How Wine is an Asset to Every Marketer’s Brand Strategy

People always ask how I [R. Schimmoeller] got into wine. To be honest, it was never something I thought would impact my professional path; it was purely a hobby. My day-to-day was related to brand strategy and business development. It wasn’t until later that I realized wine could be leveraged to tell a compelling story about a brand – and on a key, subconscious level.

Wine wields a powerful sword. It has the power to bring people together, reignite memories and provoke connections. In effect, the entire shared experience of discovering a new wine strikes a particularly memorable cord for people.

And marketers know that the more people connect to something (or someone) on a core level, the more compelled they are to act or engage. The challenge is that emotion is hyper-personal. It is incredibly difficult to pinpoint what ultimately triggers a consumer to buy – in large part because they often struggle to tell you why they prefer your brand over another themselves!

“marketers know that the more people connect to something (or someone) on a core level, the more compelled they are to act”

To develop a winning brand strategy the challenge (and fun) is to be as subtle as you are strategic. You must plant seeds through different channels and approaches, and with a consistent brand experience each and every time you do. Such a nuanced approach will intercept and ultimately engage consumers meaningfully.

For example, events offer a great opportunity to leave a particularly lasting impression – that you control. You know how rare this is in brand-work, where others’ perceptions are the reality you contend with. An event experience offers a chance for potential customers to interact with multiple pieces related to your brand, too – from your staff, to your physical office space, sometimes even to your actual product.

Now, how many times have you been to an event with just one wine?

If one wine has the power to compel curiosity and interest, imagine what happens when an entire flight (aka multiple wines) has been curated – very deliberately – to tell a bigger, even more captivating story that ties back to your brand. Think about it. Each wine offers an opportunity to elicit a reaction, to draw someone in. Together, each wine can serve as a chapter in your brand story; the flight delivers a beginning, middle and a (happy) ending.

“imagine what happens when an entire flight has been curated – very deliberately – to tell a bigger, even more captivating story that ties back to your brand”

Here are some starting points.

If you’re all about innovation, choose wines that are in some way; if you’re about luxury, go baller; if you’re showcasing a product with a customizable interface, craft an entire wine experience that has a personal, hands-on element. Ping me and I’ll give you a few specific ideas.

BOTTOM LINE.

If you’re clever and creative, you can create a larger wine experience that’s fun and uniquely personal, that reinforces connections and celebrates your brand – without ever waving a big red flag. You will tickle your potential buyers’ subconscious in a truly memorable way. The key is to tell each wine’s story during your event synergistically and such that the subtly is not lost. Guests should go home appreciative of the artful tie-ins because you set the stage accordingly.

Choosing Wine for Any Big Event - Made Easy!

Perhaps the biggest of them all, there's little more personal than planning your wedding - and, for many, when it comes to what you're serving you want to nail it. We get it! What's more, we know you're not the only one. Beginning around Memorial Day each year we get numerous inquiries from couples who care about what wines they will serve at their wedding asking for help. They are often stressed to the max about choosing wines for their big day. In another week the emails with the same burning questions will emerge, this time to ensure company outings and family reunions are well cared for.

While some events have specifications which call for a one-on-one consult (or Pros like us behind the tasting station ;) many others are more streamlined. For the latter case, let's start with the most common criteria hosts present:

1.  User-friendly.   We want wines that everyone will enjoy, whether they are “usually” an X-wine drinker or not.

2.  Food-friendly.   We want the wines to work with what we’re serving, whether someone opted for the fish, BBQ chicken or tenderloin.

3.  Cost-effect.   We don’t want to serve anything “cheap”, but if we could keep things under(?!) or around $15 per bottle, our budget will thank you!

Good news - you can address all of these concerns in just 4 deliberate steps!

Streamline your offerings. There are reasons (yes, plural) themed, or “His and Her Cocktails” are so popular… It’s festive, for sure, and fewer options for guests tightens up your liquor order (read: budget), focuses consumption, AND expedites service! So approach wine offerings similarly and CHOOSE YOUR OWN “HOUSE” WINES: offering a sparkler plus a crowd-pleasing white and red (with maybe a beautiful dry rosé thrown in for good measure) will satisfy the majority (if not all!) of your guests. Remember, these distinct options offer enough variety themselves. So have fun with it! You could even come up with creative, personal or company-culture-derived names for each choice.

Pick a Perky White.  Wines with higher acidity are food-friendly by nature; and their mouthwatering effect also comes in handy when your boss' boss is bending your ear about that big project you're working on, or your best friend just got stuck talking to crazy Aunt Edna. Sauvignon Blanc works, sure(!), but one of our other party tricks is to select grape varietals  guests may not have ever heard of, let alone tasted. Case in point: as popular as Austrian Gruner Veltliner and Spanish Albarino are becoming, these are not grapes that everyone knows (though they should!). Offering something people have no expectations about means they just simply sip and enjoy.

Select a Smooth Red.  When it comes to selecting your red offering, you want something that strikes a middle ground – something not too bold and dry, and something not too light. You also want something that goes down smooooth – something with nice fruit and soft edges. Here again, a way to work around the grape varietal fatigue (aka I only drink Cab, Syrah, Merlot…) is to choose wines that are named for their region, with no varietal labeling evident. Smart picks are red wines from the Cotes du Rhone or Languedoc (fabulous, food-friendly, people-happy, French red blends) or wallet-friendly Spanish Rioja (the more expensive options often mean the wine has spent more time in oak barrels, which puts the wine into the “too bold” camp). These regions have prolific, 100% delicious options that are exceptional values!

Save on Bubbles.   Some say you should splurge in this category; we don’t necessarily agree. While you certainly can go all out, remember that the nuances a higher-priced bubbly offer could be lost in the equation. More often sparkling wine is consumed to add an additional festive flare.  And there are many great (dry, aka Brut) options from beyond Champagne, France that lend exactly the helping hand you desire, with plenty of Delight on offer at oh-so reasonable prices. For some suggestions beyond the usual suspects Cava and Prosecco, check out alternatives here and see below.

Have faith! Less is more, especially when you trot off the beaten path. With this approach you’ll be setting yourself up for success!

Dying for some specific recs in each of these categories?? No problem! For the next several weeks you can find some widely available wines that check the above boxes via the Pour Favor Wine Events list available on the DRYNC wine app.Need more ideas? Get in touch directly!

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