• by Brittany Barnic , Op-Ed Contributor, November 7, 2014

Among all alcoholic beverages, the wine category has been steadily growing for the past few years.  Despite the fact that Baby Boomers still make up the majority of the market for wine consumption, Millennials actually have become the fastest-growing demographic making them a target for producers and marketers. According to Euromonitor, Millennials in the U.S., in particular, are even becoming fascinated with wine at a pace not yet visible among younger generations in Europe.  

So, how does the growing interest in wine among Millennials translate into marketing tactics that have been implemented to drive this increase in appreciation? To answer this we first must understand the different between the young people of today and their parental generation, who have been driving wine sales for years. Millennials are totally different from the Baby Boomers in that:

• They have grown up with digital, 

• They entered the work force when it was in a depressed state,

• They have more limited budgets, 

• They are interested in the stories that propel a brand forward,

• They have a sweet tooth,

• And they are adventurous when it comes to trusting sources. A close friend — to them — is much more reliable than any expert critic; as opposed to Baby Boomers, who are still open to the professional opinions.   

With that being said, over the past few years marketers began pushing these buttons with a variety of tactics that, as a collaborative effort, increased the demand among Gen Y. In an effort to raise awareness about wines for this demographic, they created a wide web presence.  Millennials look to the web first and foremost for almost everything, so having your brand information live on that touch-point is critical in catching their attention.

Touching on the fact that Millennials react positively towards brand stories, marketers began publicizing more information about the wine timeline from grapes in the vineyard to bottles on the shelf. Millennials’ fondness for social media sharing and relying on friends for input fostered an environment for wine appreciation to quickly develop among this generation. Finally, lifestyle brands appeal to Millennials because it makes them feel as though they are a part of something bigger, and also more connected to an audience similar to themselves.

Cupcake Vineyard has been the most successful among this category, where SkinnyGirl and Little Black Dress have also been thriving. These are just a few of the tactics that have been utilized; however, it is an excellent representation of how to successfully tap into an existing market.

According to Euromonitor’s 2014 Wine Report published in July, looking towards the future, marketers are noticing the social aspect of drinking wine increasing, which is an indication that people of all ages are looking to drink wine, which is good news for growth. Here’s hoping that marketers’ efforts continue to pay off. Cheers!