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There are not many negatives commonly associated with the job of wine reviewer. Sure, we often walk around with red wine-stained teeth, may develop terrible manners like spitting in front of just about anyone while tasting and perhaps could be a bit of a wine snob on occasion (you’re all thinking, “Me? A wine snob? Never!”… but you know deep down I’m right). But truthfully, the less-than-awesome aspects of the occupation are frequently far outweighed by the delicious, creative and immensely pleasurable task of tasting.
However, while receiving shipments of samples last week, I realized one significant downside that I have never noticed before… I fear that I have lost touch with being a wine consumer. Don’t get me wrong, I do my fair share of consuming, but I don’t buy wine the way that I used to out of sheer lack of necessity for it. Sure, I still buy the special bottle for cellaring here or there, and purchase specific labels for folks as gifts, but I don’t really shop the way that I used to. And I think, for me personally, I might be better off this way.
Wine marketing is something that never really made complete sense to me. It made me feel awkward inside, like a good episode of House or Twin Peaks or the concept of imaginary numbers in math (really… imaginary numbers??? How is that allowed in something as solid and fact-based as math!?!?!). Wine marketing, including packaging and labels, was something that always perplexed me and left me feeling confused and unsettled.
I mean, I get it, people are trying to sell specific products to a certain group of people, but whenever I looked at the products that I assumed I should be interested in, or were clearly directed at my demographic, it just turned me off more. It all just seemed so artificially forced. Take for instance Little Black Dress; the wine is absolutely solid and has even garnered some Best Buy awards from us, but the second I see the fem-centric label and dare to read the back blurb of women-centric verbiage, I can’t help but want to slam the bottle on the ground.
I know I’m not the only one who feels like this, but I also know that there are others who don’t share my nausea in such kitschy marketing. The wine still exists and sells well, right, so obviously people are buying it. But why? I wonder what turns people on to buying products like these; solely because the label says little black dress do women see it and think, “I own a little black dress, so I should like this wine”? Like the Sopranos wines, do people just purchase them because it bears the name of a show they liked? Or are they all just gangster wannabes, trying to get one step closer to being a part of the family and somehow this fulfilled that fantasy for them?
I also know sometimes clever works, because I have purchased those bottles
before as well. Arrogant Frog totally makes me laugh at myself for any time even the smallest part of me was behaving like a wine-snob, and at every other stuck-up wino out there too who wouldn’t even dream of drinking such a silly wine with an upright frog in a beret on it (too bad for them – an excellent value wine perfect for company and large dinners). There’s also the Goats do Roam Wine Co, whose adorable plays on words (like Goat-Rotie as opposed to Côte-Rotie and Bored Doe for Bordeaux) are just so fun and clever they make a great choice for gifts or hanging out with friends.
What do you think? What attracts you to purchasing one bottle over another when shopping for wine? Do you like those directed marketing campaigns, or does it more often than not leave you unsettled like me?
Filed under: Industry Issues, Opinions and Commentary, Wine Retail
4 Comments
4 Responses to “Fear and Loathing in the Wine Store”
Please Wait
October 13th, 2009 at 4:51:34 AM
You can drink the wine; or you can drink the label. When the wine is great, and the label fun, it is a win/win. This is why we count on wine writers like you to help us sort it all out. Rock on.
October 13th, 2009 at 4:21:18 PM
Speaking from the other side of the aisle as a *gasp* wine marketer, I completely understand your feelings. Even I sometimes cringe at the back-label copy some colleagues come up with. These wines are targeted at a certain demographic, of which I am NOT one. Overall, the demographic behaves in a certain way and marketers are providing products to meet their expectations. There are, however, those of us who may be a member of the demographic, but whose behavior doesn’t match. These folks are NOT who the wines are aimed at. I’m afraid Lauren, that’s you and me. We have a bit broader perspective on the world of wine, and therefore look for other things in our preferred beverage.
Some may see these labels as pandering to the masses, but really, what’s the harm? If it gets more people to pick up a bottle of wine and try some, I think we are all better off. Perhaps they will move on to something more “serious” later on.
October 13th, 2009 at 4:26:47 PM
What a coincidence as my column in this upcoming Mutineer Magazine is about target marketing as well! I actually can’t stand things like “Girls Night Out” wines and such (I also discuss wines marketed to gay men) but wonder if perhaps marketing trends have us beat. It’s sad and, in my opinion insulting as a woman, but unfortunately, I think it does attract plenty a novice wine drinker. I’ve always been of the opinion that gimmick will only get you so far. It may make the consumer buy your product ONCE, but if the juice inside the bottle isn’t any good, they won’t go back for seconds. That being said, my opinion of “good juice” and some other woman’s may complete opposites!
October 13th, 2009 at 4:49:11 PM
@Arthur – So true! And we absolutely do try our best to sort it all out!
@Michael – I was hoping you would leave some thoughtful insight and opinions on the subject, being that you are *gasp!* part of the wine marketing crowd, so thanks for the comment. And I’m super happy to hear that you understand my feelings, and perhaps even share them on occasion. I also understand your noting that perhaps people like you and I are not the ideal demographic for such marketing campaigns, which is why I noted in the post that I think I’m better off this way. ;) I know what I like and I know (generally) what I’m looking for, and honestly a label design is not going to affect me going after what I want. I am just hoping that people look past the label and try and determine what they like or don’t like for themselves based on what’s inside the bottle. I agree on our main goal, though… we all just want people to just pick up and try some wine, and hopefully come back for more!
@Katie – What good timing we both have! And your point is exactly the reason that these types of marketing campaigns scare and annoy me… they have so little to do with the wine inside! I fear that people will pick up an gimmicky bottle only to realize that all the money from the venture went into the marketing and not into the wine, and will be deterred from future purchases and endeavors into vino as a result. And I also agree that some of it is flat-out insulting to its intended demographic. Can’t wait to read your article! :)