Luxury Goods Marketing

Did you know❓ ⭐ The top 2 percent of luxury customers drive 40 percent of luxury sales, according to Bain. 🤔 So, the biggest question is- how luxury brands can attract these very important clients (VICs) and keep them loyal? Here is 3E strategy: Providing incredible Experiences, Emotional connect and Exclusivity, can help high-end labels to capture VIC segment. - VICs desire for incredible experiences. It can be provided through invite only events, intimate dinners, private parties and tours. For instance, brands like Givenchy which flew guests to a Venice gala, and Gucci which hosted dinner parties with Kering Chairman and CEO Francois-Henri Pinault. - VICs want more than just luxury goods. They want emotional connect. For instance, Lamborghini delivered an exclusive, one-of-a-kind adventure to its customers in 2023, ‘Esperienza Giro India’. Over sixty Lamborghini owners lived the adventure of a lifetime with their vehicles across the breath-taking state of Rajasthan, exploring royal palaces, sand dunes, and incredible atmospheres. Such campaigns create emotional connection between VICs and the brand as they become part of the brand story. - Being Exclusive is the key to lure VICs. For instance, Gucci opened its first by-appointment store exclusively for servicing the brand’s most important clients in Los Angeles. In December 2023, Italian designer Brunello Cucinelli opened up a dedicated store in New York for private clients.   #luxury #luxurybrands #VIC #strategies

Stop talking about your wine like an amateur. Instead, try this: 1. Put the customer first: - Know their interests - Meet them where they are at - Talk about what they care about 2. Stop talking about scores and critical opinions: - Most people don't know anything about wine scores, and they care much less about them. - Lean on customer reviews and feedback more. - Find brand ambassadors to do the talking instead. 3. Don't highlight your story, history, origin, or family: - This is usually unrelatable; find something that is. - See the first point. - So many of these stories are the same as the winery down the road. Find a way to stand out. Most people get this all wrong. They make it all about their wine, their winery, their story. Wrong. Selling more wine is about highlighting the customers and finding ways to connect with them. So go build that customer-first muscle.

We banned husbands, kids, and pets to save a luxury private club. One of my clients was launching an exclusive private membership club in London. She started with a solid foundational niche: successful women. But during the soft launch, she ran into a classic trap. Members started asking if they could bring their husbands, their children, and their pets. Because she wanted to accommodate her early users, she leaned toward saying yes. I advised her to stop. A premium membership club does not build authority by accommodating every single request. It builds value because the boundaries are fiercely protected and the experience is engineered for a highly specific type of person. If you allow everything, the feeling of exclusivity disappears. Instead of expanding the club's scope, we narrowed it down even further. We mapped out an exact demographic profile. We stopped targeting a generic audience of "successful women" and shifted the focus entirely to London-based, entrepreneurial mothers with a net worth over £1M who share premium lifestyle interests and appreciate fine wine. That single shift changed everything. It gave the club a distinct identity and a clear reason for that exact demographic to join. It also simplified the entire marketing strategy. Instead of building a generic concept, we designed specific events, tailored outreach, and messaging that directly resonated with that precise peer group. Premium positioning requires the discipline to exclude. It is about knowing exactly who the experience is for, and more importantly, who it is not for. The sharper your audience, the stronger your market position.

The 2022 marketing playbook is dead. I've been talking to marketers and leaders across industries lately. Hospitality, retail, luxury goods. Different categories, same observation: The funnel got longer. Trust takes more time. Consumers need more touchpoints before they buy anything. The era of running a smart Facebook ad and printing money is over. For wine, this lands especially hard. You're already fighting demographic shifts, the wellness movement, and a generation that needs a real reason to choose wine over everything competing for their attention and wallet. Marketing has gotten more complex than ever. But here's what's actually working for wineries right now: 1️⃣ Instagram is no longer a discovery tool. It's a validation tool. People aren't finding you there anymore. They're checking you out after they've already heard about you somewhere else. Discovery has shifted to TikTok, AI search, and creators who carry genuine trust with their audiences. If your entire strategy lives on Instagram, you're showing up at the wrong part of the journey. 2️⃣ Own your list. Email and SMS outperform social every time. Your Instagram followers belong to Instagram. Your email list belongs to you. Wineries building direct relationships through email and text are quietly outperforming everyone chasing followers. 3️⃣ Make events your acquisition strategy. As tasting room traffic declines, the wineries growing their clubs are creating reasons for people to show up, not just reasons to buy. Experience drives acquisition now. 4️⃣ Stop broadcasting. Start segmenting. Sending the same message to everyone is leaving money on the table. The wineries winning right now know exactly who they're talking to and speak directly to them. 5️⃣ Consistency beats campaigns. One flashy promotion won't save you. Showing up strategically, week after week, builds the kind of trust that actually converts in 2026. The wineries that survive this moment won't be the ones with the best terroir or the most awards. They'll be the ones who finally treated marketing like the craft it is. The good news? The tools exist. The strategies are clear. And for the first time, smaller wineries have a real shot at outmarketing the big players if they know where to focus. This is the problem I've been solving for wine brands for years. Now I'm building something to help more of them get there. More soon. #winemarketing #dtcwine #wineindustry #brandstrategy #digitalmarketing

