Crafting the future: Clock Brewery joins Model Young Package
The journey to innovative packaging solutions and how to engage all the senses.
In the premiere second round of the Model Young Package, the role of the commissioning customer is taken by the popular craft brewery Clock from the Czech Republic.
We discussed more about the brewery and their experience with packaging materials with their managing director, Jiří Andrš.
Interview
What inspired your Clock image with robots and bold colours? Are there other details in it that we may not notice at first glance?
Our original plan was to name the brewery Robot. It is a word of Czechoslovak origin, from a play by Karel Čapek called R.U.R. Today it is used worldwide and will probably become even more so in time.
However, with the name Robot, we came across a trademark already registered for the beer category and were advised to avoid the name.
After further brainstorming in the pub, Clock was chosen as the best name. We were looking for something that had something to do with technology, precision, mechanics. Also, the first sketches of the robots were quite steampunk. It was quite fitting.
The detail that at least slightly refers to Potštejn (Clock's hometown) is the silhouette of the castle, which we still use in the background of most of our labels.
How are the names and appearance of the robots for the individual beers created?
The appearance of robots is usually purely up to the will of the author. Occasionally we add simple requirements, so that the robot fits the beer.
We look for names for the robots in all sorts of ways. Most of the time it's a bit random, but we do have clearly derived names.
Some are named after the children of brewery employees, and the first gluten-free beer is called Glee, a compound of the words Gluten Free.
Which beer lovers do you target the most?
Our main target group is younger men aged 18-40. However, we have products in our portfolio for everyone who likes beer.
What do you most often deliver your beer to customers in?
Most often in stainless steel KEG kegs. Since the beginning we also use glass bottles. We started filling cans in 2021 and since then their share of production has been growing significantly, just at the expense of glass.
What packaging do you think is currently leading the way for beer?
At the moment, we are still shipping more beer in glass bottles as opposed to cans. But next year we expect cans to take the lead. It's a trend that is visible throughout our industry.
The can is currently on the rise. Glass will maintain its position with the big breweries for now, and plastic is long past its zenith.
What is your experience with sending beer by post and courier?
Not very good. The usual courier services are not very complimentary and our test packages almost never arrived spotless.
In the end, we end up working with a more expensive courier service, but in three years of working together, they have not damaged a single package.
Can we taste your beer elsewhere than in the Czech Republic?
Yes, sure. In Slovakia, of course. Several times a year we send a larger shipment to Italy, Hungary or Poland. We export to a few other EU countries occasionally.
What are your plans for the nearest future?
We want to focus on gluten-free and non-alcoholic beers in our offer. Both have a great future in the beer market.
We will also be looking to develop spontaneously fermented and mixed fermentation beers under the Fenetra brand.
We would also like to appear at more music festivals, where our beer definitely belongs.
We thank Mr. Andrš for the interview and look forward to working with him in the second round of the Model Young Package 2023.
