In this episode of The Wine Marketer’s Radar, we unpack the big shifts every winery needs to see coming: accessibility lawsuits, collapsing loyalty, Gen Z discovery habits, and Google’s latest cookie backtrack.
Topics Covered in this Episode
Let’s start with a story that we’ve been tracking for some time…
Accessibility Overlays are Dead: Why Wineries Must Build Real Compliance
Last week, the FTC finalized a $1 million settlement against accessiBe, the company behind those ubiquitous accessibility overlays, claimed its plug-in could make any website fully WCAG-compliant with a few clicks.
Except… it couldn’t.
And now, accessiBe has been fined $1million and banned from making compliance claims without hard proof, barred from misrepresenting endorsements, and forced to stop promoting fake independent reviews.
This isn’t a slap on the wrist. It’s a clear signal that accessibility shortcuts — especially the kind sold as simple overlays — won’t cut it anymore. Not for regulators, and not for customers.
Why it matters for wine brands:
Many wineries have been sold on these same shortcuts — especially overlays like accessiBe’s. Vendors promised that a plug-in could make your site ADA-compliant. They made it sound easy. Protected. Done… It’s not.
At 5forests, we’ve been warning wineries for years: true digital accessibility isn’t a feature you can add after the fact. It’s a commitment baked into the way your website is designed, built, and maintained. Overlays don’t make your site compliant. They don’t prevent lawsuits. And they don’t deliver real usability to the people who rely on assistive technologies. Our CTO, Michael Bourne, has really led the charge in setting a higher standard for winery websites. You can find his articles on this topic here on the 5forests blog.
Remember: Accessibility isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a non-negotiable. If your website designer told you an overlay was enough, you’re not protected and you need to start asking questions.
Now, let’s talk about what it actually takes to engage today’s customer.
Customer Loyalty Is Eroding Fast: What Wineries Must Rethink
The latest SAP Consumer Products Engagement Report shows just how much harder it’s getting to win — and keep — customer attention.
Here’s what the data tells us:
- 65% of marketers say consumer behavior is becoming harder to predict.
- 69% say it’s becoming harder to engage meaningfully with customers.
- And from the consumer side? 57% have switched to cheaper store-brand alternatives for products they used to buy.
Loyalty is eroding — fast — and cost of living pressures are rewriting buying habits across categories. At the same time, consumers still want meaningful engagement:
- 42% of consumers want personalized deals and offers.
- 27% want brands to help them discover products they didn’t even know they’d love.
But here’s the disconnect:
While brands prioritize big investments in e-commerce and automation, consumers are still leaning into email, websites, and social content when they engage. They want convenient, content-rich experiences — not just more touchpoints.
Wine marketing can’t rely on old loyalty assumptions anymore. Club members will churn if they don’t feel seen. Casual buyers will drift to easier, cheaper alternatives if your brand doesn’t stay top of mind. Real engagement now means:
- Predictive personalization: using first-party data to suggest wines, experiences, and offers customers actually want
- Retention-first strategies: exclusive early access, loyalty rewards that feel personal, member-only content that makes staying feel like belonging
- Tight, omnichannel storytelling: connecting email, site, social, and SMS into one coherent journey, not scattered campaigns
And it means paying attention to the channels that actually drive action — email, smart web experiences, meaningful social presence — not just adding more noise.
The takeaway: Consumers are cutting back on luxuries, scrutinizing value, and getting choosier about where they spend their attention. If your winery’s marketing isn’t deeply tuned into their real behaviors — not just your marketing calendar — you’re going to lose them.
The winners won’t be the loudest brands. They’ll be the ones who listen, personalize, and make it easier — and more rewarding — to stay.
Speaking of customers evolving… let’s talk about Gen Z.
Gen Z Isn’t Discovering You the Old Way: How Wine Brands Must Adapt
The latest GWI report on Gen Z in 2025 is packed with insights, but here’s the bottom line: Gen Z isn’t loyal to brands. They’re loyal to connection.
This generation isn’t just buying products — they’re buying experiences, community, and a sense of shared values.
And when it comes to brand discovery, the traditional paths are dead:
- 38% of consumers now discover brands through social media — higher than through search engines (37%) or TV ads (35%).
- TikTok isn’t just entertainment anymore. It’s where product discovery starts.
- Pinterest, despite being smaller overall, is growing fastest among Gen Z as a source of style and lifestyle inspiration.
Influencer culture is real — but it’s trust that drives decisions, not clout.
Gen Z trusts peer recommendations and real experiences more than traditional advertising.
Authenticity is non-negotiable: scripted influencer placements or heavy-handed ads backfire quickly. And when it comes to values? Gen Z expects brands to be sustainable, inclusive, and transparent — but they’re not looking for lectures. They want brands to do the work behind the scenes, not make activism another marketing angle.
If you want their attention, you can’t rely on prestige, awards, or even tradition. You need:
- Content that feels sharable, human, and emotional.
- Stories that invite curiosity and connection, not just push product.
- Experiences that welcome solo travelers, flexible drinkers, first-time tasters — not just affluent collectors.
The takeaway: Gen Z doesn’t wait for perfect moments.They solo travel, they discover wine casually, they build brand relationships long before they step foot on your property. If you want Gen Z loyalty, don’t chase their attention with louder ads. Build trust. Spark conversation. Create experiences worth discovering.
And most importantly — show up where their curiosity already lives. Because they’re not looking for brands to invite them in. They’re looking for brands they already feel part of.
Now, onto another twist in the saga of online privacy and why first-party data matters more than ever.
Google’s Cookie Chaos: Why First-Party Data Can’t Wait
Last week, Google quietly announced it’s ditching plans for a standalone third-party cookie opt-out button in Chrome. After five years of promising to phase out third-party cookies — delays, Privacy Sandbox pilots, regulatory pressure — they’ve officially backtracked, at least for now.
Instead of creating a clear opt-out flow, Google is leaving cookie controls buried inside Chrome’s existing privacy settings — a move that critics say favors maintaining ad revenue over true user transparency. They’ve also signaled that their “Privacy Sandbox” alternatives may now play a smaller role than originally planned, as industry pressure and regulatory scrutiny forced compromises along the way.
Why it matters for wine brands: In short? Cookies aren’t disappearing as fast as we thought. But that doesn’t mean business as usual. Cookies will linger, but they’re no longer the reliable backbone of digital marketing they once were. Consumers expect more privacy. Regulators expect more transparency. And Google, caught between pressure from advertisers and watchdogs, isn’t delivering clarity anytime soon.
The brands that thrive over the next few years will be the ones who:
- Build robust first-party data strategies — emails, club memberships, DTC lists
- Deliver real value for consent — offers, early access, tailored experiences
- Invest in direct relationships with customers, not just algorithms
Because even if cookies stay around in some form, trust will be the new currency of digital marketing.
The takeaway: This announcement doesn’t buy you more time to wait and see. It’s a flashing sign that says: stop renting audiences. Start owning your customer relationships now — with data they willingly, enthusiastically, trust you to hold.
That’s it for this week’s edition of The Wine Marketer’s Radar. If you find this series useful—and want to keep seeing smart, non-wine stories decoded for wine marketers—be sure to follow along on TikTok, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts.
The Radar is part of our ongoing effort to help DTC, brand, and marketing teams stay sharp in a fast-moving world. If you spot a trend worth talking about, drop us a line. If you need a hand with your wine marketing, get in touch.
