Concha Y Toro UK Brands Marketing Controller, Claire Raine, spreads the ‘Joy’ of wine and discusses breaking down the barriers of an age-old industry.
Tell us about your winning product and why it resonates so well with the consumer.
Joy is joyous, shareable and a whole new way of drinking wine. It was designed with a younger adult in mind because for too long, the wine world has been perceived as fusty and intimidating. We wanted to make a product that is aged down and much more inclusive. Joy is all about the ‘moments’, and not about exclusivity and ‘knowledge’.
Often when you walk into a supermarket, you’ll see a wall of wine. We’re very much focused on building the brand off-shelf before everything else. Our strategy is to keep it simple. You won’t see any complicated descriptions with lofty wording. It’s simply made for good times and individuality. On the shelf, the branding really stands out with these colourful designs. This is a bottle that catches your eye among the more conservatively designed wine bottles you might see in the wine aisle. Sales so far have been largely incremental for the category, which is a promising sign!
How did you arrive at the idea? Was there a single ‘aha’ moment?
It all started with the insight that wine is losing penetration. One of the demographics many wine brands have overlooked is younger adults. As I mentioned earlier, it’s commonly felt that the world associated with ‘chateaus’, ‘vintages’, and ‘terroir’… can feel intimidating. It’s saying a lot that if you look at the top 10 alcohol brands for young people, wine isn’t to be seen! More often, they tend to drink beer, cider and spirits. Our mission was to make a product that caters to the Gen Z and Millennial markets. Something they would feel excited to buy.
What was the process of ideating/designing this product?
First, we start with research groups to discover the main barriers to success. After that, we put several potential propositions in front of the target consumer to gain feedback. Then it goes through design and tastings… right through to the final product landing in bars, on supermarket shelves and in your glass!
What impact do you hope winning Product of the Year will have on the product?
When we found out we’d won, we made sure to shout about it internally with everyone. It was sent out across all our departments, from winemaking to operations and forecasting. It’s a nice boost, celebrates everyone’s efforts & validates our approach to innovation.
It’s also fantastic for awareness. We’re putting it on the bottles, online marketing and in our comms. For the consumer, it gives them the confidence to try our product, if they haven’t already. Wine is an expensive purchase, compared to other groceries, so it gives a reassurance that they’re not wasting their money. This is our first year since launching so it’s a great time to shout about the win.
Are there any particular trends you will be tapping into this year in terms of product innovation?
Spritz is having a moment, and that’s not just in bars, it’s all over social media too. So, we’ll definitely be focusing on our Orange Spritz product lines to continue driving that category incrementality. We’ll also continue trying to grow the young adult wine category and Joy. The on-trade market, in bars and restaurants, is fertile ground for introducing new drinks to this age group. Often this is where people try out new drinks before investing in a whole bottle in the supermarket, for example.
What are the plans and ambitions for the brand/product in 2024 and beyond?
To keep growing awareness of the Joy wine brand and encouraging people to try it. You can find us in ASDA, a retailer that has a history of championing innovation. We’ll be looking to expand to other supermarkets and retailers soon too, so watch this space.
Describe your winning product in 3 words.
Tasty, fun, real.
Source: Joy
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