Everyone else walked into that meeting carrying a PowerPoint. We walked in carrying six questions. Years ago, I was responsible for national restaurant chains for a large wine company. One of our biggest customers had just hired a new wine buyer. She invited every major winery to meet with her over the course of several days to pitch for spots on the new wine list. Every supplier prepared the same way. Slide decks. Wine samples. Brand stories. Awards. We prepared nothing. Well...almost nothing. On the five-hour drive to the meeting, my salesperson and I worked on one thing: The questions we needed answered before we had any business recommending a single wine. When we sat down, she smiled and said, "Okay...I'm ready to see your presentation." I said, "We didn't bring one." She looked genuinely confused. "What do you mean you didn't bring one?" I replied, "How could we possibly prepare a recommendation when we know almost nothing about what you're trying to accomplish?" Then we started asking questions. What has worked on this wine list and what hasn't? What does your customer data tell you? What kind of guest are you trying to serve? How are you thinking about inventory turns? How many wines do you want by the glass—and why? What business outcomes are you trying to improve? For the next thirty minutes... We never mentioned a single one of our wines. When the meeting ended, she said something I've never forgotten. "I've been doing this a long time, and nobody has asked me questions like these. Everyone else came here to sell wine. You came here to understand my business." Then she smiled. "Go home. Build me a proposal based on everything we talked about today. I can't wait to see it." A few weeks later, we were awarded two wines by the glass and two more on the wine list. Not because we had the best presentation. Because we refused to give one. Most salespeople think the presentation is the sales call. It isn't. The questions are. Customers rarely reward the supplier who knows the most about their own products. They reward the supplier who demonstrates the deepest understanding of their business. That's what Breaking Type looks like.

Let’s talk Q4 strategy… Because smart wineries aren’t winging their holiday sales. They’re not blasting random discounts. They’re not scrambling the week before Christmas. And they’re definitely not guessing what to send their email list. The best-performing wineries? They’re using a clear, seasonal strategy that builds trust, stacks urgency, and turns holiday browsers into loyal customers. Here’s how their Q4 looks: 🤝 October – Build the Relationship This is the warm-up, not the pitch. Use storytelling to bring people into your world—think harvest diaries, behind-the-scenes cellar shots, or food and wine pairings that feel personal and seasonal. It’s about building emotional equity before asking for the sale. 🎁 November – Sell Without Discounts Gifting season doesn’t have to mean margin-slashing. The best wineries are creating bundles with purpose—Backyard BBQ packs, Host Gifts, Mixed Cases. Throw in a small gift (corkscrew, handwritten card) and reward VIPs with early access. People don’t need cheaper wine—they need help choosing the right gift. 📦 December – Capture Gifting Urgency Your audience is in “go-mode.” Use shipping deadlines, countdown emails, and founder-led reminders to drive urgency. When shipping windows close, pivot to digital: gift cards, virtual tastings, memberships. Finish with a “New Year’s Eve Pairing” campaign to stay top of mind into 2026. 🥂 January – The Real Money Maker Most brands go quiet here. Big mistake. Your January emails should thank, re-engage, and convert one-time buyers into long-term members.This is where wine clubs grow—framed as a “New Year’s Resolution” to drink better, support local, and discover new favourites. ⚙️ And this is key: If your automated flows—like your welcome series, abandoned cart, post-purchase, or win-back—aren’t up to date and doing the heavy lifting? You’re leaving money on the table every single day. Your flows should be driving at least 30% of your total email revenue. They're not sexy. They're not loud. But they work quietly, consistently, and powerfully in the background—bringing in sales without overwhelming your list. 📅 Want the full strategy? Calendars. Content ideas. Email templates. Mapped out for the year inside the Beverage Business Hub. 🚪 Doors open soon. 👉 [Join the waitlist in comments] to get first access. Let’s make this your most profitable and intentional Q4 yet. #emailmarketing #winemarketing #winebusiness #digitalmarketing #spiritsindustry #beerindustry #alcoholindustry #beveragebrand #beverageindustry #drinksbrand #drinksindustry #winery #ecommercemarketing

