Beer and Pizza Pairings

This is a follow up post to my recent observations about the marketing of the Fall season.

Following the long standing protocol of pairing food and wine, or wine and cheese, or basically anything with wine ... the restaurant chain Bertucci's just came out with a very interesting beer and pizza pairing menu system, with Samuel  Adams beer and tied to the Fall.  Very interesting.

First of all the whole notion of pairing beer and pizza together and helping customers come up with great food choices in and of itself is a great idea.  Who couldn't use a new suggestion of how to try a specific beer with a specific kind of pizza?  I'd personally love to know what goes with my favorite pepperoni or pesto pizza.

But to then do it with a high quality (some would consider) "micro brew" (well not really anymore) is brilliant.  Tying your brand's food quality to that of another is brand equity sharing at its finest.  And making it relevant to what's going on in people's lives (the Fall) makes it even better.  For some reason, I've always personally tied Sam Adams to the Fall (not sure why).

Since they are seasonal offerings, they are designed to get us all to jump in and try the restaurant before they are no longer available.  The items sound deliciously "Fall" gourmet, which again is upping the ante on the brand equity:
- butternut squash and blue cheese pizza with Irish Red beer
- potato and bacon pizza with Boston Ale beer
- roasted mushroom and asiago pizza with Cream Stout
- spicy salami pizza with Latitude 48

Awesome!  Here's the kicker ... the multigrain crusts are made from the same barley and grains used in the beers.  Score!  What are we waiting for?

What's your experience?  Jim.

Jim Joseph
President, Cohn & Wolfe NA
Author, The Experience Effect series
Marketing Professor, NYU