University of Wisconsin Oshkosh marketing student Griffin Croft is spreading some cheer this holiday season by sharing his artistic talents with a new local business.

Croft’s design is the face of the holiday beer for the recently opened Bare Bones Brewery in Oshkosh.

Croft, who is majoring in marketing with an emphasis in business analytics at UW Oshkosh, is an intern for the Business Success Center (BSC),  a campus resource that connects local businesses with university resources. BSC partners with local businesses and organizations, which is how the opportunity arose for Croft to design the holiday-themed label.

Bare Bones Brewery contacted the BSC to find a faculty member or student who would be interested in designing their holiday beer label.

Bare Bones Brewery Christmas Tail label design, done by UW Oshkosh student Griffin Croft

The process to get to the final design involved a number of steps. Croft said he conceived three different concepts to present to the owners of Bare Bones. They reviewed the concepts and he incorporated them all into the final beer label design. 

“I think it’s huge that they were satisfied with the label and the amount of effort and care I put into it, ” Croft said.

He added that  he was thrilled to produce a design that Bare Bones is using to help solidify their brand.

Dan Dringoli, owner of Bare Bones Brewery, said the label designed by Croft is a huge success.

“This was our debut bottle so the design needed to be extra special for two reasons: First, it was our first bottle release and we wanted to make a great first impression. Second, it’s a seasonal release and we wanted something special for the holidays,” Dringoli said. “Griffin hit the mark on both accounts. We received many compliments on the originality and appeal of the label.”

Croft has always admired art and design, but when he started college he knew he wanted to pursue something in business. He said marketing was the choice for him, since it blended both the design and business aspects. He said his internship with the BSC has been a great opportunity.

“As my schooling has progressed, I’ve realized I want to incorporate that art back into business, so that’s how I got into this graphic design position,” Croft said. “I think it overlaps really well with marketing and the art aspect I really enjoy, too.”

Croft said after he graduates from UW Oshkosh he hopes to work for a company in which he can continue to grown and, eventually, he wants to open his own advertising agency or be a creative director for an agency.

He is grateful to the opportunities he has been given at the BSC.

“Everything they have been able to do for me has really been beneficial in building my resume, helping me grow professionally and developing my marketing skills,” Croft said. “Also, I’m just really excited about Bare Bones. Dan and his wife, Patti, are really excited and passionate about what they do and I’m just really proud and glad I could be a part of moving their business forward.”

Learn more:

• UW Oshkosh Business Success Center