Tyrone Schiff Southwest Micro-BreweryOrganizations across all different spectrums have similar underlying features. Itmay seem odd to compare a micro-brewery to an airline, but there are strikingresemblances between them that make it impossible to ignore. Consider SouthwestAirlines (SWA), a small Texas based airliner. In order to effectively compete with airlinegiants like Braniff, Southwest developed a niche market in which they could thrive.Further, their advertising campaign and marketing of their service set them apart fromtheir competition. Likewise, micro-breweries will make use of similar tactics in order tothrive within their marketplace. While these strategies employed by SWA and micro- breweries hold them in good stead, there is potential harm in becoming too large. Thecritical bridge that connects SWA and a micro-brewery lies in the positive experience of the consumer with each company’s product.In both instances, SWA and micro-breweries offer their consumers a specialized product that they attain expert status in providing. What set SWA apart from Braniff, whoinitially maintained an 86% market share, was their choice to specialize their functionsand geographic base, which gave them an edge in attracting local customers. WhileBraniff was able to draw in the average consumer, SWA targeted and focused their effortsto a Texas audience. Braniff’s focus to the average makes them a generalist, while SWAtargets and caters to a particular market making them a specialist. Additionally, SWAfocused on local passengers who tended to avoid flying altogether (Harvard, 3). Due toSWA’s specific consumer base, this helped them nestle into a comfortable niche in whichthey could thrive.A micro-brewery will follow similar tactics to those already mentioned. Micro-

Tyrone Schiff breweries are not looking to encroach on anyone else’s territory nor expand and servicethe average consumer. Rather, they utilize small, highly differentiated and specializedmaterials in order to satisfy a special group of consumers (720). While large brewers likeAnheuser Busch are focused on generic taste, micro-breweries look to service the specialneeds of their customers by providing them with the right “color, foam, ingredients,freshness, alcohol level, and serving temperature” (725). They are therefore picking andchoosing the resources that are used very carefully, not much unlike SWA’s geographicchoice. Both of these choices in speciation promote success for SAW and a micro- brewery, even amidst their competitor giants. Similarly to SWA, a micro-brewerydevelops a particular niche that services and satisfies a given consumer.Furthermore, SWA worked furiously in order to appeal to their target audience viaadvertising and marketing. SWA utilized a direct-mail campaign in order to solicitcustomers (Harvard, 8). The benefits of this were massive for the company. A generalistlike Braniff cannot make use of such a targeted marketing strategy, because their marketis too spread out. Additionally, SWA had a lot more leeway in the direction they couldtake their marketing campaign. SWA developed a fresh corporate personality thatappealed to their customers. SWA was described as, “young and vital…exciting…friendly…efficient…dynamic” (Harvard, 5). Conversely, Braniff was more entrenched intheir marketing base and had developed a national image. By changing their approach,Braniff ran a huge risk of upsetting customers. Again, SWA tailors their approach to their known consumers.In the micro-brewery industry, marketing is a little more subtle, and the emphasisis placed on the allure of a particular product. August Busch IV reminds us that, “There is