Brenna Bobinski ADPR 5920

THE SOUTHERN BREWING COMPANY MEDIA KIT Dec. 4, 2017

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Table of Contents

Memo 3

Fact Sheet 6

Backgrounder 7

News Release 8

Media List 10

Email Pitch 11

Feature Story 12

Social Media Promotion Copy 14

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The Southern Brewing Company

Interoffice Memo

DATE: Dec. 4, 2017

TO: The Southern Brewing Company

CC: Tom Cullen

FROM: Brenna Bobinski, public relations specialist

SUBJECT: The Southern Brewing Company Media Kit

On Sept. 1, 2017, Georgia Senate Bill 85 went into action and allowed breweries to begin selling

beer directly to their customers instead of selling tours. The Southern Brewing Company is

among one of Athens’ main breweries that is currently benefitting from this change in

legislature. However, some customers dislike this change in policy. This media kit addresses the

need for increased attendance at the brewery and its holiday party, Hootenanny, and outlines how

this will be accomplished.

Goal for Media Kit: to generate an increased interest in Southern Brewing Company from the

Athens community.

Objectives:

Objective 1: To increase audience awareness of Hootenanny through Facebook by Dec. 7, 2017.

Objective 2: To increase attendance at Hootenanny by 25% more than the number of guests that

attended Hootenanny in 2016.

Objective 3: To increase the interaction on event Facebook posts by Dec. 7, 2017 through the use

of eye-catching social media graphics and event photos.

Key Messages: The mission of the media kit is to inform the Athens community of The

Southern Brewing Company’s event, Hootenanny, and to acquaint the public with the new

brewery operations to generate a positive attitude regarding these changes. This reflects the

following key messages:

• The brewery experience has changed after the passing of Senate Bill 85, but the

atmosphere is still enjoyable.

• Southern Brewing Company hosts various events that fit the needs and desires of all

types of customers.

• The Southern Brewing Company consistently provides its customer with an exceptional

brewery experience.

-more-

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Fact Sheet: The fact sheet outlines the details of The Southern Brewing Company’s event,

Hootenanny. It supports the overall goal of the media kit, and focuses on accomplishing

objectives 1 and 2. The purpose of the event and photo opportunities are included in the details

of the fact sheet.

Backgrounder: In the backgrounder, I have detailed the history of The Southern Brewing

Company, and emphasized the mission behind the company. The backgrounder provides

information on the brewery hours, the various beers that are currently available at the brewery

and the upcoming additions to the brewery. The goal of the media kit is highlighted in the

backgrounder by increasing the Athens community’s knowledge of the brewery. This increased

knowledge will encourage the community to visit the brewery or visit their Facebook page to

learn more information.

News Release: The news release targets objectives 1 and 2 by increasing the Athens

community’s awareness of Hootenanny. It will be featured in various news outlets, local to the

Athens area, so the community will be made aware of the event. By using quotes from Rick

Goddard, co-owner of The Southern Brewing Company, the news release provides credibility for

the brewery. The news release will attract new customers to the event from the use of quotes and

event information presented in an enticing manner.

Media List: The media list includes a list of local journalists that will receive the media kit. The

media kit will be sent to local Athens newspapers and magazines with a large readership to fully

reach the community. It will also be sent to local radio stations. This includes “The Athens

Banner-Herald,” “The Red and Black,” and other local news outlets.

Feature News Story with Photo: The feature story focuses on the passing of Senate Bill 85, and

what brewery operations at The Southern Brewing Company look like ever since the bill passed.

It highlights why customers should support the brewery, and why the changes are beneficial to

customers and the brewery. For those who are against the new changes at the brewery, the story

provides alternative options for customers who would still like to receive the pours from the

previous system. This story targets the key messages of the media kit by emphasizing that The

Southern Brewing Company provides consistency and quality with their service, even after they

had to adjust to new changes in brewery legislature.

Email Pitch: The email pitch was sent to Blake Aued, the news editor at Flagpole Magazine.

The pitch included reasons why the journalist should post the feature story about The Southern

Brewing Company and the changes in brewery legislature. Aued is the ideal journalist to receive

this email pitch because he has written previous stories that focus on the Athens community.

This supports objectives 1 and 2 because the journalist’s readership is the target audience for the

feature story.

