Wine and spirit brands must get creative when marketing to sober-conscious millennials and Generation Z. Sobriety is trending among millennials and Generation Z, making it difficult for wine and spirit brands to sell their products and services to them.
Although wine consumption has risen among baby boomers, it has decreased among younger generations. According to research, wine sales experienced a 4.5% decline in volume; less than a third of American households were regular wine consumers.
Targeting baby boomers and relying on them as your primary wine consumers is not a sustainable option. Wine and spirits businesses must develop marketing strategies to reach younger demographics and convert them into loyal customers.
Keep reading this post to learn how wine businesses can target younger generations with innovative marketing strategies.
Marketing wine to younger generations presents various challenges.
Marketing to younger generations has always been a struggle for the wine industry. The challenge for wine businesses has increased exponentially because of the variety of wine and spirits available to younger generations and the different marketing channels available to younger buyers.
However, the biggest challenge facing the wine industry is that Millennials and Gen Z consume less alcohol than older generations like baby boomers and Gen X. Wine brands that do not target younger generations are missing out on a large portion of the population, especially regarding spending power.
Millennials and Gen Z have spending power, so wine brands must tailor their marketing strategies to reach these demographics. This is especially true considering these two generations will eventually make up the most significant global consumer group.
Before implementing marketing strategies to target younger generations, wine brands should pay attention to the purchasing behaviors of Millennials and Gen Z. According to the Business of Drinks report, younger generations discover new brands and are more likely to make purchase decisions based on their friends and family, social media, and restaurants they frequent.
These purchasing decision habits are interesting but often not considered when developing wine marketing strategies to target younger consumers. Let’s discuss the best marketing strategies to reach millennials and Gen Z.
Here are five marketing strategies to successfully market wine to Gen Z and Millennials.
Marketing wine and spirits to younger generations can be complicated, but with proper strategy execution, wine businesses can target these demographics to increase brand awareness and purchase intent.
For this reason, we at Skyline Studio have curated five marketing strategies to improve your marketing methods and tailor your content marketing to target millennials and Gen Z.
1. Demystify wine and make your product more accessible.
An interesting strategy to include in your wine marketing is demystifying wine and lifestyle. Research by The Buyer shows that younger demographics find wine a very complex and intimidating category.
To counteract younger generations’ beliefs about wine, brands must make wine products and services more accessible and approachable to millennials and Gen Z. Wine marketers can provide accessibility by promoting free or low-cost tastings or discounted products.
Wine marketers can also develop educational content that teaches young consumers about wine terminology, wine pairings, and how to choose a wine for specific occasions. Marketers can also create quizzes, videos, podcasts, or blogs to help young consumers learn about the wine-making process and basics of wine.
Remember, younger demographics value convenience, personalization, and experimentation. Brands can also consider producing smaller bottles, cans, or boxes of wine, making transportation and consumption easier for millennials and Gen Z.
2. Use social media to recognize and reward user-generated content.
A social media strategy is essential for wine brands to help connect younger consumers with your products and services. Social media platforms are also an effective way to increase reach and have audiences discover your brand.
Millennials and Gen Z are avid social media users, so creating social campaigns will help increase brand awareness among these two demographics. According to research, millennials are the most active demographic on social media, with 69% estimated to use social media in 2024. However, Gen Z spends more time on social media daily, with 35% using social media for more than two hours a day.
Younger audiences rely more on social media to help them discover new products and learn about promotional deals. Millennials and Gen Z also trust user-generated content (UGC), which includes reviews, ratings, photos, and videos, over traditional advertising.
Wine brands can generate interest in their products and services using UGC content to help increase user engagement and online visibility. UGC content is also a great way to increase purchase intent traffic to your website.
Wine marketers must consider developing and publishing content that tells the story of their wine brand and highlights their products’ unique selling points. Creating and posting social media content across the wine brand’s social accounts consistently helps develop brand authenticity and consumer trust.
Aside from creating their content, wine marketers should encourage followers to share their images or videos or leave reviews about the product. Wine brands can incentivize consumers to share by offering discounts and recognition.
3. Invest in influencer and expert relationships.
@themillennialsomm Glasses 🥂🍷 #winetiktok #winetok #wine #cheers ♬ original sound – themillennialsomm
Millennials and Gen Z buy products on websites and social media apps like Instagram and TikTok. For this reason, wine brands must develop partnerships with influencers or experts to help build consumer trust and purchase intent.
Influencer marketing is crucial for reaching new audiences and building online rapport. According to research, 74% of consumers look to social media for recommendations, and 44% of Gen Z customers purchase after seeing influencer recommendations.
Wine brands must create partnerships with influencers that fit their brand’s image and have experience with the basics of wine. Influencers can develop product reviews and recommendations, showcase wine experiences, and promote giveaways. Just remember, wine and spirits brands can not give away alcohol.
Wine marketers must also adhere to each platform’s social media policy regarding alcohol. If you do not follow the regulations set by platforms like Meta or TikTok, they can restrict or ban your account.
Influencer or expert partnerships can help your wine business develop authentic consumer connections and brand awareness.
4. Prioritize restaurants, chefs, and sommeliers in your off-premise distribution strategy.
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Remember, millennials and Gen Z are still learning about wines and brands, and they must prioritize restaurant and local store partnerships that are popular with younger generations. Wine marketers can partner with restaurants to help curate food and wine pairings or develop experiential marketing campaigns.
As wine brands continue to sell to key accounts and establish client relationships, wine marketers must build relationships with the restaurant’s marketing team, sommeliers, and chefs. Developing key relationships with other businesses will help partners remain loyal and keep your brand at the top of their minds when making wine recommendations.
Brands can also treat sommeliers and chefs as partners when developing experiential marketing strategies. By partnering with wine connoisseurs and chefs, wine marketers can include them in wine events and promotional and educational content.
Partnering with reputable sources can significantly boost lead generation for wine brands while strengthening authority and building lasting consumer relationships.
5. Host memorable events, tours, and tastings.
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Wine marketers must consider experiential marketing to increase brand awareness and make wine more appealing to younger consumers.
Experiential marketing allows wine brands to connect with younger demographics by creating an entertaining and educational experience. With experiential marketing, wine brands can personalize the wine experience to millennial and Gen Z consumers based on their interests and preferences.
Hosting wine tours and live-ticketed events like the San Diego Food & Wine Festival (November 2-10, 2024), an event with over 30 experiences, including mega-tasting events, workshops and panels, film screenings, cocktail culture, and more.
The Southern California region is home to various wineries, vineyards, and numerous American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), including Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, and the Temecula Valley.
“With stunning landscapes and a thriving wine culture, Southern California offers an exceptional experience for anyone seeking to indulge in the region’s wine offerings,” says Senior Director of Content Marketing Max Ramirez.
“This abundance allows local wine enthusiasts and visitors alike to explore a vibrant selection of wines, often produced by innovative, boutique wineries that prioritize quality and sustainability,” says Ramirez.
With many options available to consumers, wine brands must develop experiential marketing strategies to target younger demographics and stand out.
Remember, when developing event marketing strategies, wine brands must focus on creating unique and memorable experiences that attendees can only experience at their brand event.
Click here to learn more about partnering with Skyline Studio to develop wine marketing campaigns.
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