Wine labels and packaging discussed at California conference

Adcraft Labels, All American Label, ASL Print FX, G3 Enterprises, Labeltronix, Lightning Label, Multi-Color Corporation, Paragon Label, Tapp Label Co., Vintage 99 Label and Watermark Label Co., were among the label converters and printers among more than 50 exhibitors at the fourth annual event that’s hosted by Wines & Vines magazine. Other booths included various packaging suppliers also were on hand to explain their latest technologies and offerings.

Meanwhile, a conference session offered insight into the wine industry, and specifically what brands can do to make their wines stand out on a crowded retail shelf.

Kicking off the day’s conference session was emcee, wine author and TV personality Leslie Sbrocco who imparted on the audience the significance of dynamic labels and packing.

‘We buy with our eyes,’ she said. Perhaps there’s nowhere that statement is truer than in the wine industry.

In a discussion on branding and design, experts from Nielsen, a market research company, Steve Lamoureux called label and package design an often-overlooked marketing tool.

‘[For brands] this is probably the most important marketing tool they have. It’s worthy of an investment,’ he said. ‘And the good news is, it’s a very small investment, but absolutely worth it.’

Jessica Gaedeke, also from Nielsen, said that packaging design ‘reaches 100 percent of likely tryer at the moment of truth’ when consumers are at a store and likely to buy. Further she noted how crowded store shelves are. There are, on average, 768 wines in the grocery and 1,563 wines in the average liquor store, she said.

Because of these statistics, ‘it’s so incredibly important to get [label and package design] right,’ Gaedeke said.

The audience also heard from many brand owners, vintners and supply chain partners.

Corey Beck, with the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in California presented interesting label case studies, including one that’s a nod to the filmmaker and winery owner’s Zoetrope collection. The label forms a thin wraparound that snakes around the entire bottle.

Much to the delight of label converters in the room, Beck said this: ‘We spend a lot of money on packaging. Francis spares no expense on it. He really believes in packaging.’

Another topic that emerged at the event was wines in unconventional packages. There were considerable discussions about wine in kegs, single serving wines in cans, the latter could present an opportunity for shrink sleeves for vineyards looking for an option to compete with direct print.

Wines & Vines Packaging Conference was hosted at Lincoln Theater in Yountville, California. It’s the fourth annual conference that is put on by Wines & Vines magazine.