-more-

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Social Media Promotion Copy: The social media promotion copy focuses on objectives 1, 2

and 3 by providing copies of eight Facebook posts for Hootenanny that will catch followers’

attention. These posts span over the course of two months to inform followers of the event, and

to remind them once they have already seen a previous post. The posts will increase in frequency

as the event approaches, which will give followers a chance to see the posts if they have yet to

see one. The captions are casual and inviting, which will give followers an idea of the theme of

the event. A few of the captions invite followers to tag their friends, which will increase

awareness of The Southern Brewing Company and Hootenanny.

SWOT Analysis: For the media kit, I analyzed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and

threats for The Southern Brewing Company. The analysis found that the brewery location and

the yearly tradition of Hootenanny are strengths for the brewery, but more audiences need to be

made aware of the event and brewery. The Southern Brewing Company has an opportunity to

bring in more business with this event, but they are threatened by the older breweries in Athens

due to their seniority.

Strengths

• Lots of space at the brewery, enjoyable

atmosphere that attracts customers

• Future opening of an outdoor

amphitheater

• Event is already established as an

annual holiday party

• Already created a tradition for some

guests to attend event every year

• Holiday flavors of beer that attract

guests

• Offer food and music

Weaknesses

• Some customers unsure about

operation of breweries after the passing

of the new bill

• Audiences may not hear about the

event if they don’t follow SBC on

social media

• Audiences unsure of what event

entails; the name is vague

• Excludes audience that doesn’t

participate in holiday-themed events

Opportunities

• Brings in more businesses, both old

and new

• Higher profit from an increased

attendance at events

• Increase number of regular customers

if guests enjoy the event

• Can add live music to event once

amphitheater is complete

Threats

• Competing with other breweries that

have a stronger presence in community

• Other breweries are older and more

established

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Company Event Fact Sheet

Name of Event: Hootenanny

Sponsor: The Southern Brewing Company

Location: 231 Collins Industrial Blvd., Athens, GA 30601

Date: Dec. 7, 2017

Time: 5 p.m.

Duration of Event: 5 – 11 p.m.

Purpose of Event: Celebrate the holidays with The Southern Brewing Company at

their annual Hootenanny. The brewery wants to kick off the

holiday season with their customers on a festive note.

Expected Attendance: 400 guests

Uniqueness of Event: The Southern Brewing Company provides guests with an exclusive

variety of festive beers for its Hootenanny. Beers will be offered as

a $20 beer sampler to begin the night. Biggum’s Bar-B-Que will

have a food truck on site to provide delicious food, and festive

music will be played to spread holiday cheer.

Photo Opportunities: Guests will have the chance to take a picture with Santa at 7:30

p.m.

Contact Information: Brenna Bobinski, corporate communications

bbobinski@sbc.com

770-123-3456

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(Revised: Dec. 4, 2017)

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The Southern Brewing Company

Backgrounder

The Southern Brewing Company is a brewery located in Athens, Georgia. Brian Roth and Rick

Goddard, the company’s co-founders, opened the brewery on May 14, 2015.

Both Roth and Goddard come from beer-related career backgrounds. For 22 years, Roth worked

for Leon Farmer and Company, a beer distributor in Athens, Georgia. Before opening the

brewery, Goddard spent time in Washington, D.C. working as a chief lobbyist for the beer

industry.

The Southern Brewing Company is the first brewery in the state of Georgia to build a facility for

the purposes of brewing. The brewery is located at 231 Collins Industrial Blvd. The 15-acre plot

of land includes spaces for customers to bring their dogs and two stages for musical

performances. In addition to these features, the brewery is building an amphitheater and a few

trails on the property.

The brewery’s mission revolves around brewing craft beer and sharing that beer with the

community of Athens.

The Southern Brewing Company specializes in craft beers and offers a variety of beers on tap at

their brewery. Seasonal beers are offered throughout the year, and the selection of these beers

rotates every few months. Of the beers that The Southern Brewing Company brews, a few of the

beers currently on tap at the brewery are: Southeastern Berliner, Cherokee Rose, Wild Azalea,

Broad Street Pale Ale, Hobnail and Imperial Stout.

Every week, The Southern Brewing Company hosts tasting hours on Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m.,

Fridays from 4:30 to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 2:30 to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

The brewery offers regular events every week in addition to their tasting room hours, and event

information can be found on the brewery’s Facebook page.

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(Last Revised: Dec. 4, 2017)

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Southern Brewing Company to host annual holiday party

ATHENS, Ga. – The Southern Brewing Company is hosting their third annual Hootenanny party

at the brewery on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017.

Hootenanny is a holiday party that the brewery has been putting on since it opened in 2015. For

only $20, guests will receive a beer sampler and a limited-edition beer when they leave.

Additional beers can be purchased once guests drink the three beers that were included in their

admission fee.

