Demystifying Generation Wine
A deep dive into the pitfalls of generational marketing and how brand consistency is the key to a successful future.
I often think back to when I was first in the tasting room – fresh out of college, with a passion for storytelling and the excitement to share it. Before I had years of preconceived notions about who bought wine and who would join the club, I always started the experience the same way – “Hi, my name is Stephanie, and welcome to X winery. I am so excited that you are here. What brings you out to wine country?"
Each response about commemorating a promotion, marking an anniversary, or wanting to spend an afternoon away from the kids circled around one core emotion: Celebration. I shared our story and our passion for our product, and they shared their lives and their love for their dog, kids, or most recent trip to Italy. Together, we built a connection that stretched beyond age.
This is not another article discussing how to attract a younger wine audience without scaring away Boomers. Nor is it another think piece lamenting how Millennials and Gen Z are not drinking wine like their grandparents did.
Every few weeks, the wine community circulates an article discussing which generation drinks what alcoholic beverage and how to ensure they consume more. There are always overwhelming statistics highlighting what the industry is doing wrong, while those same experts warn that changing too much will result in all club members canceling on the spot. The result is winery teams across the nation bending themselves into an impossible knot of perfection, trying to be everything to every audience and ownership doubling down on what “worked in the past” to ensure the best club members do not leave.
Instead of adding to the examination of generational differences with accusatory fingers pointing in different directions, what if we took a moment to look within. Let’s take an empathetic look at what is causing these extreme reactions from the industry and how leaning into ambiguity with core values and brand positioning hurts wineries more than it helps.
At the center of all this discussion is an underlying fear of the future – how will we continue to sell wine, to who and where? This leads teams to scramble to ensure that sales increase and the club keeps growing, all while digging themselves into a bigger hole. This produces mixed messages to your audience about what is important to the winery, and stretches the team thin across multiple projects. We are so consumed with what could change in the next decade we are not looking at what should stay the same – The core of the brand.
Every time I see one of those articles pop up, all I can think is, “That is a lot of pressure to be putting on these businesses without a lot of solutions.” This is a very complex situation that will take many talented people throughout the adult beverages industry working together to address. As an individual winery, how can you move the needle when you have emails to answer and glass to order for next week's bottling?
Fortunately, it is no longer just the owners sharing their wines with every person that walks in. Now there are hospitable employees in the tasting room, skilled marketers behind the computer, and a dedicated winemaking and vineyard team keeping the production flowing. Big or small, you have a team of talented individuals dedicated to selling the same product, but is the same story being shared? When a prospective customer arrives in the tasting room, finds you on social media, or discovers your bottle on a crowded wine shelf, is the core of what sets your brand apart from the rest present and clear?
In my experience, generational differences in how a brand resonates hinge on the consistency of the message and how it is communicated. It is now more important than ever to make sure that everyone on the team is on the same page and empowered to provide clear, consistent experiences without feeling robotic.
Curious what everyone thinks are the core values and positioning for the brand? One of my favorite exercises is to have every employee answer the following questions alone and compare notes at your next meeting.
What three words would you use to describe the winery brand outside of physical location and tasting notes?
What would you consider to be the perfect occasion to open your least expensive bottle of wine? What about your most expensive? Be as specific as possible.
When a customer interacts with your winery, either online, in-person or opening a bottle, how do you want them to walk away feeling? What emotions do you want this brand to impart to your customers?
Write down each response on a white board and talk through how everyone got to their answers from their point of view. It is important to note that there are no wrong answers during this exercise. As a leader of the brand it is important to listen to everyone’s perspectives and carefully consider if they ring true to the brand as a whole.
Once the team is aligned, try asking some of your best customers these same questions. If you can, work to get a sample across the generations — check in with club members vs. non-club members and compare the dates they first visited the winery. Use their answers as a baseline for any changes you make to the brand going forward. Additionally, you can thank these customers with an intimate experience to show your appreciation. Use this as another chance to deepen the connection to these customers and strengthen their bond to your brand.
Use these internal and customer responses to hone in on your values and unique core purpose. Once you’re in a good place, look at everything your brand touches – brochures, business cards, websites, tasting flights, labels, merchandise – do these materials evoke the same feeling that you, your team, and your customers have aligned with?
If not, change it. It can be overwhelming at first, but there is a manageable way to tackle it. First, make a long list of all the things you want to change. Then organize it by how much effort it would take to do. Each week, choose one or two tactical items to change and update them with refined positioning. Once you get going, you won’t want to stop! Let a year pass, and then ask those same customers revised versions of the questions. Check in to see if your changes are making an impact, and pay special attention to see if they are being absorbed better by a certain demographic.
These core traits are what will make you stand out among the crowded space of hot springs, new taphouse openings, and limited-time showings. Use these values and refined positioning to meet each generation where they are at with your unique messaging. You cannot expect everyone to just drive up your dirt road and ask for a tasting. Take your message to your new audience, and they will want to follow along on your journey. If you need some ideas on how to reach new audiences, check out my blog, “How To Prune Your Marketing For The New Year."
In a world of choice, it can feel impossible at times to be heard among the noise, which makes it more important than ever to understand what makes your winery unique and what keeps your customers coming back. When someone comes out to wine country, they are looking to escape, to connect with community and have a moment of exploration, like a special pour of a new release or a closer look at the dirt that makes it all possible. Regardless of generation, people connect with people. Who you are is what made your first club member join and what will make your six-thousandth fall in love with your brand.
Instead of dreading the day when Generation Alpha is drinking age, get excited about another audience that you get to share your story with. By doing this core value work now and sticking to what makes you unique, you might even have their grandparents be the ones to show the new generation that you are a brand worth sticking with.
About The Writer
Stephanie Hofmann is a marketing and leadership professional based in Portland, Oregon. She writes about accessible marketing, leadership development, multi-generational collaboration, and realistic DE&I steps to take in your business. Stay up-to-date with the latest post by following along on LinkedIn or Instagram.
