First of its Kind Ad Effort Teaches Sustainable Winegrowing Practices to Wine Lovers
SANTA ROSA, Calif. (September 29, 2014) — Last January, the Sonoma County Winegrowers announced its groundbreaking commitment to become the nation’s first 100% sustainable wine region within five years. The group of predominantly family-owned wine grape farmers is well on its way to meeting its 2019 goal and is now taking the next step to inform and educate wine consumers on the eco-friendly benefits of buying a Sonoma County wine with what is believed to be the first national advertising campaign specifically focused on sustainable winegrowing practices.
Rather than take a typical wine advertising approach profiling local farmers and their families or picturesque vineyards, Sonoma County’s leading wine industry stakeholders, including grape growers, vintners, Master Sommeliers and others came together to develop an advertising campaign that would communicate directly to wine consumers with a tutorial on sustainability.
“Research continues to show that sustainability and eco-consciousness matters to consumers when choosing a bottle of wine, but they can’t always define what sustainability is,” said Karissa Kruse, president of the Sonoma County Winegrowers. She added, “We want consumers to be knowledgeable about the 138 vineyard practices that winegrape growers in Sonoma County are utilizing so that they can buy any bottle of wine from Sonoma County with confidence knowing that it has been produced in a manner that protects the land, improves the quality of life for those working in the industry and enhances the community where we live and work.”
The first ad in the campaign series, called 138, focuses on vine balance using content taken directly from the California Code of Sustainable Winegrowing and will appear in the November issues of Food & Wine, Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast.
“This is the right advertising approach at the right time,” said Corey Beck, board president of the Sonoma County Vintners and president of Francis Ford Coppola Winery. He added, “As we travel around selling our wines we are constantly asked about our approach to sustainability by customers, retailers and sommeliers. People want to know more about it and this campaign will educate them on our practices as well as showcase Sonoma County’s leadership role.”
Sonoma County has some of the world’s most prized grape growing areas in the world with the first vineyards dating back to the 1820s. The region’s unique combination of geological history and consistent fog patterns generated by its 70-mile Pacific Ocean coastline, and topography has given rise to 16 unique American Viticultural Areas (AVA). Each AVA offers distinct climate, soils and temperature areas perfect for growing world-class Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and more. Sonoma County is also home to around 500 wineries whose wines are renowned throughout the world.
The sustainability advertising concept and creative strategy was developed by The IDEA Cooperative out of Marin County, CA. For additional information, please visit us at www.sonomawinegrape.org, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @sonomagrapes.
About Sonoma County Winegrowers:
The Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, also known as Sonoma County Winegrowers (SCW), is a marketing and education organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Sonoma County as one of the world’s premier grape growing regions. SCW has oversight by California Department of 9566increase awareness and recognition of the quality and diversity of Sonoma County’s grapes and wines through dynamic marketing and educational programs targeted to wine consumers around the world. In January 2014, SCW committed to becoming the nation’s first 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019. For more information about SCW and its programs, visit www.sonomawinegrape.org
