A friend works in the marketing department of a Brewery that is well known (but small).

They have a great working relationship with one of the more known jam bands that exist in the East.


The friend is wondering how to put language into a contract that wherever said band would play at a venue, they can only sell their companies beer (the band would be officially sponsoring the band and have them on their labels or other things like that).

A couple of questions:
1) has anyone ever heard of this happening?

2) Is it possible to put a "venue must allow us to sell out beer clause or the band wont play there" in a contract?

Any and all help is appreciated. :-)

I've seen three different bands sponsored by beer companies in the past. I don't think any bar would only sell a certain beer ever. But what I've seen done in the past is they'll agree to put little signs on every table promoting the beer and promote the beer with drink specials.

I don't think any club owner's would do it as it might piss off their regular customers.

Yeah, there's no way you'll get a bar to agree to an "exclusive" beer sale. They'll just refuse to book the band.

There is no right or wrong answer here. It's all about negotiation power.

If this band is powerful enough to demand that only 1 brand of beer be sold at a bar (I doubt it) then the bar will agree to it.

If the band says "You've got to sell this one beer or we won't play" and the bar says "OK, then you don't play" then you know the score.

A much more reasonable tactic would be to get the bar to agree to FEATURE the beer that night/weekend. Do special pricing - put out branded coasters and the table top adverts mentioned above - give out some other "premiums", etc. Demanding or even suggesting that a bar only sell one beer would likely seen as insulting and very assumptive.

The band and the beer-maker can really make out with a strong relationship, but their going to have work WITH the club-owners on reasonable promotion in order for it to be a WIN-WIN-WIN situation.

It sounds like the better answer (suggest this to your friends) that the Brewery should perhaps promote and sponsor their own events and then have the band play...That is what the big boys do.

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