Marketing and Sales | Booze Business: A Blog Dedicated to the Business of Spirits and Wine

Marketing is Dead – Long Live Marketing

August 13, 2012 No Comments

Harvard Business Review blog had an article by Bill Lee, President of the Lee Consulting Group called Marketing is Dead. The thoughts and ideas are worth sharing.

His view of marketing is that the “traditional” definition and tools are no longer totally appropriate to this new environment. Let’s take a look at his evidence, which consists of three areas.

First, as Mr. Lee puts it, the “buyer’s decision journey” has changed from passive information coming to consumers (amidst tens of thousands a day) to interactive information gathering requested by consumers. The traditional journey, which begins with awareness and familiarity, continues, but now those decision steps are based on Internet searches, word-of-mouth, consumer reviews and other people to people efforts.

Southern Comfort Ad – What do you think?

August 4, 2012 48 Comments

The ad below was just released by Brown Forman’s Southern Comfort brand. It’s the first effort by Wieden + Kennedy in New York. The campaign is called “Whatever’s Comfortable” and runs on YouTube and the brand’s Facebook page. It will also run on national TV.
I’ll give you my take on it but first, have a look.

My informal and very unscientific survey revealed a mixed reaction. “I don’t get it,” said one of my participants, “What’s the message… where’s the brand sell?”
On the other hand, there were those who – like myself – thought that it’s excellent on a number of levels. He has an “everyday/everyman look” and the message of whatever is comfortable comes through loud and clear. Whether you like it or not, you have to give it an A+ on the production values – the glasses and shoes he is wearing, the dog, the other people and, above all, the music is well chose.
Oh, and about the brand sell in the ad coming at the very end, all I can say is if you’re watching this on social media, you know the brand because you clicked on it.

Wine Selection Made Easy?

August 2, 2012 No Comments

I came across a flow chart that I just had to share.

It comes from Wine Folly (link) and has helpful ideas about how to choose a wine.

As you go through the chart, you wander through a series of intended uses, situations, occasions and personal preferences. Such as:

Is it for personal use? If so, drinking in public? Drinking alone? Dinner? Is the dinner from a microwave? Did you like to eat dirt as a child? Are you into cults? Do you like to spray butter in your mouth? (You need a buttery chardonnay) Are you eloping? (Have a Riesling or Chenin Blanc… no idea why.)

Is it for someone else? Do you know them well? Is it an event or occasion? If it’s a bachelor (ette) party, bring whiskey or vodka. If it’s an art opening the suggestion is to bring 2-buck chuck (“they rarely have a sense of taste”). Beach BBQ? (Forget it, no glass on the beach.)

Check it out it’s fun.