Craft Beer Marketing Awards Announces 2021 Crushie Winners

The 2021 Craft Beer Marketing Awards (CBMAs) have come to a close. Now in its second year, and second time being virtual, the Crushie Winners were recently announced in a live virtual ceremony via Facebook LIVE .

The CBMAs were established in 2019 to give recognition to the best of the best in the marketing realm of the brewing industry. With categories that range from the “Best Can Design” to “Taproom” and “Best Website Design” to “Social Media Influencer of the Year,” there’s an opportunity to showcase the best work in every area of marketing in the brewing industry. The first awards were given out last year in 2020.

This year’s competition received entries from all around the world, an increase from the inaugural CBMAs that only featured North America. Now the competition offered five regions for entry. Entries were divided up into five regions across the globe – The Americas; UK; Europe; APAC – Asia and Pacific (including Australia and New Zealand); and. MENA, Africa and Beyond

A total of 196 awards were presented to winning brewers, designers, and marketing agencies from throughout the world. This year there are 65 Platinum Crushie winners, 117 Gold Crushie winners and 14 Silver (Global) Crushie winners.

“We were so impressed by the sheer creativity, innovation, and caliber of marketing displayed in entries from around the world in every category,” said CBMAs Co-Founder Jim McCune, in a statement.

“Our panel of over 300 Judges from around the world had their work cut out for them this year,” added Co-Founder Jackie DiBella, in a statement. “The difference between winners came down to a quarter of a point in some cases – it was a tough competition!”

The 2021 CBMAs consisted of 33 categories evaluated by a panel of over 300 industry professional judges that cover all aspects of brew marketing—from labels to logos and tap handles to taprooms. Hillebrand, a leading global beverage supply chain management and integrated logistics services provider, is the CBMAs presenting sponsor. Most notably new for this year’s competition are two special categories that reflect recent events: “Pandemic Marketing,” which looks at original marketing undertaken during the COVID-19 outbreak, and “Human Rights,” to celebrate those who support the fight for equality for all via different forms of marketing and design.

Winners receive the CBMAs’ Crushie, which is designed by the same Manhattan-based awards firm that created the Emmy Award and MTV “Moonman” Trophy. The Crushie award is sculptured to depict a heavily tattooed arm crushing a beer can as a representation of how breweries are “crushing it” with their unique and creative beer marketing and branding. Platinum and Gold Crushies will be awarded in each region. Additionally, a newly designed Global Crushie will be awarded to those who opted-in to regional entry.

Regionally, Crux Fermentation Project was awarded a Platinum Crushie for its Gypsy Coolship Series in Best Bottle Design. Other notable winners include Rogue Ales & Spirits, Reuben’s Brews,  Ninkasi Brewing, 10 Barrel Brewing, Bale Breaker Brewing, Haywire Brewing, Worthy Brewing, and Alaskan Brewing, Also, a few creative agencies from the Pacific Northwest won Crushies including Sally Morrow Creative, Ryan Wheaton, and Hoptown Handles from Portland, OR and Blindtiger Design from Seattle, WA.

To view all of the 2021 Crushie winners, visit craftbeermarketingawards.com.