show support for their team or their favorite player. Include highlights or trivia about the team’s season. You could incorporate a reward system by awarding guests a prize if something printed on their coaster, like a certain number of points scored by a player, happens during the game.

Personalized Coasters for Watch Parties

If you’re having a bunch of people over to watch something other than the big game, there’s still an opportunity to use personalized coasters. If you’re getting together to watch the finale of a reality competition, consider using personalized coasters to encourage guests to cast their vote for who they want to win. If it’s a movie or show marathon or an awards show, consider personalizing coasters based on the show, movies or award nominees.

These are just a few of the ways you can use personalized coasters to add a little something special to your next event or party. With a variety of customization options, your possibilities for personalization are nearly limitless!

It should come as no surprise that custom coasters are a popular tool for advertising, especially if you work at a brewery, bar or restaurant. But, especially if you work at a brewery or bar, it’s possible you may be underestimating the advertising power and effectiveness the creation that custom beer coasters can afford. Custom beer coasters can be used for more than simply printing your company’s name or logo. The possibilities for customization are nearly limitless. Here are a few ways you can incorporate them into advertising for your business.

Custom Beer Coasters for Breweries

Data shows that craft beer is more popular than ever, and craft breweries are continuously making waves throughout the brewing industry. The Brewers Association, the trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers, reported earlier this year that, in 2017, the number of active craft breweries in the US reached 6,266. That number is more than double the number of active breweries in 2013. Not only does this data show a tremendous growth in craft breweries over the last few years, but it demonstrates a giant growth over the last few decades, considering there were fewer than 100 active US breweries during the 1970s.

In an attempt to explain the growing popularity of craft beer, Bart Watson, chief economist at the Brewers Association, has this to say:

“Beer lovers want to support businesses that align with their values and are having a positive impact on their local communities and our larger society. That’s what small and independent craft brewers are all about. The ability to seek beers from small and independent producers matters.”

While this boom in popularity is ultimately good news for your brewery, it also means that competitors are constantly entering and growing their share of the marketplace and vying for your business, placing a great importance on your marketing and advertising efforts.

Enter: custom beer coasters.

“We used Sleeve for our first time ordering coasters for our brewery. We were pleasantly surprised with the print on the coasters and how versatile they were for events. The order came in super quick after we had placed it. I would definitely use Sleeve again for ordering coasters and other swag.” – Sales Representative, Holidaily Brewing Co.

It should come as no surprise that custom beer coasters are a popular tool for breweries. While they are used by breweries from micro to macro, they can be a considerable boon for smaller breweries trying to establish themselves. If you’re in the craft beer business, you’re looking to increase exposure and sales, and custom beer coasters are a great way to do that. Custom printed beer coasters allow you to communicate with your customers and promote your business in a slightly unconventional way. Using coasters as a medium for your message allows you to reach a very targeted, captive audience, ensuring your message stays with them. They are practical, inexpensive and, when placed properly, can be very visible to your target audience. They can even be customized to target different segments of your market.

Even in our digital world, print advertising is still a powerful medium for getting your message across. Custom printed beer coasters are a highly effective way to create brand awareness and help boost sales of your beer products. Custom coasters branded with your messaging, colors and desired designs can help not only promote your business while customers are drinking your beer onsite, but the benefits keep going as those coasters go home with patrons or appear in pictures on social media. Many craft beer enthusiasts like to collect coasters from new breweries and often share them with their friends. With an interesting coaster concept, you can grab the positive attention of patrons. And, if not, the coasters are reusable, so you have multiple opportunities to grab the attention of just the right customer.

To get the word out about your brewery, custom printed beer coasters with your brewery’s message can be handed out at events or given to local bars and restaurants. Most bars and restaurants aren’t likely to turn down free coasters, though they might ask for you for some sort of promotion in exchange. The end result is low-cost advertising that gets the message out about your brewery every time a customer is given one of your coasters.
Giving your coasters to bars and restaurants that carry your products is an ideal scenario, so consider including some coasters in deliveries of your products. Having the bar or restaurant stocked with your coasters keeps your brewery top of mind for bartenders, servers, and customers. A customer may be served a beverage from a different purveyor on your brewery’s coaster, but with the right coaster message, you may turn that customer on to one of your product offerings for their next drink.

While custom beer coasters are a useful offering to local establishments, if your brewery has its own brewpub or tasting room, that’s where your use of custom printed beer coasters can really shine. The possibilities for customization are endless. There are a variety of different messages you can use to promote your brewery to visitors.

Coasters are a great place to use hashtags. Encouraging and patrons to use the hashtag on social media opens up an opportunity to have conversations and build relationships with your customers, and it gets the word out on your brewery! An artfully arranged shot of a tasty beer is something a lot of social media users like to share. Why not encourage your guests to post and to include you in the conversation with a hashtag?

Another option for messaging on your custom printed beer coasters is to go the educational route. The craft beer connoisseur is typically a more informed customer, eager to know more about what they’re drinking. Consider using coasters to help your customers learn more about the beer they’re drinking or other product offerings. With different coasters for each beer, you can give customers more information about the beer, how it’s brewed, tasting notes and more. You might also consider suggesting what their next drink should be: If they liked this beer, they might like another one of your beers with similar notes.

Custom beer coasters are also a great way to inform patrons of the availability of new seasonal brews or special releases, especially for promotion at other bars and restaurants who carry those beers.

Being informative isn’t the only way to endear consumers to your brewery. Finding the right messaging will depend on your brand’s positioning and style. But regardless of whether you’re using one of the above messages or mixing it up with your brand’s messaging, bits of trivia, special promotions or anything else, custom beer coasters will make a great addition to the promotion of your brewery.

Custom Beer Coasters for Bars and Restaurants

As a bar or restaurant owner, you no doubt understand the importance of coasters. They protect the finished or glass surfaces of your bars and tables and prevent unsightly rings. Coasters help preserve these surfaces from damage, so they’re a great investment in your space. But coasters can be so much more than that.

Coasters not only serve as protection for your bars and tables but also present another way to advertise your products or weekly specials, reinforce your brand’s message, allow patrons to support their favorite sports team, advertise happy hour specials—the possibilities are endless. Custom coasters can send a subtle message to your target audience while they’re primed to make additional purchases or endear customers to your establishment, ensuring they come back again and again.

Custom printed coasters can be crafted to serve whatever marketing message you want to send. You can use coasters to promote weekly or happy hour specials, encouraging customers to return on other days or at other times. You could also incorporate and encourage the use of a special hashtag related to your business or a special event by having the hashtag and any relevant instructions printed on your custom coasters.

If your establishment airs sporting events or hosts other kinds of watch parties, Custom beer coasters are a great way to encourage patrons to support their team. For Friday or Saturday nights, when single people are likely to be mingling at your bar, consider including custom coasters with jokes, trivia or icebreakers to help ease awkward first-date conversations. These are just a few ways you can use custom beer coasters—the possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Whatever your messaging or positioning, there’s likely a coaster you can make to support it.