Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Please fill out all required fields
Athletic Brewing Company embraced AI, turning technological potential into strategic advantage in a rapidly evolving beverage market. How? Over the course of a two-hour AI Bootcamp, the marketing team unlocked new levels of creativity, efficiency, and innovation.
If you've been to a bar or restaurant lately, you may have noticed non-alcoholic beer options (plural!) on the menu—a trend that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago. The once-niche category of alcohol-free beverages has transformed from a novelty to a mainstream phenomenon, with Athletic Brewing Company emerging as one of early industry leaders in this beverage revolution. Impressive, considering the non-alcoholic beer segment has become a battleground for market share, with major beer manufacturers and craft breweries alike rushing to capture the surging demand for alcohol alternatives.
The market's intensity is reflected in its explosive growth and fierce competition. The global non-alcoholic beer market drove an estimated $36.8bn in revenue in 2024, and is expected to grow annually by 5% (CAGR 2024-2029). This promising trajectory has attracted heavyweight competitors: Anheuser-Busch has launched Budweiser Zero, Heineken introduced Heineken 0.0, and craft breweries nationwide are developing their own non-alcoholic offerings. So how has the small but mighty Athletic Brewing pulled ahead of the competition?
Founded in 2017 by Bill Shufelt, Athletic Brewing has disrupted the beer industry by creating high-quality, craft non-alcoholic beers that appeal to health-conscious consumers and active lifestyles. The company experienced remarkable growth in the past eight years, expanding distribution to all 50 U.S. states and closing a $50 million equity financing round in the past 6 months.
Against the backdrop of intense market competition in 2024, Athletic Brewing contacted Forum3 with the goal of building foundational AI knowledge and proficiency within their team. The initial desire to integrate AI into their everyday workflows speaks to one of the secrets to their success: The leadership at Athletic Brewing are not resistant to change, rather, being future-forward is infused throughout the entire company culture.
"As the marketing landscape continues to evolve, I believe that learning practical applications for AI is a critical skill set that every marketer and creative team will need to possess."
- Andrew Katz, CMO, Athletic Brewing Co
The marketing team at Athletic Brewing participated in a two-hour AI Bootcamp that provided a clear understanding of AI's potential, as well as practical ways to start applying AI immediately. While every bootcamp introduces key AI concepts, examples and insights from industry leaders, and best practices, each bootcamp ends with customized activity. For Athletic Brewing, participants were broken into teams and challenged to research, plan, and pitch a new product line within 45 minutes. Each pitch had to include a new product concept, name, branding, a well-defined audience segment, and an AI-generated marketing campaign.
A thoughtful marketing pitch typically takes days, if not weeks, to put together. However, when leveraging ChatGPT to explore initial ideas and develop visual identities, teams were able to produce finished concepts they were excited to share within 45 minutes. The exercise showcased not only the breadth of AI’s capabilities, but also its ability to enhance each teams' productivity, creativity, efficiency and quality of output. giving the team a practical and engaging way to experience how these tools can spark creativity and streamline innovation.
"I was impressed with how many practical AI applications we learned as a team that were about to be put into practice right away. We left feeling confident and ready to start implementing AI in our marketing efforts."
After the AI Bootcamp, the marketing team at Athletic Brewing Co. has applied what they learned in three key areas:
By embracing AI as a strategic tool rather than a threat, Athletic Brewing has positioned itself at the forefront of innovation in an increasingly competitive beverage market. Their approach demonstrates that true industry leadership extends beyond product quality, encompassing a willingness to explore and integrate cutting-edge technologies.
The tangible outcomes are clear: increased efficiency, enhanced creativity, and a newfound confidence in leveraging AI across marketing functions. From streamlining content creation to accelerating brainstorming sessions, the marketing team has transformed potential technological uncertainty into a powerful competitive advantage.
"AI tools and thinking will be a critical part of our marketing strategy moving forward."
As Katz aptly noted, learning practical AI applications has become a critical skill set for modern marketers.Other organizations seeking to navigate the rapidly evolving digital landscape will discover that adaptability, curiosity, and a forward-thinking mindset are the true ingredients of sustainable success.
In an industry as dynamic as craft beverages, Athletic Brewing has shown that the most refreshing innovation isn't found in a bottle, but in the mindset of those willing to continuously reimagine what's possible.
