Hello and welcome back to The Wine Marketer’s Radar. I’ve been away for the past two weeks — first at the inaugural SXSW London, and then working with my team in the city on a very special project. (More on that soon — watch this space!)
SXSW London was a powerful reminder that there’s a whole lot of world out there that intersects with wine, or is wrestling with the same cultural shifts we are. Whether it’s the future of festivals (which, yes, some say are ‘dying’ because Gen Z is more risk-averse) or the evolution of brand engagement, the overlaps are real.
And London’s food and beverage scene? Let’s just say the narrative that young people aren’t drinking wine didn’t hold up. They are. They’re just doing it their way.
Marketing 2030: What Wineries Can Learn from SXSW London
Let’s kick off with a story straight outta SXSW London: Specifically, to the SXSW stage where Diageo CMO Cristina Diezhandino and Unilever CMO Leandro Barreto laid out their vision for Marketing 2030.
The session was standing room only, and for good reason. What they said applies just as much to wineries as it does to billion-dollar brands. Here’s what came through loud and clear:
- Brand fundamentals still matter. Barreto reminded us that Dove hasn’t changed its brand positioning in 20 years. That consistency — even when it’s not sexy — is what builds memory and meaning.
- Moderation is not a blip — it’s a megatrend. Diezhandino talked about the staggering demand for low- and no-alcohol drinks in the UK. Diageo’s zero-alcohol Guinness has been so successful it ran into supply shortages. This isn’t fringe behavior. It’s shaping R&D, brand portfolios, and comms strategy.
- AI isn’t just a content factory. Both execs were bullish on AI. But not for gimmicks. They see it as a tool for scalable content that still reflects brand DNA, and for rapid product development based on consumer data and taste preference.
- Influencer marketing is here to stay — but it means giving up control. Diezhandino was blunt: influencer marketing is growing, and brands need to get over their desire to script everything.
- Culture starts inside. Cristina closed with a point more wineries should take to heart: employees aren’t just staff. They’re ambassadors. If your team doesn’t believe in the brand, how will anyone else?
And here’s what stood out to me for better wine marketing:
- Big brand marketing is moving fast, but not away from the fundamentals. It’s doubling down on trust, clarity, and usefulness while embracing tools that help scale those things without sacrificing coherence.
- If you’re still asking whether AI is “on brand,” or worried about losing control of your messaging on TikTok, or dismissing the rise of low-alc as a fad — you’re missing the point.
- The future isn’t about having a perfect story. It’s about being relevant, reliable, and ready to evolve. And that’s as true for wine as it is for skincare or spirits.
Next up, sticking with spirits for a bit….this, from Marketing Week.
Smirnoff Ice Turns 25: Lessons in Format, Tone, and Occasion from a Legacy RTD
Smirnoff Ice — yes, that Smirnoff Ice — is turning 25. And rather than doubling down on nostalgia, the brand is launching its first-ever global campaign to win over a new generation of drinkers: Gen Z.
You might remember the old glass bottles from student parties or club nights, but Smirnoff Ice today is leaning hard into cans, color, convenience, and irreverence. Think: “We’re called Ice, but we’re liquid. We don’t get it either.”
Why does this matter? Because RTD is the fastest growing category in alcohol. It’s seen three years of consistent growth, and analysts say it’s on track for three more. And Smirnoff sees the opportunity not just in format, but in attitude. They’re not trying to “educate” consumers. They’re embracing casual, fun, sessionable drinking occasions with a tone that’s light, modern, and refreshingly not up its own backside.
No, I’m not saying every winery should launch a canned spritz. But we do need to pay attention to the shifts happening around us, namely:
- Packaging innovation: Wine is still weirdly allergic to anything that’s not glass and cork, even when sustainability and occasion-based drinking call for alternatives.
- Brand tone: Smirnoff Ice knows who it is. It’s playful, unpretentious, and has no problem being the punchline — on its own terms. The wine world, on the other hand, often takes itself very seriously. And while there’s a place for reverence and tradition, there’s also room for fun. Without getting dragged for it by your peers.
- Occasion-first thinking: RTD success is tied to understanding when and why people drink. Smirnoff Ice leans into “outdoor, early, social” moments. Wine marketing often defaults to “dinner table, weekend, upscale.” That’s a very narrow slice of the pie.
Smirnoff Ice is a reminder that format is strategic, tone is a differentiator, and fun is not the enemy of quality.
If wine wants to grow with younger drinkers, we need to stop assuming they’ll come around to our way of thinking and start meeting them where they are. Whether that’s in a can, on a picnic bench, or in a meme.
