How Jeff Pillet-Shore helped craft beer Allagash find its voice

When the pandemic hit, craft brewer Allagash was in immediate danger of taking a giant sales hit because more than 70% of its business came from bars and restaurants. “The vast majority of our business just sort of literally dropped away overnight,” said Jeff Pillet-Shore, Allagash’s marketing director. It was “terrifying,” he said—but also “incredibly clarifying.” Pillet-Shore, who’s held the job for nearly 10 years, helped push Allagash into new directions. Moves included boosting in-store offerings such as adding six-packs and 12-packs (it had been known for four-packs) while putting more focus on e-commerce. The Maine-based brewer, which handles most marketing in-house, also updated its advertising, including launching a campaign in 2022 called “We’re Good Together,” which communicated philanthropic efforts such as donating 1% of revenue to local nonprofits. In January, it collaborated with Black-owned brewery Crowns & Hops Brewing Co. on a beer called Cur-8 to raise money for Black entrepreneurs in brewing. While Allagash has always been “comfortable talking about our beer,” it’s now “finding comfort leading with our own values, and leading with what made us different as an organization,” Pillet-Shore said. Allagash’s sales are now divided evenly between bars/restaurants and stores. And the brewer credits its marketing for helping to lift sales by 6% in 2022 at a time when some other craft brands struggled. See all of Ad Age’s Breakout Brand Leaders here Which entrepreneur do you admire the most and why? Trying to start and run a business is so messy and hard; it’s easy to celebrate the winners, the survivors. I have so much admiration for people in the thick of it, trying to bring their beautiful ideas to life. There’s a wonderful ice cream truck in Portland, Maine—Maine Maple Creemee—and for several years the founder and sole proprietor, Hannah Daman, has been bringing her amazing take on this special soft serve ice cream across Portland. It’s not glamorous and it’s not easy. Watching her overcome mechanical issues, ingredient issues, parking issues and so much more is a reminder that success is ultimately about winning a series of tiny, frustrating battles. What’s currently on your bedside reading list? “Kurt Vonnegut Complete Stories” has been the entire list for a while, because it’s nearly 1,000 pages and I’m an intermittent reader. But when I can force myself to engage—and lift the darn thing—I am recharged by seeing the world through his words. What is the best career advice you’ve gotten? Slow down. Sometimes, when working for larger organizations, “activity” and “looking busy” and “moving fast” can take precedence over actually adding value. When I started at Allagash, I needed to remind myself to slow down. Methodical, coordinated action and time for teams to gel around meaningful ideas—delivered with thoughtful preparation—eats speed for breakfast. Name one brand, other than the one you work for, that you admire. Appalachian Mountain Club. A century-old philanthropic organization that is reinventing itself for the future. What is your secret weapon for business success? Everything matters. Nothing we ever do, no person we talk with, no email we write—nothing—is ever too small to make a positive impact now, and in the future. See all of Ad Age’s Breakout Brand Leaders here

How Jeff Pillet-Shore helped craft beer Allagash find its voice

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