What’s old is new again, as Hamm’s is digging into its rich, 157-year-old archive to release limited-edition, retro-inspired packaging just in time for the peak summer season.
For its new paperboard packaging on 12-, 24- and 30-packs, the brand is resurrecting aspects of its look from the 1950s and 1960s, when Minnesota-born Hamm’s was one of the nation’s largest beer brands. The new Throwback Pack features the iconic Hamm’s crown superimposed atop of a lakeside scene – a forest overlooking sky-blue waters.
Inside, royal-blue limited-edition cans also boast the Hamm’s crown and the brand’s twin slogans: “The beer…refreshing!” and “From the land of sky blue waters.” The retro-inspired packaging is aimed at making a splash at retail and connecting with drinkers in the 25-35 age group, says Marissa Meliker, associate marketing manager for Hamm’s.
“We know that nostalgia beers are having a moment right now, and this packaging is a throwback to the glory years of Hamm’s,” she says. “True Hammpions are going to be familiar with it. It’s historic, but at the same time, it’s a fresh look.”
The goal, she says, is to breathe new life into one of America’s great beer brands by leaning into its 157-year heritage. “It makes you want to crack open a Hamm’s at the lake,” Meliker says.
The brand’s old-school aesthetic and robust flavor has won it legions of fans, many of whom were ecstatic when news of the new packaging leaked.
“I am strangely excited about this” wrote one fan on social media. “Be still my heart – it’s beautiful!” wrote another.
For fans of the previous cans, which carry the signature red Hamm’s script inside an elegant gold and blue frame, not to worry: They’ll be back in due time, Meliker says. The Throwback Pack is expected to be in market through October.
The brand expects the retro look to be a hit with Hamm’s loyalists, while also drawing in drinkers with a design bound to stir nostalgia.
“There’s something about Hamm’s and its simplicity that people really love. We are excited to get the Throwback Pack into the hands of our Hammpions,” Meliker says.