Guinness Storehouse Dublin

Guinness is synonymous with Irish beer for good reason. It has been there since 1759 when Arthur Guinness signed a 9000 year lease of the property used for the original Guinness plant. Guinness’s history is strongly intertwined with Dublin and Ireland as a whole. So in my eyes they have earned their place as Ireland’s beer. This fact is a strong point of branding for many Irish-Americans, Irish ep-pats, and people who think they are Irish on St. Patrick’s day.

On our tour, we were walked through the meticulous brewing process of Guinness and how it creates a very special beer. From there we were introduced to a bit more about the branding, marketing, and general challenges the Guinness company faced throughout its history.

Guinness’s first major export of its product was to Great Britain, ten years after the company began. It quickly began to grow and become one of Europe’s favorite beers despite the fact that in the beginning, Guinness refused to advertise or discount their product in any way. It wasn’t until the war and prohibition happened early in the 20th century that Guiness was forced to advertise.

An iconic series of posters created by John Gilroy were released with slogans such as “Guinness is good for your health”, “my goodness my Guinness”, and “Guinness for strength”. During times of war, depression, or prohibition, the fact that they had numerous countries that they exported to allowed them to stay afloat. It simple portfolio diversification. When sales in one country were reduced or prohibited, they would focus on their more viable customers or search for new markets.

I think it is good management and a willingness to adapt that has allowed Guinness to not only survive the centuries, but thrive as Ireland’s quintessential beer.