They times, they are a-changing.

Jason had done a blind tasting and label reveal with some millennial-aged students of his and was creating a piece based on the results. We spoke for a while on statistics, theories, and execution in both branding and marketing, and I was alternately thrilled and terrified to see the final piece. When it was printed, I was immediately a fan – and not just because I’m featured in it, though OBVIOUSLY it’s a big reason.

He focuses on a wine brand put out by TXT Cellars – which in my opinion is an invaluable study in underestimating one’s consumer and operating without authenticity. I hope that anyone who has decided to take the leap and develop a brand with millennials in mind will take five minutes and read the article. And THEN take the time to truly learn about your target consumers before lobbing a product out to market.

The most valuable takeaway (I think) is one millennial’s reaction to a TXT cellar label:

In the [blind] tasting, I also included the TXT Cellars wines; [when revealed] they received the harshest criticism. “Ohhh noooo, I hate this so much,” said one 20-something named Kinsey. “I’m embarrassed that this is what they think people my age want.”

Me too, Kinsey. Me too.

Oh. And it’s probably not what you want to hear.

The “secret” to using Pinterest effectively as a brand is first using it personally. THAT’S IT. This goes for any social media platform. So many companies are going in backwards and jumping in blind as a brand. That’s a great way to look corporate/douchey/completely disconnected.

Use it first yourself, as a consumer. See what you like about it, how things are received, the pins you respond to. Do this for a couple weeks BEFORE doing anything with your brand. Don’t be concerned about getting in “late.” You must first have an understanding of WHY your future customers are even using Pinterest – by using it personally yourself – in order to get any use out of Pinterest at all. Next, sit down and create a strategy for your brand using the platform that you know – how can you contribute to the Pinterest community? Or SHOULD you? THEN start your brand page.

After your personal trial (at least 2 weeks), you’ll know if the platform is right for your brand and how best to use it. If you choose to do a brand page then, you’ll be way ahead of the competition because you’ll have a better understanding of WHY consumers use Pinterest. You’ll be able to actively communicate and engage them naturally – ideally converting them into customers. And isn’t that what using social media as a brand is all about?

That was a trick question. That’s exactly what using social media as a brand is all about.

ps: Personally, I love Pinterest. You can find me all up in it HERE (pinterest.com/lehennessy)

I should say, before I jump into my favorite bits (like I said: nerd), that there are some very interesting data in general and I highly recommend anyone interested check out the presentation once it is publicly available on the WMC site. Because I focus on millennials and wine, that’s what I’m covering here.

IN THE MEANTIME

Let’s get to the fun stuff.

This year, I’m guessing due to the sheer numbers and varying life-stages of the group, they have split the millennial demographic into two parts: Younger Millennials – ages 21 – 25 in the year 2011, and Older Millennials – current ages 26 – 34 in the year 2011 (of which I am a member). This makes it more difficult to compare the demo as a group to other generations in terms of numbers or buying power. However, most of the data is in terms of percentages – I suppose we can be thankful for bringing to light the different consumer behaviors of millennials at different times of their lives. It also makes things a bit less dramatic (and anyone who has seen me speak knows that I love the dramatic). Sigh.

But I did find some drama, so let’s start with that:

Data from Wine Market Council

Millennials, and particularly the older millennials, are most likely to experiment with a brand they’ve never heard of. Many wineries like to complain about this – these complaints can be summed up by the following quote from John Gillespie of the Wine Market Council in Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s blog: “So much for brand loyalty.” I will say, however, that these numbers are specifically referencing trying MORE wines. Being brand loyal and trying new wines aren’t mutually exclusive, are they?

This information should give hope to every winery out there thinking about putting a new product on the market. It’s exciting information and it’s the reason why I spend most of my time now on brand development and launches. It should also give hope to smaller wineries without the multi-million dollar budgets of the big guns: if you can capture our interest, we’re likely to give you a shot. And whether we like it or we hate it, we’re likely to tell our 900 closest friends on Facebook about it. If you want millennials to drink your wine, put a little effort into it and it may well pay off.

Here’s another fun fact that shouldn’t surprise anyone:

Importance of wine labels by demographic

Wine labels matter. Period. Now, attempting to define “fun and contemporary” is nigh on impossible, but I think it would be safe to assume that this could mean “non-traditional.” Let’s face it. Design matters to millennial consumers. Apple, Ace Hotels, Dwell Magazine – these brands are not ONLY for millennials by any means (well, maybe Ace), but design is top priority for these brands, and these brands have top priority for millennials.  Feel free to do the math. If we spend money on something, we expect it to be beautiful and often times we expect social purchases like wine to act as a public reflection of our tastes and personality. This latter expectation is no different than any other generation (if arguably more intense due to our intrinsic personal branding tendencies); however, our personalities and what we are reflecting out to our peers IS different.

