If you represent a foreign wine brand or region, the U.S. market can seem complex. While obtaining top-tier relationships with the press is always the ultimate goal for any successful PR campaign, there are many other ways to gain a favorable brand image in the U.S – ways that can help propel your ongoing PR initiatives. Read below to get better acquainted with the other important players in the market:
Reaching Bloggers & Social Media Influencers
The influence of digital wine influencers in the U.S. is absolutely staggering. As more mainstream publications are limiting their print offerings, millions are flocking to high-profile websites, bloggers, Instagrammers, and the like, for real-time information on what to drink. For instance, the popular blog “Grape Friend” has almost 50,000 followers (many of them are millennials) on their instagram account- and they consistently posts images (with notes) of bottles they’re drinking that week. Meanwhile, Wine Spectator has fewer than 10,000 Instagram followers. That’s quite a gap- thus; it is crucial to capture this growing digital sector. Even if an interaction does not result in an article, it could result in a simple photograph of the wine, a few good notes, and thousands of “likes.”
Sommeliers, Wine Directors, & Chefs
Media relationships are everything here in the U.S., but trade relationships can be just as important. High-level sommeliers, wine directors, and chefs are leading tastemakers in the U.S wine market, and a good working relationship with them can offer huge ROI. CreativeFeed, for instance, has worked with many of these top individuals, boasting an extensive database of hundreds of relationships! These individuals typically know quite a lot about wine already, but they are always on the hunt for new bottles that will appeal to their customers, and it’s your job to introduce your brand to them. You can build these relationships in a variety of ways such as press trips, private tastings, exclusive events, and ambassador programs, etc. With a little extra attention and targeted outreach you may be surprised just how quickly your brand starts to show up in these trendy restaurants and bars.
Other Key Players
Masters of Wine (MWs), wine educators, oenologists, and other experts are also imperative when maintaining a favorable brand image. These individuals, while not always explicitly working for the media industry, hold powerful influence on their media counterparts. By developing a targeted influencer program, you can directly involve and impact these individuals. Explore these key relationships through intimate tastings, educational courses, and informative panels, for interesting offline results.
… And The Trade Press
The trade press is just as, if not more, influential as the consumer press here in the U.S. since everyone listed above habitually reads these publications. Build trust with these niche journalists through authenticity and transparency, and consistently provide them with proprietary information, such as industry statistics, in-depth press kits, insider access, and high-profile interviews. A positive article in a top trade magazine can directly affect all of the above – mainstream consumer press, digital influencers, sommeliers and chefs, and even consumer sales.
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