Rick Goddard, co-owner of The Southern Brewing Company, said that Hootenanny receives a

large turnout every year and expects a large turnout for this year as well.

“Hootenanny has always been extremely popular. It’s one of our biggest nights of the year, and

I’d expect about 400 people to attend this year,” said Goddard.

The holiday party will start at 5 p.m. and end at 11 p.m. Hootenanny will be held at The

Southern Brewing Company’s location in Athens. The brewery is located at 231 Collins

Industrial Blvd, Athens, GA, 30601. It is approximately 2.5 miles from downtown Athens.

Although parking is available at the brewery, guests are encouraged to utilize Uber or Lyft.

Specialty holiday beers will be on tap at the brewery and are included in the options for guests’

first three beers. The beers that will be pouring are: Gingernaut, Peppermint Stout, Mr. Winters,

Bourbon Barrel Nite Nite, Stout of the Border and Rum Barrel Aged Nite Nite.

Festive music will be provided by DJ Osmosis, and food from Biggum’s Bar-B-Que will be

available via their food truck. During the event, special appearances will be made by Santa and

Krampus.

For more information, visit The Southern Brewing Company’s website or their Facebook page to

find specific event information.

-more-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dec. 4, 2017

Contact: Brenna Bobinski

Public relations specialist

Work Phone: 706-123-4567

Cell Phone: 770-123-4567

bbobinski@sobrewco.com

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Page 2 of 2 – SBC Hootenanny

About The Southern Brewing Company:

The Southern Brewing Company is a brewery in Athens, Georgia. It was opened by co-owners

Brian Roth and Rick Goddard in May 2015. The brewery serves a variety of craft beers, and

keeps the community of Athens at the focus of its operations. In addition to holding tasting room

hours, the brewery regularly hosts various events throughout the week. For more information on

the brewery, please visit www.sobrewco.com.

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Appendix:

1. https://www.sobrewco.com/

2. https://www.facebook.com/TheSouthernBrewingCompany/

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TO: news@flagpole.com

FROM: bbobinski@sobrewco.com

SUBJECT: Story on Athens brewery dealing with changes

Hello Blake,

I am a public relations specialist for The Southern Brewing Company, and I’d like to present you

with a unique story opportunity about how our brewery is dealing with the recent change in

legislature. Based on your previous stories about local Athens businesses, your readers would be

interested in a story about why they should support the local brewery.

Customers vocalized their desire for the change in brewery operation, but then changed their

minds once the bill passed. Rick Goddard, co-owner of The Southern Brewing Company,

explained why customers should support these changes. The bill allows customers to purchase

canned beer directly from the brewery at a lower cost.

Goddard also explained that they still offered a way for customers to receive pours, which will

provide customers with a reason to support the local brewery. The bill helps keep the brewery

running, which is emphasized by Goddard in the story.

If you are interested in this story, please contact me by phone at 770-123-4567 or via email at

bbobinski@sobrewco.com. I look forward to hearing from you. I’ll be in touch later this week on

Wednesday, Dec. 5, to discuss this story with you further.

Thank you,

Brenna Bobinski

On behalf of The Southern Brewing Company

I have chosen Blake Aued as appropriate journalist to pitch the feature story to because he is the

news editor for Flagpole Magazine, which is a local Athens magazine. Aued’s other stories in

Flagpole focus on the local Athens community and events, so his readers are the appropriate

target audience for the feature story. The feature story aims to attract the Athens community to

The Southern Brewing Company, and Aued’s readers would serve as ideal potential customers

for the brewery. Flagpole covers all things Athens, and readers would be drawn to a story about a

local Athens brewery and the changes they are facing.

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Athens brewery adjusts to change in legislature

By Brenna Bobinski

Brewery Operations in Georgia have

undergone a significant change since

the beginning of September. Senate

bill 85 passed on Sept. 1, 2017, and it

allows breweries in Georgia to sell

beer directly to customers.

Previously, breweries sold tours to

customers. For only $12, the tours

allowed customers to experience a

behind-the-scenes look at the brewing

process, and receive 36-ounces of

pours. Georgia brewery-goers wanted

to buy more than three beers at the

brewery, and they were given exactly

what they wanted.

The town of Athens, Georgia, plays host to a few major breweries, with more continuing to pop

up. The Southern Brewing Company opened to the public on May 14, 2015. Brian Roth and Rick

Goddard met at a beer convention in Washington, D.C., and decided to share their love of beer

with the people of Athens. The two co-owners wrote their ideas on the back of a napkin, put their

plan into action, and soon opened the brewery that Athens loves today.