Importance of wine reviews for millennials

Well, looky here. Wine reviews are important to millennials. I’d be VERY interested to see what the definition of “wine review” was – whether it meant a traditional review from a published expert, a peer review, or a user generated review. In any case, let’s assume this means published expert reviews. Isn’t it interesting that the wine-specific publications that print these reviews seem to have no interest whatsoever in making their media more appealing to the millennial demographic? I mean, I’m sure they’re interested in taking millennials’ money, but the publications with the “most respected” reviewers are also some of the worst offenders in the stodgy-old-boys-blazer-and-ascot-wine-is-for-fancy-people category I can think of. Seems like based on this info and millennials’ ever-growing disposable income, they could be making bank with a few simple changes.

I wonder who these millennials see as industry experts, anyway. Is it Gary V.? Saveur Mag? Real Simple? Robert Parker? Steve Heimoff?  I don’t think people will ever stop looking to experts for recommendations on wine; however, it’s my personal prediction that if magazines like Spectator, Advocate, and Enthusiast don’t attempt to reach this demo, that we’ll see new “experts” pop up to take their place in publications that millennials consider more “relevant” to their lives. You can keep the two cents.

Here’s another juicy tidbit:

Wine consumed by millennials per sitting

Oh, you’re not surprised that people in their 20s and early 30s consume more wine per sitting than other demos? Yeah, me neither. And this is a good thing. They purchase more wine per occasion.

I swear, the next winemaker/owner/marketer, etc. that complains to me about how they don’t like millennials in their winery because we drink too much gets an honorary title of Asshat from me. THEY ARE BUYING MORE OF YOUR WINE PER SITTING. Oh, that’s good, but you would prefer them to buy more of your wine per sitting in a restaurant or in your tasting room and NOT get drunk? Well, I suppose they’ll just buy 3 glasses and NOT drink them. YOU SELL WINE. WINE HAS ALCOHOL. ALCOHOL MAKES PEOPLE DRUNK. It’s true. Google it.

Anyway, now that that’s off my chest (phew), this is obviously good news for purveyors of wine.

So I’d like you to take a minute and look at 3 out of the last 4 slides. The ones with the bottom category that says “High End.” Go ahead, take a look.

Notice anything interesting about the overall numbers? Look again.

According to this data, the consumer behaviors of millennials, specifically older millennials, correspond to the consumer behaviors of the “High End” group. (“High End” being people that purchase $20+ wines monthly or more often.) Here’s some more data to illustrate this correlation:

Wine drinkers' Facebook membership

 

Wine drinkers' Twitter membership

 

Going to wine bars

 

Visiting wine websites

They all correlate. So does this mean that it’s the millennials that are the high end buyers? Not necessarily.

HOWEVER, it DOES tell us that millennials and high end buyers have many of the same consumer traits.  High end buyers seem to behave much the way millennials do as consumers.

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?

By targeting these traits in millennials through your outreach and marketing, you are also targeting these traits in high end buyers.

Well isn’t that interesting?

When I’m out speaking about marketing, especially millennial marketing, I often get asked the question “Who is doing it right?” For a long while there, I would answer by telling people to look outside of the wine industry. Sure, there have been brands (albeit few and far between) that attempt to reach out to this demographic… that doesn’t mean that they’re doing it right.  I certainly have my LEAST favorites – the one dimensional, the condescending, the identity-challenged, and the ever-present corporate mistakes – but this week is a week of thanks and celebration, right? So I’ll focus on a couple positives that have JUST surfaced.

I became aware of these two brands within a week of each other, and after a long summer and quiet fall, I’m thrilled to say that hope springs anew for you, wine industry. Now, I can’t say that I’m the adorable, rat-tailed, 27-year-old neophyte I once was when I started this blog, breathlessly waiting for the wine industry to understand the value of millennials and catch-the-eff-up. Nope. Now I’m 30, married, and jaded enough to understand that this is an industry that will resist change on pretty much every level and damn the torpedoes. (You don’t agree? Really? Then tell me about it in the comments.)

Here is what I’m so excited about. Amazingly, one of these is a new brand of Rutherford Wine Co. (omg – change!) – makers of design-competition favorite Predator. I initially came across this on the (wonderful) package design blog The Dieline on November 14th, and it has since made the rounds on some of the most exciting design blogs out there.

Sexy boxed wine! Yeah! This seems to be a one-off type brand exclusively available at Total Wines & More – I was unable to find any serious information from their almost-completely-bare facebook page. They also don’t seem to own up to it on their own website. But hey, it’s a start. And it’s GORGEOUS.

The other brand I’m ridiculously tickled by is LA Bubbly. Developed by Charleston, SC wine bar owner Brad Ball and one Harry Root, it makes me swoon. Apparently only available in his bar and some Southeast Whole Foods, this is a very exciting new brand – many many thanks to the illustrious Dale Cruse for bringing these guys to my attention. From site design to labels to copy and attitude, I can’t remember when I’ve been more excited about a brand. Well, a brand that I haven’t worked with, anyway.

Think these are stupid? Destined to fail?  Inspiring? Well, I have a feeling you’ll tell me in the comments.

