Dogfish Head is celebrating the New Year the only way the Delaware-based brewery knows how: with a new addition to its trademark line of continually hopped beers. With 95 calories and 3.6 carbs per 12-ounce serving, the hop-forward beer looks to balance consumer desires for both flavor and functionality.

To boost awareness for the new brew, Dogfish Head ran a campaign around Quitter’s Day, the second Friday in January and the day that marks when as many as 80% of people have abandoned their New Year’s resolutions. Like campaigns from Dove and RXBar that tackled toxic resolutions, Dogfish’s marketing gives permission to consumers to go easy on themselves — albeit with a dose of humor.

“Our brand has always taken brewing beautiful, technically perfect beers very seriously, but we don't take ourselves too seriously,” said Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head’s founder and brewer. “Let's make [30 Minute Light IPA] the unofficial-official beer of Quitter’s Day.”

Through Jan. 16, consumers could share stories of a New Year’s resolution they failed to maintain for a chance to score $30 in beer money and a participation medal, a nod to the symbol of fairness that, like so many innocuous parts of American society, has become politicized in recent years.

The Quitter’s Day effort is in line with Dogfish’s social-first marketing approach that sets it apart from beer brands that rely on traditional TV and out-of-home advertising. Despite merging with Boston Beer Company in 2019, Dogfish has continued to market itself that way, even as it now is backed by a national sales organization.

“Dogfish was a grassroots company that really relied on keeping supply below demand [and] marketing on social media to create demand,” Calagione said. “We have that still, but now we have hundreds of sales people that are selling Dogfish as part of our [Boston Beer Company] portfolio nationally.”

Beer drinkers — and market — evolve

The craft beer boom of the 2010s eventually ran headfirst into changing consumer behaviors as drinkers, especially younger ones, continued shifting away from mass-market beer to wine, liquor and low- and no-alcohol beverages. For Dogfish Head, 30 Minute Light IPA is a way to be a part of consumers’ lives as they increasingly reach for more functional beverages.

“We have a long history of beers that have wellness attributes but aren't non-alcoholic,” Calagione said. “We love [session sour] SeaQuench Ale and sell the heck out of it, particularly in the warmer months… but having a year-round IPA in the core of our portfolio that also hit on a bunch of these wellness attributes was really appealing to us, and where we saw customers going.”

The release of a low-cal, low-alcohol IPA also comes amid the rise of non-alcoholic brews, from disruptors like Athletic Brewing, beer giants like AB InBev or even Dogfish Head’s sister brands. Being a part of the Boston Beer Company has given Dogfish access to insights about the larger beer market, including how consumers are drinking non-alcoholic beer, often alongside regular craft beer.

With Athletic and Heineken 0.0 offering their own takes on Dry January, Dogfish Head saw an opportunity to build on a previous “JanuQuenchy” effort that saw the brewer challenge drinkers to have just one SeaQuench a day in the month. The release of the 30 Minute IPA gave the brewery a way to continue the conversation.

“Some people are on a non-alcholic journey with their whole life, some people are [drinking] in lower ABV, more calorie-conscious beers. But whatever your journey is, be proud of your journey and own up to it,” the executive said.

Along with its social-first activations, Dogfish Head is the official brewery partner of Record Store Day, a celebration of independently owned record stores that gives the brand high visibility when the day is celebrated on the third Saturday in April and on Black Friday. Similarly, the Quitter’s Day campaign gives the brand a way to find some white space among beer brands.

“A brand like us probably couldn't make a run at St. Patrick's Day up against Guinness, or Cinco de Mayo up against Corona,” Calagione said. “But these are dates that we can really own as a brand in a way that's all about our brand ethos.”