Torrey Grant, Account Executive at Colangelo & Partners
In the conclusion of our series on successful, integrated trade PR strategies, we will discuss the importance of engaging members of the grade through guided trade trips and events to promote these regions in the United States
Travel Related Activations
There is no better way to become knowledgeable about a producer or region than to go there and experience it. In addition to clients who make wine and spirits, C&P also represents many institutional and trade clients. Many of these institutional clients represent regions who, whether well-known or emerging onto the market, represent opportunity for growth at all points along the 3-tiers of alcohol sales.
Trade trips are powerful tools in making a connection between what’s in the bottle and where it came from. Trade trips are not only a tool to strengthen already existing relationships but also useful in exploring new ones. C&P regularly organizes trips focused on different segments of the industry. In the past we have designed trips for importers & distributors, Sommeliers, press, retailers, and buyers from all tiers. Thes trips have included destinations such as Sicily, Portugal, Georgia, and Spain to name a few. As consumers discover new wineries, they often thirst to explore the region further. Savvy, well-informed importers can leverage these market trends to their advantage by being first to market with exciting new winemakers.
Institutional and Trade Clients
There is another very important side of the coin when it comes to trade trips. These organizations place great value on bringing attention to their respective regions. When members of the groups mentioned above visit these destinations, they take home with them a greater appreciation of what goes into producing the wines and/or spirits that are cultivated there. Members of the press are able to paint a much more intriguing picture of a place they have set foot in rather than going off the accounts of others.
Buyers and Sommeliers form lasting relationships that lead to long term partnerships bringing products to market. Ther is no better tool in selling wine on the floor of a restaurant or retail location than being able to tell a story about where the wine came from. The groups that represent these regions know that aligning themselves with an organization such as C&P gives them access to members of the trade from across the industry.
Event Based Campaigns
Tactical thinking and planning are important to cultivate successful PR programs. Short-term contracts necessitate efficient execution and measurable results. Strategic thinking and planning, however, show a company’s true understanding of how a long-term, well thought out campaign can bring not only promised results but also create new opportunities beyond the scope of the initial program.
C&P has imagined and created some incredible campaigns that have shown not only short-term results but have persisted and become annual events themselves.
National Prosecco Week, currently a finalist for the PR News Platinum Awards Campaign of the Year Restaurant/FB, and Honorable Mention recipient, is an incredible example of a program created for an institutional client that has become an anticipated yearly event around the country. 2023 marked the 6th iteration of National Prosecco week. An event that started with the participation of around 70 retailers now boasts over 1000 retail and restaurant partners throughout the campaign, including national chains such as Eataly and Costco. An enormous billboard in time square is lit 24 hours a day during Prosecco Week with videos highlighting Prosecco DOC and the Prosecco Rose DOC generating over 10 million impressions. In addition to print and digital activations, events are held in major cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, New York and more. Culminating in Masterclass Seminars, an exclusive mixology event showcasing the versatility of prosecco and receptions at exclusive venues, this is an event that has resulted in enormous attention and growth for the Prosecco DOC.
A great example of this is the Volcanic Wine Conference created by Colangelo & Partners in partnership with Master Sommelier John Szabo. The purpose of this conference is to bring members of the press as well as trade together to learn more about the exciting wines made from grapes from around the world cultivated in volcanic soil. Where a trade trip to visit dozens of countries may be impractical, bringing those producers to one setting and inviting influential guests from all segments of the industry creates excitement around these wines. Any communications firm can draft a press release, what makes our team at C&P exceptional is our ability to create strategies worthy of being the subject of a press release. The Trade Division at C&P works closely with all other teams and divisions within C&P to engage members of the press and media to inspire continuous tactical and strategic campaigns to bring clients products to market, help them grow once there, and create new opportunities for growth in the future.
