Texas Wine Marketing Institute presented their research study at the #TWGGA17 conference. As a packaging designer, I love reading this type of research and love passing it along to winery owners.
This past weekend I was a speaker on Content Marketing at the Annual Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association conference and had the pleasure of sitting in on a talk by the Texas Wine Marketing institute: Millennial Wine Consumers: Profiles and Responses towards Alternative Wine Packaging by Nicholas E Johnston, PhD and Natalia Velikova, PhD.
Overview of Research
They presented Millennials ages 21-39 four different types of alternative packaging shown below and asked their impressions on each one:
What influences Millennial wine purchases?
Texas Wine Institute found the below factors influence Millennial wine purchasing. Price, brand and variety are the most important factors, similar to other wine consumer demographics. Right behind those three are label design, entire package design and information on the back of the label. Lastly, country of origin and location on the shelf.
Why buy alternative wine packaging?
Why would a Millennial buy wine in something other than a traditional wine bottle? There were many reasons, but the two situations that had the highest percent of Yes responses, were for regular consumption at home and gathering with friends (Millennials don’t want to crack open their expensive wine with guests 🙂
Perceived Perception
We at Bauerhaus Design also talk a lot about perceived value on this website and in our own presentations. Some winery owners don’t realize the importance until you show two wine labels side by side and then ask them which is more expensive.
In this research study they rated 4 different perceptions: Attractiveness and Aesthetics, Functionality, Value, and Quality of Product. Which packaging alternative ended up with the best perceived perception? Cans win overall:
Want more information about the study?
See the full presentation here and the original report on the Texas Wine Marketing Institute website here. They dive into much more detail than I go into here. You can contact the presenters directly with this information:
Does the research translate to sales?
Interestingly, this week the Wine Industry Advisor just published: Sales of Wine in Cans Jump Over 125% As Wine Consumers ‘Open Up to Cans.’ Bota Box, a leader in boxed wine, sold over 4 million cases in sales in 2016 and their Nighthawk Black Red Blend scored the #1 Red Wine in Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Best Buys of 2016. What does this tell us? It tells us that the market for alternative packaging is growing. Have an idea for a boxed wine, pouch, can or mini-bottles? We would love to hear more about your project. Contact us and let’s set up a time to talk.