Marketing Program Update Mike Rowan & Duff Bevill Marketing Committee Co-Chairs January 20, 2011
Sonoma County Brand Awareness An Historic Perspective
2004 Aided Awareness/Attitudes Of Grape Growing Regions Newman-Stein-Friedman, Inc Awareness Of Wine Producing Areas Napa Valley Sonoma County Bordeaux Dry Creek Valley Russian River Valley Paso Robles Alexander Valley Hunter Valley Lodi Santa Lucia Highlands Knights Valley Maipo Valley 9% 9% 21% 18% 17% 15% 25% 22% 33% 72% 86% 95%
2007 Unaided Consumer Awareness of Wine Regions Name up to five fine wine regions in the U.S. and/or around the world Region Percent naming Napa/Napa Valley 80% Sonoma/Sonoma County/Sonoma Coast/Sonoma Valley 61% Bordeaux 28% California 27% Burgundy 18% Russian River, Washington 11% Tuscany, Rhone 10% Paso Robles, Coast, Coastal 9% Santa Barbara, Central Coast, Alexander Valley 8% Source: Wine Opinions
Russian River Pinot Noir Quality Ratings - 2009 Percentage excellent and good by cell Source: Wine Opinions
Bennett Valley Chardonnay Quality Ratings - 2009 Percentage excellent and good by cell Source: Wine Opinions
Russian River Pinot Noir Label Alternatives - 2009 Percentage by cell and label alternative choice by members of the wine trade Label Alternative Label the wine as a Pinot Noir, with the appellation Sonoma County designated on the label Label the wine as a Pinot Noir, with the appellation Russian River Valley designated on the label and Sonoma County listed below Label the wine as a Pinot Noir, with the appellation Russian River Valley and no Sonoma County designation Percent 2 81 17 Source: Wine Opinions
Significance of New Conjunctive Labeling Law Over 100 million labels per year will include Sonoma County Including Sonoma County will increase AVA recognition over time Provides labeling 81% of wine trade prefers
Marketing Sonoma County Grapes SCWC Website Growers Selling Tool Important Sonoma County resource for selling & buying grapes and bulk wine More than 53,000 Grape Marketplace hits in 2010 Promoted in SCWC trade magazine ads
Marketing Sonoma County Grapes SCWC Website Growers Selling Tool Vineyard mapping tool pioneered by Sonoma County growers Grower/Buyer lunches to provide networking opportunities
SCWC Programs to Reach Gatekeepers, i.e. people who influence consumer buying decisions Sonoma in the City Sonoma Summit Public Relations - Publicity
2010 Sonoma in the City New York City April 13-15 Los Angeles May 4-6 Partnership with Sonoma County Vintners Seminars and trade tastings for top sommeliers and retail buyers Consumer tastings at retail stores, restaurants and other event venues Media luncheons and deskside meetings with key writers Commission provides coop marketing funds to AVAs to participate
2010 Sonoma Summit November 8-10 Partnership with Sonoma County Vintners 3 rd year: 7 seminars; growers and vintners participated together in all activities seminars, tastings and meals 37 participants and buyers from such prestigious companies as Whole Foods Markets, Mandarin Oriental Hotels, Ritz-Carleton Hotels, Bellagio Hotel, etc. 65 out of 87 wines showcased received at least one sales lead A total of 277 sales leads generated
Sonoma County Wine Country Weekend Support Sonoma County Vintners major event Attracts 2500 consumers to Sonoma County Generates 175 million media impressions from ads and articles SCWC Crush pad provides unique grape harvest experience
Public Relations and Media Relations Public relations most cost effective way to reach consumers and the wine trade Commission cannot afford effective large-scale consumer advertising Sonoma County Vineyard Adventures reached more than 307 million consumers via media placements in 2010 Overall Sonoma Trio 2010 media activities reached 572 million consumers via Hammond Public Relations 64 direct media meetings; 22 media visits to Sonoma County; more than 700 media outlets were pitched Sonoma County stories
Local Media Coverage Sonoma County growers are definitive information source for North Coast premium winegrape growing 2010 coverage: 525 placements (381 in 2009) 41.6 million reach (25.5 million in 2009)
Cooperative Marketing with AVAs Total Dollars provided to AVAs from 2007 2010: over $350,000 Matched at least dollar for dollar by AVAs AVAs consistently tell Sonoma County and grower stories as part of AVA marketing
Unification of Message SC Vintners, Winegrape Commission and Tourism Bureau $1 grower investment yields $3+ in program spending SCV and SCWC formed Presidents Council to include all AVAs and SCTB - Sonoma County s top promotional groups Was critical in building countywide support for conjunctive labeling legislation
New for 2011 Community Relations Program with Sonoma County Vintners Importance of grapes and wines to Sonoma County economy Grape growers are good stewards of the land
Summary Grower-funded market research - the foundation for pursuing conjunctive labeling Growers able to utilize the Grape Marketplace to extend selling opportunities for their grapes Continued cooperation to market Sonoma County and its grapes and wines Grower dollars are multiplied $3+/$1 Continued promotion of Sonoma County as a wine region important to consumers because growers are tied to this land
2004 Aided Awareness/Attitudes Of Grape Growing Regions Newman-Stein-Friedman, Inc Awareness Of Wine Producing Areas Napa Valley Sonoma County Bordeaux Dry Creek Valley Russian River Valley Paso Robles Alexander Valley Hunter Valley Lodi Santa Lucia Highlands Knights Valley Maipo Valley 9% 9% 21% 18% 17% 15% 25% 22% 33% 72% 86% 95%