Why Wombat?

We really wanted our name to be a nod to where it all started, Australia. We threw a few ideas around, but none really resonated.

For most of our time in Aus, we lived in Manly – awesome spot. On the beach, great pubs, few different restaurants and the ferry into the city takes you past the heads, opera house and harbour bridge. Not a bad way to start your day.

So, why not call the brand Northern beaches? A few reasons really. First off, it is just a bit of a mouthful. Four syllables, two long words – “can I have a pint of Northern Beaches please?”. Doesn’t really roll off the tongue.

Second, from a branding perspective it doesn’t really work as it’s not that easy to build multiple assets using such a long name.

And thirdly, it implies escapism. We never wanted to be one of those brands that markets itself using the classic can on a beach; you should be able to enjoy our drinks in the pub with your mates, five minutes down the road from your house. Not in the sunshine on a beach on the other side of the world. Northern Beaches out.

What about Splash? Fun, punchy, subtle ode to the beach/water here. The splash could also represent the new, loud entrance into the market. ‘Making a Splash’…. So, some alignment to our brand/values, but not enough, a little bit shallow and meaningless. Ok, Splash’s out.

Then we started thinking we could name the company after an animal, as a bit of a joke really. There were a few different options, but Wombat came out on top once we’d sat down and realised that the animal really does personify what we’re trying to do.

The wombat is probably the lesser-known Australian marsupial. Everyone’s heard of kangaroos and koalas, but less have heard about their hard-working, land-moving cousin. As Aussie farmers and landholders know, wombats don’t really pay attention to barriers, if there’s a fence or gate in the way, they’ll just burrow underneath. So, like the wombat, our mission is to keep on digging away to deliver innovative drinks, increase the choices on taps at pubs and reignite the UK ginger beer and lemonade market, tackling each barrier we’ll inevitably face one burrow at a time.

The name is naturally an ode to time spent down under, given that’s where you find wombats. But the name not only represents our time there, but also the introduction of the smartest marsupial. The smarter way to enjoy well-known drinks – innovative ingredients to reduce sugar and calories whilst delivering more taste. Only a smart wombat could come up with that.

The final reason is probably the most important, and probably the oddest. We really wanted our brand to be fun, spark conversation and not take itself too seriously, so we spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out what would be the best way to get that across. Then it hit us. What people also don’t know about wombats is that they have square shit.  Wombats mark their territory with their droppings, and because of the topography of where they live – being very hilly – they’ve evolved so that their shit doesn’t roll away, effectively marking their territory. Incredible. This square shit oddly then embodies what we’re doing – thinking outside the box and not conforming to normality. It also gives us great content and real ownership over the brand.

So, wherever you see a square on our packaging, cans, socials or even on the street – which you’ll see a lot of – just know that square actually represents a big, square wombat shit.