A thirst for brand building

Fabien Bourgies, Avery Dennison global director, wine and spirits – label and packaging materials – Europe, discusses the role of labeling in driving consumer choice

The wine and spirits category is one of the most competitive consumer markets. Whether a product is new or well established, brand building must create trial and reinforce existing consumer relationships by advancing the product’s positioning on packed shelves.

Pressure sensitive labels have made increasing inroads in the wine sector because the wide variety of papers, films and specialized materials available enable designers to leverage their most innovative ideas for brand building.

For example, rough and porous textures of an uncoated paper label can be combined with screen printing to signify the craftsmanship of an 18-year-old Scotch whisky; coated semi-gloss facestocks are subtly smooth and can denote the flavor profile of something that is soft, easy to drink and good for socialization; and clear film can denote a sense of sincere elegance that carries a premium spirit to a secure position of prominence.

Although the emotional factors involved in a wine buying decision are motivationally complex, we can identify common consumer traits that can be leveraged and factored into the label concept:

1 The Connoisseur

The connoisseur drinks wine from traditional countries; is financially wealthy; is usually a male in his 40s – but the category does include women; has a natural palate; knows a lot about wine; appreciates the craftsmanship in a product and is intelligent about what he or she is drinking. For targeting this group, the label should reflect the craftsmanship; marketers can use a complex vocabulary because they understand it.

The connoisseur enjoys complex red wines, premium branded champagne, single malt whiskies and anejo rums. The label must provide plenty of detailed information: cantina/bodega/chateau, region, the local area, filtered wine or not, harvest year, grape quality, wine making process, etc. This information should be placed on the label so the connoisseur feels he or she is the only expert to read and understand the information.

In wine, a paper label should be structured, rich in texture, beige and with creamy colors. For spirits, a metalized effect or a rough surface with a complex shape will resonate well. For this category, it is okay to be generous with embellishing printing techniques. The label should include golden hot foils, as well as some element of embossing or tactile varnish.

2 The amateur

This includes men and women, 30 to 40 years of age. They claim to have a good wine tasting knowledge but have a palate that is not ready for wines with complex flavor profiles. The amateur is open to new world wines, wine that is easy to drink and middle priced. This man or woman also drinks rum, vodka, tequila and brandy, but mainly premium brands and in cocktails.

They expect a label to provide practical information. The amount of information is important, but must be accessible and provide the right reference, such as grape varietals, brand name, wine name, geographic origin, a credible story behind the brand, and serving recommendations like temperature, pairings with meals, etc.

 In spirits, this person appreciates serving ideas for cocktails. He or she will positively react to white label paper, from light structured paper to soft touch. Be selective in the printing techniques by choosing one that will enhance the information he or she is looking to review.

3 The step-in

This is the least sophisticated consumer who drinks Coca-Cola, beer and sweet spirits. They like white and sparkling wine, tequila, vodka, and rum. Some of them dare into wine, but are less demanding and do not want to invest too much in a bottle. Accessible price offers, easy to drink and refreshing, coupled with fruity and flowery flavor notes, are behind the purchase. White, rosé and mainstream sparkling types, as well as mixed vodka and rums, and some international liqueurs are of interest. Simplicity is important.

This type of consumer will not invest the time to read an in-depth label to explore the complexity of a particular brand. The step-in wants to be told what the product is about; grape varietal – of which they know a maximum of two; taste orientation and serving conditions. Brand name is very important.

With step-ins, you can dare to exploit contemporary and fashionable colors on the label and in the bottle. Clear-on-clear film labels are a strong draw, especially when incorporating neat designs. Immediate visual impact is what resonates, so borrowing design cues from contemporary culture can create strong interest. Consider using new and original printing techniques. For this group, dare to test unusual combinations, such as non-covering colors on metalized paper.

 It pays to know the consumer, or better yet, the type of consumer to whom a wine or spirit is targeted. Marketers need to connect the label and packaging correctly with these consumer categories in a way that meets their expectation about what is inside the bottle. And that expectation must be linked to how the product is positioned.

Beyond the product itself, wine and spirits labeling must have a visual identity that, when properly executed, has the power to establish an icon that is fully vested in the consumer’s perception about the brand.

This article was published in L&L issue 4, 2012