Millennials, Millennials, Millennials! Who else is sick of the subject?
I never thought I’d go here until I read Mitch Frank’s new column on Wine Spectator, and his clickbait subtitle, “Sales growth is slowing in the U.S. wine market, as Boomers retire and Millennials continue to crash on Mom’s couch.”
And then near the end of his piece, he poses the question, “Is the problem that they prefer spirits or marijuana to wine?” He immediately answers with a resonate no, ensuring readers that we Millennials do in fact like wine before going on to reveal the real problem: “Millennials who came of age in the aftermath of the Great Recession are especially limited financially.”
Thanks for the breaking insight, Mitch.
BUT THIS A BLOG ABOUT WINE! So let’s get back to the wine.
As a 30-year-old wine lover, I’d like to share my perception on the slowing wine sales growth that has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I sometimes prefer an occasional Negroni or a joint over a bottle of wine…
Take note, wine marketers, here are the secrets to Millennials and wine. This is not just valid in the US market but around the world!
Forget Millennials
Yup. And forget Baby Boomers and Generations X, Y and Z…
Your focus needs to be on potential and current wine drinkers. They come in all shapes, sizes, races and ages. Oh sure, one can find a few common characteristics amongst generations, but there are also vast differences.
I have friends my age that really have their shit together, and I have others that are wandering souls. I know some people my age that are “still crashing on Mom’s couch,” and I also know some Baby Boomers that were never able to make much of themselves. I know people who drink and who don’t, who smoke pot and who’ve never tried it. Are you getting the point?
The point is, if you ditch focusing on some elusive group and opt for a brand that resonates with identity, you’ll be so much better off. It’s as my beloved friend and marketing genius Ash said, “The superficial traits don’t matter, the shared thought patterns do.”
Don’t shoot for 25-35-year-olds, shoot for people who share a love for what your wine is all about. I guarantee you there are some 50+-year-olds who would love the same wine a 25-year-old loves.
Create Wines that Have a Concept
Please note that while sales growth might be slowing in the US, sales are still increasing year after year. And furthermore, there is a continued rise in wines sold at $12 – $25 USD, as well as the luxe bottles that cost an arm and a leg.
So to say that sales are slowing because a large group of wine lovers is financially limited might hold some truth, but I think there’s more to it. I think that interests are simply shifting.
Perhaps gone are the days where we feel the need to spend copious amounts of money on a liquid we’re going to piss out sooner than later. Perhaps we no longer feel the need to prove we know about wine by dropping the equivalent of a weekend adventure on that one fancy ’85 blend. And perhaps the increase in those high-end bottles is just an effect of old-school drinkers still among us.
I believe wine drinkers are continually less impressed by the super icon made from the best grapes of the best valley with the best terroir and prefer the Carignan that went the opposite route of most in a region by vinifying for less extraction and more fruity funk. The Carignan is unique, crafted with a concept. The icon is one more icon from a vineyard claiming they have the best (which is quite subjective.)
The best is basic. That fruity funk stands for something.
Less Winecest
You like that word? I made it up 🙂
Less winecest means market more to ME and less to your importers and critics.
The wine industry has very incestuous tendencies. Between schmoozing top critics and importers, there’s little time left for consumers. Having worked in the industry for years, I get why it happens. But with an increase in direct-to-consumer sales and the power of social media, it’s time you focus a little more on us, the drinkers.
Wineries spend a lot of money on giving importers and critics the royal treatment. But they are only capable of reaching those genuinely interested in wine. Do you think my friend Jessica follows James Suckling? She likes wine, but not that much. She does follow me though…
Your consumers have a much wider reach than those directly related to the industry.
Remember, Wine is Subjective
Wine is subjective. So instead of wasting my time by talking about your wine’s superiority, tell me what and who your wine really is. Connect with me emotionally. Make your wine represent something.
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It’s so hard to categorize a huge group of people. So don’t.
If you have a wine that goes beyond the label, focus on your wine’s values and then target those who share those same values. You’re already ahead of the game because you have an authentic concept.
If you’re trying to push some juice that lacks said authentic concept, identify the type of person you want to sell to and then align your entire brand to meet their deepest desires. Note: their desires, not their age.
