Beer, Tees & Big Dreams: Can Merch Make a Product Launch Better?
What do a tropical new beer, a dream trip to Atlanta, and a killer tee have in common? If you guessed “a genius launch idea from Urbanaut,” you’re right on the money.
When the team at Urbanaut Brewing dropped their latest brew, Atlanta Bright IPA, they didn’t just release another beer. They launched a full-blown campaign: a bold new product, an epic prize, and custom merch that tied it all together. It wasn’t just about hops and haze — it was about energy, colour, and getting people talking.
A New Beer Meets a Big Idea
Atlanta Bright IPA takes cues from the city it’s named after—vibrant, juicy, and full of character. The beer itself is a bright citrus bomb, wrapped in an eye-catching can that practically glows. To celebrate the release, Urbanaut ran a competition giving fans the chance to win a trip to Atlanta, Georgia. Flights, accommodation, the whole deal.
We had a quick chat with Mookie from the Urbanaut team to get the inside scoop on how it all went down.
“That was a wild idea we’d had for ages and we were stoked to see it come to fruition for that beer release; we had a tonne of entries and had heaps of fun promoting that; we're super stoked to see the vacay snaps from the winner!”
To boost the launch and build visibility around the comp, Urbanaut added something you could also wear: a custom screen-printed tee featuring the new can artwork.
“We’ve had a great response to this delicious beer – the launch party in colab with 95bFM went well and the Atlanta Bright IPA tees we made with the Print Room were super popular!”
Tees That Drive the Hype
What’s better than cracking open a cold one? Doing it in a tee that looks as fresh as the beer tastes.
We helped bring the campaign to life with high-colour screenprinted tees that mirrored the beer can design — bold, bright, and built for attention. These weren’t your average branded tees. With layered detail, vibrant tones, and a distinctive '80s-inspired look, they captured the energy of the can artwork by Pablo Espinosa perfectly, complete with a nighttime cityscape and a retro car headed straight for Atlanta.
“We actually did two runs of tees – a Supacolour print for the initial beer release which we gave to staff and sold to customers in our taproom and online, then we ran a pre-order for a 7-colour screenprint tee which was part of a promo offer for a beer subscription service that were launching the Atlanta Bright IPA to their customers. That campaign went really well, we had more orders than we expected.”
The design translated beautifully to high-colour screen printing, allowing us to reproduce every detail with sharpness and clarity. The result? A limited run of tees that stood out, matched the vibe of the campaign, and added another dimension to the launch.
We asked Mookie how the tees went—did they sell out?
“Yes, both sold out – they are collector's items now!”
Why It Worked
Merch was a key part of the campaign’s success, designed with intention and purpose. Here’s why it worked so well:
It created visibility: The tees popped. People wore them. They got noticed. That kind of organic visibility is hard to beat.
It reinforced the campaign identity: The can, the comp, the tee—it all tied together. That visual consistency made the campaign feel cohesive and well-considered.
It added value to the experience: The tee became a memento—something people could take home and hang onto long after the beer had been enjoyed.
As Mookie told us, “We wanted to make some noise about the Atlanta Bright IPA, and I do think the shirts really helped, especially to showcase the amazing art on the can label done by artist Pablo Espinosa @suga_cyan.”
In this campaign, merch became a key touchpoint—bringing the brand to life in a way that felt fun, engaging, and memorable.
“I would do custom merch for every release if I could!”
Wear Your Next Launch
If you’re gearing up for a new product drop, event, or campaign, adding merch into the mix can make a big impact. It gives people something to talk about, something to wear, and something to remember.
From simple designs to full-colour prints, we can help you turn your idea into something that lives far beyond the launch date.