Rethinking Loyalty: VCCP’s Case for Brand-Building Beyond Retention
Next, super useful data on Loyalty programs out of UK agency VCCP, with their recently released report titled “The Long and Short of Loyalty.” It’s one of the best cases we’ve seen in a while for rethinking loyalty as a full-funnel growth lever.
The report argues that most brands are stuck treating loyalty as a short-term retention tactic. But the brands seeing the biggest growth treat loyalty as a brand-building asset—one that drives acquisition, engagement, emotional stickiness, and long-term revenue.
VCCP’s analysis, drawn from hundreds of effectiveness studies, reveals that loyalty-centric campaigns are:
- 50% more likely to drive revenue gains
- 8x more likely to improve long-term retention
- 80% more likely to acquire new customers
- 2x more effective at mid- and lower-funnel conversion
The highest-performing brands—the ones with what VCCP calls the “Loyalty X Factor”—combine emotion, identity, and intelligence to build loyalty that’s felt, not just rewarded. This “Loyalty X Factor” has three components:
- Superior Proposition: Loyalty is framed as belonging, not just bonuses. It taps into community, identity, and shared values.
- Superior Intelligence: Loyalty isn’t built on transactions. It’s built on emotional insight and behavioral understanding, what VCCP calls the “emotional value exchange.”
- Superior Experience: The program is personal, seamless, and omnichannel. It is consistent at every touchpoint, not just the checkout.
Critically, the report draws on behavioral science to show that functional loyalty is fragile. Discounts don’t build brand love. Emotion does.
Why this matters for wineries…Let’s be honest: in wine, loyalty programs are often non-existent or transactional tier ladders with very little emotional resonance. Let’s use this report as a catalyst to do better.
You already have all the ingredients for brand-first loyalty: heritage, storytelling, lifestyle cues, customer rituals. What’s missing is the strategic glue to tie those elements into a loyalty experience that builds memory, identity, and preference over time.
Whether you’re on Commerce7or Shopify, the tech is already there. What’s needed is a mindset shift: from “club = churn management” to “loyalty = brand growth.” If you want loyalty to drive real value, stop thinking like a retention marketer. Start thinking like a brand builder. That means:
- Framing loyalty around identity and belonging
- Using emotional insight, not just purchase data
- Delivering experiences that are consistent, personal, and delightfully branded
- And measuring success not just in repeat orders, but in advocacy, affinity, and acquisition
Because as VCCP puts it: “Loyalty isn’t just about who stays. It’s about who shows up.”
AI SEO: How to Show Up in AI Search Before It’s Too Late
For our final story this week, we’re diving into something a little more technical but no less important: how AI is reshaping search as we know it.
A recent article from Julia Olivas at Goodie AI lays out the emerging field of AI SEO, or what some are calling AEO: Answer Engine Optimization.
Let me explain.
Traditional SEO focused on getting your website to appear in Google’s “10 blue links.” But now, as search tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude gain traction, we’re entering a world where the goal isn’t just ranking…it’s being cited.
Or better yet, being trusted as the answer.
These AI systems aren’t showing search results. They’re generating summaries. And if your winery, blog, or ecommerce page isn’t part of what they reference, you won’t show up at all — even if you rank well on Google. This is especially true as consumers shift from searching to asking, such as using AI to plan travel, compare gifts, learn about sustainability, and so on.
So what determines if you show up? AI systems like ChatGPT are looking for:
- Clear, structured content that’s easy to understand and extract
- Topical authority: are you consistently writing about things you know?
- Trust signals: reviews, citations, links from reputable sources
- Freshness: if your blog hasn’t been updated in two years, it’s not gonna help you.
- Semantic clarity: that’s a fancy way of saying “write for humans and machines”
In other words, they’re not looking for keyword stuffing or clever copy. They’re looking for answers. Useful, accurate, well-structured answers.
Why this matters for wineries: Already, consumers are using AI to ask things like, “What wines pair with Korean BBQ?” or “Give me a weekend itinerary for Napa.” If your winery’s website doesn’t provide clear, well-structured answers to those kinds of questions, AI platforms won’t reference you.
This shift also changes how you track performance. It’s no longer just about clicks or traffic — it’s about inclusion in the AI ecosystem. Are you part of the answers? Are you being cited accurately? Are your competitors showing up more often?
And if that all sounds a bit intimidating…
At 5forests, we’ve spent years helping wine brands adapt to marketing that is forever in flux. If you’re wondering how to structure your site, what topics to target, or how to future-proof your SEO strategy, give us a shout. We know how to make wine websites talk — to customers and machines.
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.
