Untapped potential: The role Oklahoma craft breweries play in communities

Abstract

The craft brewery scene in Oklahoma is quickly expanding. This nascent industry is creating an economic impact in both local and the state economies, but it also serves social purposes because craft breweries are locations where communities interact and engage. To better understand the brand of Oklahoma craft breweries with their communities, this study sought to understand how breweries establish their brand with respect to the communities they are in, and how community stakeholders perceive the brand of craft breweries within their communities. The brands of craft breweries in Oklahoma were examined through two studies using semi-structured interviews with 11 brewery personnel and 11 community leader participants. Branding showed up through local attachments, including neolocalism factors and place branding. Breweries should incorporate local ties in their branding to forge a sense of place, especially with the beers they distribute in gas stations and grocery stores. Oklahoma craft breweries are not marketing to the masses; they instead promote themselves through community engagements and events, which aids in community revival and the creation of sense of place. Word-of-mouth was attributed as the biggest factor of promotion. Moreover, this study demonstrated Oklahoma craft breweries exhibit third space characteristics. Third space locations are places where people are neither home or at work, and are locations where values and interests intersect to create a sense of identity and forge connections (Hickey, 2012). These characteristics include being a welcoming, local, inclusive location where people gather. Oklahoma craft breweries help create a quality of life aspect in their communities by being a venue were connections are made. This demonstrates Oklahoma craft breweries are venues where social capital is created. Social capital is present through the partnerships Oklahoma breweries have with other local business, their communities, and other craft breweries. Craft breweries and city leaders should recognize the difference craft breweries can make within communities through partnerships and being a third space location.