New wineries often approach the market with strong ambition and an expectation that they will be the next Cloudy Bay or Felton Road. The reality is typically less rewarding. Simply growing great grapes and making superb wine does not guarantee success in the crowded and highly competitive world market.

Wineries tend to neglect the fundamentals of business planning when it comes to marketing. New Zealand wine is a super premium product, ranged in sophisticated retailers and top restaurants and purchased by wine-involved, affluent consumers. The choice of a wine, amongst tens of thousands on offer, is driven by many different factors.

The single most influential factor in creating a successful and sustainable position in the market is the core Brand Message. This is delivered through the media, the internet, wine retailers, sommeliers and a consumer’s personal contacts. Getting it right is vital to your wine brand’s success – short and long term.

The second most important success driver is the adoption of a long term Marketing Strategy. This dynamic plan directs the implementation of the Brand Message through all media:

- packaging and labels

- brand material (brochures etc)

- web activity

- promotion, advertising and PR

- trade support & communication

- sales actions

Without these two core marketing elements, your fine wine may not find its consumers fast enough. The wine sector is littered with small businesses that are overloaded with aging inventory of medal winning wines. Slow sales means slow cash: no business can afford that for long.

The Brand Message and Brand Story

Your Brand Message provides the fundamental guidance on what is unique and compelling about your brand to the key audiences: consumers, trade and media. It is supported by your Brand Story – the brief script you repeat constantly at tastings, to sales people, with media. It must be entertaining, have depth and richness, be truthful, easily remembered and encourage its own repetition. This consistent repetition will be the major force in defining and creating your brand in the market.

A well defined Brand Message allows you to:

- Brief and direct creative providers accurately and effectively: designers, writers, PR, web agencies, advertising and so on.

- Keep on track and on budget with expensive and critical projects such as label design, website creation, advertising material, promotional activity.

- Ensure your message is listened to, understood and repeated by your distributors, the wine trade, media, consumers and of course, your own staff

- Be true to your original ambitions and objectives for your wine business over the long term

- Intelligently adapt your marketing approach to remain relevant as the market evolves

- Avoid expensive distractions that may appeal in the short term, but provide little long term gain

Make it Happen

There’s too much at stake for a young wine business to not take the long term view on their new brand. Work with a brand marketing specialist to create the brand framework you’ll need. Avoid letting a designer or PR person take point on this project – few have the specialist insight required.

Ideally you’ll be with a brand expert who understands the unique nature of the wine category. This is important: wine marketing and the global wine market require perspective, experience and insight that is particular to the sector. The asset you’re creating with your wine brand will have immense value, so don’t put its creation in the hands of a marketing generalist.

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