Who should sponsor homebrewandbeer.com

[Oliver]

Related to the poll about whether we should accept sponsorship (see viewtopic.php?t=2731) is the question of who we should accept sponsorship/advertising from, if indeed we decide to accept sponsorship.

If you had to choose a company to sponsor this site, who would it be and why?

Choose more than one if you like, but please put them in order of preference from first to last.

Feel free to suggest who you would NOT want to sponsor the site.

Geoff and I really appreciate all the input on this, because as I've said, if it's not popular or members don't approve of the company thinking of sponsoring us, then we won't proceed.

At the risk of sounding like a w---er, this site is as much the members' as Geoff's and mine. Therefore, we don't want to stuff it up.

Cheers,

Oliver

[gregb]

Like to see as sponsor:
Country Brewer (unlikey, has own forum)
Grain & Grape
... or any other good HomeBrew retailer
Coopers
MSB

Not want to see:
Lion Nathan
CUB

But then again, they can give $$ to the site, I am still under no obligation to buy from them.

Cheers,
Greg

edit 22/6: added bit about any other good HB retailer

[chris.]

www.craftbrewer.com.au
www.mashmaster.com.au

[cavanor]

Grain and Grape and coopers all the way!

[Ash]

Being a noob I really don't know who would be suitable, though I'd think Coopers would be good

[NTRabbit]

Like to see as sponsor:
Country Brewer (unlikey, has own forum)
Grain & Grape
Coopers
MSB

Not want to see:
Lion Nathan
CUB

But then again, they can give $$ to the site, I am still under no obligation to buy from them.

Cheers,
Greg

Agreed

[scblack]

Why exclude any advertiser who may want to? Thats a serious question - why would you exclude any advertiser?

Tobacco - not on. Illegal anyway.

As long as it's not exclusive, I see no problem with ANY advertiser.

[Beerpig]

I agree with scblack

Open it to all potential sponsors. Give them billing according to size of sponsorship.

Never become a servant to a single master

Avoid conditional sponsorship. A simple link in the mast head of each page to the sponsors website with no censorship involved would ensure the integrity of the forum

Cheers

[steveo]

I'm with scblack.

[Oliver]

Why exclude any advertiser who may want to?

Well, the thought was that there may be some potential advertisers that members would rather not sponsor us. Perhaps you've had a bad experience, they make bad beer, etc, etc.

To use an analogy, let's say this forum was about V8 supercars. If Daewoo came offering sponsorship, then I'd expect members wouldn't think that was a very good thing

Likewise a sponsor for this site. If a company that, for instance, made generally crap beer wanted to sponsor us, wouldn't that devalue the site and leave us open to accusations that we're selling out? Particularly if we'd criticised the beer in the past. Or if it was a homebrew shop that most people thought provided poor service or advice. Surely that would be a bad choice of sponsor, too?

Cheers,

Oliver

[scblack]

Why exclude any advertiser who may want to?

Well, the thought was that there may be some potential advertisers that members would rather not sponsor us. Perhaps you've had a bad experience, they make bad beer, etc, etc.

To use an analogy, let's say this forum was about V8 supercars. If Daewoo came offering sponsorship, then I'd expect members wouldn't think that was a very good thing

Likewise a sponsor for this site. If a company that, for instance, made generally crap beer wanted to sponsor us, wouldn't that devalue the site and leave us open to accusations that we're selling out? Particularly if we'd criticised the beer in the past. Or if it was a homebrew shop that most people thought provided poor service or advice. Surely that would be a bad choice of sponsor, too?

Cheers,

Oliver

I don't personally see any problem with those ideas.

Use the Daewoo analogy - it would probably reflect poorly on Daewoo, more than the site, as they are shite compared to the offerings by the V8 supercar company's.

A brew shop with bad reputation? It could prompt them to offer better products or service (maybe). If they start getting more custom, surely people will ask "Why don't you have XXX product?" and if people get bad service, word will get around here probably.

I don't see the choice of sponsor (or them choosing this site) as giving the product or shop a tick of approval. They've just given some money for you to display their name etc.

As long as you don't provide infomercials, or slip in "approvals" I see no problems.

[Aussie Claret]

Oliver,
My suggestion would be to allow all sponsorship from companies and people that contribute no only monies but help and advise.

AC

[pacman]

Oliver,

Beerpig raises a good point: "never become a servant to a single master".

Personally went too close to this scenario with my business some 10 - 15 years ago. Still recovering, financially, mentally (is that why some say I'm mental?), personally, and the list goes on and on.

Haven't been in home brewing long enough this time around to select acceptable sponsors. You and Geoff know the ropes far better than most, if not all of us. Should be your decision.

If you are in any doubt, check the percentage of contributors against sponsorship!

[Smabb]

Oliver,

You're going to have to be guided by your own feelings on this, as everyone will have a different opinion. Me, I'm pretty mercenary about these things and would take anyone's $ (provided there was no ethical issues at stake - i.e. wouldn't take Mugabe's money) regardless of their beer quality, however my guess is not everyone will see it that way. Adds for Budwieser would look a bit sad Ii suppose but then again they'd hardly want to sponser a site where many regard them as making the worst beer in the world...

[Robbo]

How about sponsorship from glass makers, bar equipment suppliers etc? Maybe Dogger can organise something from the Canadian embassy or a Canadian airline (whoever that may be. Pardon my ignorance).

[Pyssedas Heavy Industrial]

I don't understand...why would Daewoo want to sponsor a homebrewing site? Particularly if they are getting involved in V8 Supercar Racing. I'm of a mind to write to them and suggest that they don't sponsor this site as they will be spreading their resources too thin...

[rwh]

Google?

[Chris]

I wouldn't go with Lion Nathan or CUB. Mainly because I know that they make BIG demands on directly promoting them, and enforcing moderation of dissent towards their brands.

I'm also anti-Lion Nathan due to the Coopers drama.

I know Coopers are happy to sponser almost anything beer-related.

G&G are also a good lot of guys who provide quality products and service.

I think that product and service should be the criteria for advertising. I guess that rules ESB out.

Also remember that this site was independant before, and if sponsers start making unreasonable demands, or enough members get really p*ssed of with them, that you can ditch them.

I've know of cases on other sites, that advertisers start off quite friendly, and after they have been there for a while, they feel that they have you hooked on the revenue, so they become bastards.

[scblack]

I wouldn't go with Lion Nathan or CUB. Mainly because I know that they make BIG demands on directly promoting them, and enforcing moderation of dissent towards their brands.

The rugby club I used to play for, and was Treasurer for - Forest Rugby Club was sponsored for several years by CUB.

We had NO problems with them as sponsors whatsoever. They provided money up front, we bought our main beers off them at good pricing, with NO restrictions on stocking other beers (well we wouldn't go with Tooheys, but others such as Kilkenny etc were fine).

A good sponsor for us there.

[Wassa]

God, SC, you used to play for Forest!!!!!!

I used to play for Westpac and many a good all in brawl we had with you guys, some of them I even started. Ahhhhh, how I miss the front row of a scrum, the feel of bodies colliding and the commeraderie after a good game.