“What’s more Wisconsin than a pull-tab," asks New Barons Brewing Co-Op's John Degroote (rhetorically, of course). "A pull-tab on your beer can, that’s what!”
On Thursday, the Bay View-based brewer announced a new marketing promotion: digital pull-tabs on its cans sent to retail.
The promotion kicks off at Saturday's Admirals game against the Grand Rapids Griffins at the UWM Panther Arena, where a new 19.2-ounce can of New Barons' Hopped By Ziggy will be available.
"The 'Digital Pull-Tab' is a QR enabled in pack-chance promotion that will be printed on the side of our beer cans," Degroote says. "Winning promotions will be redeemed in our taproom in Bay View and include: buy one get one beers, first beer free, 25 percent off your beer tab and 50 percent off your beer tab."
Because the promotion is being introduced and some canned beer is already at retail, Degroote says, you may not yet see the pull-tabs on all cans, but he adds that the promo will eventually be available on all New Barons’ canned product.
“We’ve been searching for a better way to connect our customers out in distro to our taproom," he says. "As a community-owned brewery, we’re always trying to make it easier to feel connected to our small taproom in Bay View.”
Degroote says two of the co-op's member-owners helped make the idea a reality: Evan Zittel and Dan Bognar, who have a company called Cream City Innovations that specializes in innovative web-based solutions targeted at small business retail.
“Evan and Dan truly respect the process in coming up with novel and helpful solutions that businesses could use to boost promotion of their brand," Degroote says. "Evan drinks more of our pilsner than about anyone, so together with a few other member owners one night we came up with the idea.”
New Barons member-owners will watch the Admirals take on the Cleveland Monsters on Dec. 3 to help celebrate the new promotion.
“I’m a huge hockey fan, so kicking this off with the Milwaukee Admirals makes it super fun," says Degroote. "19.2 ounces of a 7 percent IPA is exactly what a good hockey fan needs.
“We hope everyone will join our community on Dec. 3 for a fun night at the arena and hopefully win some promos to be redeemed in our taproom!”
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
