If you follow me on Twitter, than you know I have been in a bit of Millennial tweeting frenzy this month. Why? Millennials are the next big wine consumer and more and more wine brands are taking steps to target this demographic. The better you understand your consumer, the easier it is to create & target a brand to appeal to Millennials.
One tweet, I referred to the Australian Vinomofo and how it got its mojo – a wine club targeted at Millennials and “not about bowties and bullshit.” While that quote is not about canned wine, it does succinctly sum up Millennial attitude toward wine in general. Millennials are not buying wine for the same reasons as Baby Boomers. This video by Union Wine Company shows the difference between Millennials vs. wine snobs:
See all 8 hilarious videos by Underwood canned wines here.
Why alternative packaging?
Nielsen reports that “Wines in boxes and cartons of all sizes represent more than 8% of table wine store sales dollars today, and just under 20% of table wine volume.” In 2016 boxed wine is up 16.2%, Tetra packs are up 21.7%, and canned wine grew by 125%.
Why are Millennials fueling this growth? Let’s look at the Texas Wine Marketing Institute research study on Millennial Wine Consumers: Profiles and Responses towards Alternative Wine Packaging. They heard the below top reasons on why certain packages were chosen:
- Attractive and Aesthetics: Packaging design is playing a huge role with Millennials
- Functionality: Convenient. Practical. Useful. You can go to a park or sporting event and still drink wine.
- Value: Like the single servings and the price.
Why Millennials like cans
While the buzz this year on wine in cans is powerful, it is still only less than 1% of the wine retail market. But according to Nielsen it had a huge growth in 2016 with total sales of $14.5 million, up from $6.4 million in the prior year.
I’ve talked to several Baby Boomer winery owners and they just don’t get why you would ever put a wine in a can. This is why it is critical to find out WHY Millennials like cans. Here are some of the comments Millennials made in the above Texas Wine Marketing research study:
- I like cans because I can put a straw in it and not smudge my lipstick.
- I like the can because I could walk down the street, drinking wine and nobody would question me.
- I would buy it for regular single serving consumption at home. Wellness is a huge priority to Millennials.
- I would take it to a gathering with friends, like the beach, camping, and outdoor events.
- Wine in a can looks fun, I’ll try it. Millennials are known for being open to trying new things.
What type of social media reaches Millennials?
We often tell our clients they should pick which social media channels they should be on, by looking at who makes up each channel. Instagram skews younger:
- 59% of 18–29 year olds use Instagram.
- 33% of 30–49 year olds use Instagram.
A good example of the right way to use Intagram. The below Underwood photo plays up the concept that Millennials care about: you can bring a can to a beautiful beach. Plus, by using their brand hashtag #pinkiesdown they link into the Union Wine Company hashtag and further convey how they are an unstuffy wine brand.
Want more Millennial research?
Read the Top 9 tips for marketing to Millennials and how the wine brand Uproot targets Millennials here. Plus, follow owner, Rebecca Ritz, on Twitter.