Sell Your Mission Not Your Wine - Millennials Will Buy In
Stop me if you’ve heard this before – “millennials crave authenticity.” Well that is a big lie! Look at the most followed celebrities on Instagram like Selena Gomez or Kim Kardashian and please explain to me how they are “authentic.”
Likewise, there is nothing authentic about millennials taking photos overlooking hillside vineyards, wearing big hats, and pairing wine with local handmade cheeses. Take a look at most wine influencers on Instagram and I bet you could find this exact photo without scrolling too far down their feed.
Instead, millennials connect with brands that have a clear mission and consistently convey that message. The term “on-brand” isn’t just shop talk from marketing agencies, it’s a guiding principle that all companies should follow.
Developing a marketing plan demands introspective exercises to define your mission. Author Simon Sinek sums it up best in his book Start with Why, when he says “people don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it.” So, why are you selling wine? Why is your wine different than the thousands of other bottles on the shelf? Why should your brand continue to exist?
As you answer this question, keep in mind quality is an uninspiring answer. Many brands claim to have the “best” wine thus it is not a persuasive mission. I strongly believe a large majority of everyday wine consumers do not care about the quality of wine. Not all occasions demand the best wine and many brands have proven that bulk wine presented with a well-designed label and a consistent message can be a success.
Your why could be a personal mission, a connection to specific terroir, a belief in natural farming practices, etc. Once you have identified your why, commit to it and embrace it! Your brand is about more than a name and a product – it’s defined by your mission.
Explore outside our industry to find examples of successful brands that are selling their why. Allbirds, a DTC shoe company, claims to have the most comfortable shoe like many other brands, but it understands that quality alone is not a strong enough message to stand out with. The company consistently markets its mission of sustainability across all channels. Look at their Facebook ads, order confirmation emails, and shipping boxes. Every branded element touts this core mission – the why.
While defining your mission, it is important to understand your target audience. Apparel brand Under Armour saw a big gender disparity between their customers and wanted to launch a campaign to appeal to women. Their “I Will What I Want” campaign’s mission was to empower women. They partnered with ballerina Misty Copeland to produce one of the most inspiring commercials in decades.
As Misty dances, a young girl reads the actual letter Misty received rejecting her from a ballet program. The letter was full of harsh critiques, judgement, and shame, something many women can identify with. As the music hits a dramatic crescendo, Misty explodes across the floor and shows that she proved all her doubters wrong.
The best part of this commercial is that the name Under Armour does not appear until the end and not once does the spot mention the product itself. Under Armour sold the why, and sold it well. Sales increased 28% and Under Armour rose to second place in the female apparel market.
No matter your mission, own it! Stop worrying about appealing to the masses and instead find your niche and speak to those consumers directly. Millennials crave community and want to belong to something bigger than themselves. As a Millennial myself, I can name countless friends that have turned down bigger salaries to accept jobs with companies that had a mission that aligned with their values.
Yes, our generation is riddled with student debt and will largely be forced to rent for decades, but we are willing to spend money, take a pay cut, and invest in experiences if it aligns with our values. Millennials will spend more than $15 on a bottle of wine if you give us a reason too.
Simon Solis-Cohen is the founder of Highway 29 Creative, a leading digital and creative agency serving the wine industry. He challenges clients to think about the future and constantly innovate. The agency chases data, not fads, and provides one-stop shopping for wineries looking to enter or jolt their direct to consumer sales. Their approach starts by designing and building a website focused on conversion (wine sales, club sign ups & tasting room reservations) and then dives into each digital channel with consistent and effective content and messaging. What to learn more or looking for advice? Shoot Simon a message at simon@hwy29creative.com.