The Southern Brewing Company settled nicely into their Athens home – then had to adjust to

brewery changes after having been open for only two years. The co-owners of The Southern

Brewing Company welcomed the passing of the senate bill with open arms, and thought

customers would as well. However, customer sentiment regarding the bill had changed once they

experienced the new operations firsthand.

“Customers lobbied for the change, but I don’t think they knew exactly what was going to

happen. We had a little pushback on it when it first started, just like anything else,” says

Goddard.

-more-

The Southern Brewing Company sits just 2.5 miles from downtown Athens. Photo courtesy of Brenna Bobinski.

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Page 2 of 2 – Effects of Brewery Changes

Goddard explains that customers felt as though they were getting free beer with the previous

system, but most have accepted the changes once they adjusted to the system. However, this

system is a win for The Southern Brewing Company. The brewery now regains capital that had

previously been lost when they were selling their canned beer through retailers.

“That was helpful for us because we were losing money with the old system. We need to make

money, otherwise we’re not going to be here,” says Goddard.

Through these changes, The Southern Brewing Company has only strengthened their ability to

serve Athens their exceptional craft beer. Goddard says the new system is here to stay, but

customers are still welcome to purchase pours at The Southern Brewing Company.

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Word Count: 400

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Southern Brewing Company

Interoffice Memo

DATE: Dec. 4, 2017

TO: The Southern Brewing Company

CC: Tom Cullen

FROM: Brenna Bobinski, public relations specialist

SUBJECT: SBC Hootenanny Social Media Schedule

I chose to utilize The Southern Brewing Company’s Facebook for the Hootenanny social media

posts. The Southern Brewing Company connects with both their older and younger audiences

through this channel, which is followed by 9,031 people. Through this channel, I would like to

reach older customers of The Southern Brewing Company that do not have Instagram, or do not

look at it frequently. I’d like to reach new customers that would see one of these posts shared on

their newsfeed by a mutual connection. Due to the platform, no hashtags will be present in any of

the captions, but the captions will provide audiences with the necessary information. These posts

run over the course of two months in order to inform followers ahead of time, and to provide

consistent reminders.

Post 1: Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017

Mark your calendars for our third annual Hootenanny! We’ll see you on Dec. 7, for our holiday

party with festive beer, Santa and more! Check out our Facebook page to find out more event

details!

-more-

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Post 2: Monday, Oct. 16, 2017

Any guesses for what we’re preparing for? That’s right, Hootenanny! Gingernaut is an imperial

stout that we’ll be pouring for the holiday party on Thursday, Dec. 7. Come to Hootenanny to see

what other festive beers we’ll be serving!

(Photo from The Southern Brewing Company Facebook page)

-more-

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Post 3: Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017

Tag a friend that you’ll be bringing with you to Hootenanny! Our third annual holiday party will

take place on Thursday, Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. Come on out to spread some holiday cheer and drink

some holiday beer. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

-more-

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Post 4: Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017

Only one month until our third annual Hootenanny! Come celebrate the holidays with our SBC

family and some great beer. Admission is $20 and will get you three beers, plus a limited-edition

beer as a souvenir. Stop by from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and enjoy food from Biggum’s Bar-B-Que

food truck!

-more-

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Post 5: Friday, Nov. 17, 2017

Preparations are in full swing over at The Southern Brewing Company for our third annual

Hootenanny! Come by the brewery on Thursday, Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. to try the many holiday beers

we will be brewing. Bring your friends and family and celebrate the holidays SBC style!

(Photo from The Southern Brewing Company Facebook page)

-more-

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Post 6: Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017

It’s that time of year again, y’all! Our third annual Christmas Hootenanny is next Thursday, Dec.

7! Come on out to The Southern Brewing Company at 5 p.m. to see which beers will be pouring.

Make sure to bring your family and friends; it’ll be one heck of a Hootenanny!

-more-

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Post 7: Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2017

Kick off your December with our third annual Hootenanny holiday party this Thursday at SBC!

Kids and dogs are welcome to join in on the holiday fun, and we’ll be pouring a special selection

of beers. Check out our page for more event details. You may even get to see Santa and

Krampus! See y’all then!

(Photo from The Southern Brewing Company Facebook page)

-more-

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Post 8: Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017

Happy Hootenanny everyone! Our third annual holiday party is TODAY at SBC. Starting at 5

p.m., we will be brewing a few of your favorite beers and celebrating the holiday season.

Admission is $20 for three beers and a special limited-edition beer! Bring your loved ones and

come join in on the fun!

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