“You’re probably showing buyers the wrong data.” If you’re not slicing your data to show where your product truly stands out, you’ve probably already lost the placement. That’s sage advice from Kaitlin Silva (Connor), Director of National Accounts at Tri-Vin Wines and Spirits, the parent company of breakout wine brand XXL and importer to hundreds of imported wine and spirits brands. As she put it in our Business of Drinks conversation, “I live in the data.” But the secret is that your brand doesn’t have to be No. 1 to stand out. In bev alc, we spend a lot of time talking about velocity, rankings, and syndicated numbers. Brands cite national growth rates, overall category rank, or social momentum, assuming those numbers will carry the meeting. And then they’re surprised when the buyer doesn’t lean in. The issue usually isn’t that the numbers are weak; it’s that they’re not framed in a way that reflects the buyer’s specific needs, according to Kaitlin. A brand might sit at No. 512 in a broad national ranking and conclude it doesn’t have enough scale to compete. But that same brand, when narrowed to 750ml format and flavored wines, and within a specific price tier and a specific region, might rank in the Top 5. 👉 That shift in lens transforms the conversation. You’re no longer asking a buyer to take a bet on potential; you’re demonstrating that you already perform well inside the structure of their set. Kaitlin described how she ranks flavors by state before she ever walks into the meeting. In Florida, there’s one hierarchy; in Georgia, there’s a different one. That level of segmentation does two things simultaneously: It shows command of the numbers, and it signals respect for the buyer’s localized reality. Most chains are increasingly regional in their decision-making, even when the banner is national. If you’re not slicing data at that level, you’re likely missing your real opening. There’s another insight here: Buyers are overloaded. They manage dozens of suppliers, hundreds of SKUs, and tight reset calendars. When you walk in with 13 products and ask them which ones they’d like to take, you’ve just created work. Flip that. Walk in and say, “Based on your region and current assortment, these are the three that make the most sense.” The re-frame instantly reduces friction. You just made the decision easier. That shift - from presenting your BEST numbers to presenting the RIGHT numbers - was one of the most brilliant takeaways in an ep that’s chock full of great advice. Listen to the clip 👇 #BusinessOfDrinks #WineIndustry #BeverageAlcohol #NationalAccounts #CPGgrowth #RetailStrategy #ThreeTierSystem Business of Drinks Scott Rosenbaum Caroline Lamb

The use of portfolio tastings, big (tens or hundreds of items) or small (just a handful of skus), helps with business growth. Schedule portfolio tastings strategically around significant times of the year when customer interest in high-end products is likely to peak (ex: pre-holiday seasons). Select non-traditional days that might offer less competition for attention. A portfolio tasting does not have to be a large event necessitating tons of logistics. An argument can be made for a bunch of small, easy to set-up, low-cost tastings as opposed to one large one. Target your invites: segment your client list to include not only top spenders but also those accounts that have not been engaged recently. The goal is to rekindle dormant relationships, make people remember your offering is relevant. Use all channels to promote the event, including email marketing & social media. Bit not only. Walk into your accounts way ahead of time and drop a flyer, talk to people, hype up the event. Call up people, create a buzz over several weeks. Highlight exclusive/rare products and/or special guests to increase interest/give a sense of urgency/possibly create some FOMO. The day off make sure the tasting is staffed so one is not stuck behind a table pouring spirits like a mad person. If one can't engage with anyone, it is waste of time. The goal is to engage. Pour dope products, be personable, know about the items you are representing. Take notes of who you saw, who you talked to. If not obvious who you are talking to, ASK, get the person's info. Follow up on those conversation, make sales.

The experience economy is rewriting China's wine story, and it’s having a profound impact on how premium wine brands need to think and act in the world’s most dynamic consumer market.   China’s wine market is handing out some tough love at the moment, here's what switched on premium wine brands are learning along the way. While older generations wanted to acquire products that communicated wealth and social status, today's younger consumers in China prefer experiences. And the more luxe the better. This shift is reshaping everything – including wine. 💡 Remember, the average age of regular wine drinkers in China is 34 So there's a lot of people drinking wine in China younger than that. As China's luxury product market cools, international brands are betting on lifestyle experiences to offset slowing retail. And smart wine brands are taking note. This is what Chinese wine consumers actually want 🎯 Exclusive access, not just rare wines, but rare experiences. Think private vineyard video calls with winemakers, limited masterclasses with only 12 participants 🎯 Social currency from experiences worth sharing on WeChat and Xiaohongshu such as limited, small batch releases only available to wine club members. Wine dinners that tell a story, not just serve a meal. 🎯 Knowledge has upgraded to luxury. Masterclasses are becoming status symbols. Being able to discuss terroir differences or vintage variations signals sophistication 🎯 Authentic connections amplify social standing and bring purpose. Direct access to winemaker stories, family histories, and production secrets that can't be found on DeepSeek or ChatGPT. Here’s some ideas for premium international wineries that can move you from woe to wow! 1. Host live tastings while virtually "walking" through your vineyards via video 2. Partner with high end restaurants to create curated wine dinners that deliver a themed experiences around your wine story. 3. Create exclusive "ambassador" programs for your most engaged Chinese customers with points that can be redeemed at your cellar door or for online purchases. 4. Offer limited spots for Chinese wine enthusiasts to participate in an actual harvest (safely of course!) The maths is simple.   A ¥350 bottle of wine + exclusive experience = ¥2,000. But more importantly, an experience can become a relationship. The brands winning in China aren't just selling wine They're selling membership to an exclusive story that consumers are helping to write.   Are you still trying to sell products to an audience that's moved on to buying experiences?   ----------------------------------------------------------- I'm Iain Langridge 毅安 and I use my experience in China to launch, grow, and manage premium consumer brands. Follow or DM me to find out more. #chinamarket #chinawine #experienceeconomy #luxuryexperiences #winemarketing In2Asia Wine Photo: In2Asia Export hosted wine tasting and food matching event, Shanghai.