ILLINOIS SPARKLING CO.

Brand Identity, Label design, Marketing – Launched December 2011

Illinois Sparkling Co. Stereo Blend

EASTERN VINTAGE

Brand Identity, Product Development, Label Designs – Launching Winter 2012

CARAVAN Series

The Coil & The Professor

INFINITE MONKEY THEOREM WINERY

Social Media Campaigns, Marketing Strategy – Check out the facebook page here.

Infinite Monkey Theorem based in Denver, Co

Canned Sparkling Wine Launch Teaser

KNOWHOW SHOP LA

Strategy, Education, Video work (with Dru Korab)

Garden Show Vid

SUPER SECRET BIG DEAL PROJECT

I mean, it’s super-secret, but I’m ridiculously excited so I’m putting it in here anyway. I promise to share when I can.

???

GETTING MARRIED

Print design, Art Direction, Vow Taking 

Signs & Programs

 Working it.

For those folks who are heading to the Wine Bloggers’ Conference this year in Virginia, swing by the Millennials and Wine panel on Friday for some honest education on this “hot topic.” I’ll be speaking on the panel, led by Joe Roberts of 1WineDude, along with Pia Mara Finkell and Hunter Smith.

After speaking with everyone on a call last week, I can honestly say that I’m super psyched to speaking with these guys (I sense zero bullshit), and I’m looking forward to hearing their opinions on some of the tougher questions that are bound to pop up. Most importantly, we will be probably the handsomest panel at WBC. Reason enough to stop by.

We will be focusing on questions during our hour and fifteen minutes. I’m constantly impressed by the insights and opinions I read in the comments on this blog, and I wanted to open the floor up to you all.

Do you have questions that you’d like the panel and I to cover on Friday?  Bring it! Just leave it in the comments below.

I thought long and hard before I put up my last post. It’s a little harsh (surprise) – but it’s honest. And it’s important for me to support that POV with some more information. Typed information. For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, feel free take the 30 seconds or so to get caught up.

Now do me a favor. Think about who your competitors are in the market place. Go ahead. Have a name or two in mind? Good. Now think again.

Image from the 6/27 Ad Age article, Bottom's Up! A Look at America's Drinking Habits

Your competitor isn’t that winery that’s doing better than you in sales, it’s not the winery down the road or the segment leader you get reports on. Your competition is beer. It’s liquor. Sure everyone’s striving for a bigger piece of the pie, but how about this: How about we get more pies? With the staggering number of millennials open to wine, the time to do it is NOW.

Sounds great, right? Sure. But it’s not going to be easy. We’ve dug ourselves into a lame little hole, wine industry. I’d like to use a little tech analogy to illustrate the competitive gap here: If beer is google, wine is the lost and found box in the local YMCA.

The wine industry as a whole must take a good, long look at itself as compared to other industries. We lack reach. We lack creativity. We CERTAINLY lack drive. We’re just floating around in our own juices, happy that no one has ever once demanded that we change. Do you know why no one has questioned the dismal way in which wine is marketed and generally “put out there?” Neither do I, but I have a few guesses.

1) People don’t care – they like wine and they’ll keep buying it regardless of how lazy the industry is. DAMN STRAIGHT. Why do you think wine has been skating along for years without making one major shift in marketing approach? It’s certainly not because our core consumers are energized by seeing another freaking vineyard with a photoshopped bottle or two in your Wine Spectator ads. Don’t you think that maybe – JUST MAYBE – that if we actually try as an industry to authentically reach our consumers (and potential consumers) that it MIGHT just pay off in the form of cash money?

2) Consumers have basically zero in the form of expectations for the wine industry. So we as an industry could either keep coasting along and pulling paychecks thanking the Good Lord that we’ve got this thing down blindfolded, OR we could actually try something different – something active – and blow everyone’s mind.

Now, you may be thinking “Leah, we ARE innovating. We’re using social media and making QR code hangtags.” And to you I say: starting facebook and twitter accounts and slapping QR codes on your bottles is not innovating. I’m talking about shifting the way in which we talk about wine. Changing the way we communicate. I’m talking about QUALITY people, not about “new outlets.”

Need some inspiration? Think about some of the most boring industries or products out there. Perhaps insurance comes to mind. Or maybe soap? Hell, carpet cleaning is so boring, I bet it never would have even popped into your mind. Now look at what these folks are doing:

INSURANCE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtP-S9OS0o0

Allstate “Mayhem”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enYZU5IxxIo

Geico “Could Switching To Geico Really Save You…”

SOAP:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE

Old Spice “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”

CARPET CLEANING:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H1PdTmBtWw

Stanley Steemer “Carpet Guys”

I think you get what I mean. The product that we are selling is, I don’t know, about A BAJILLION times cooler than insurance. And carpet cleaning. And definitely more awesome than soap. Why is no one treating it that way? That has to change.

Get hungry people. Or thirsty.

Another tough love letter to the wine industry. I’m tough on you because I know you can do better.