Adding video and AI to your winery marketing may be easier than you think.
By Laurie Wachter
The world of marketing sometimes feels like it’s spinning out of control. New social media channels, up-and-coming audiences with different expectations and a plethora of new tools may make communicating the unique value of your wines feel like an impossible task. Many winery owners and marketers just don’t have enough time to tackle editing and posting videos and adding TikTok and BeReal to their social media posting regimen. And, even though they’ve read that artificial intelligence (AI) can help them find the time, it seems too complicated to figure out how to use ChatGPT, JasperAI or any of the countless other new AI apps.
As with any challenge, adding these new opportunities to your marketing toolbelt starts with identifying why you’re hesitating.
The times they are a-changin’
When was the last time those quick little video clips on Instagram or Facebook, or the video shorts on YouTube, sucked you in? How many did you watch before catching yourself? If the answer is “too many,” don’t worry. You’ve found the answer to whether video might be good for your winery.
“When consumers get hit with a barrage of short, quick videos,” says Kendall Busby, director of marketing and communications at Jordan Vineyard and Winery, “they can’t stop watching them. Marketing has been moving toward video for several years, and social media apps and even Google are prioritizing videos. As a brand producer, you want to figure out how to enter that market.”
You may already agree with Busby but find yourself uncertain about how to proceed. If that’s the case, you’re not alone. The top pain points preventing people from moving into video include:
- Lack of familiarity with the process and tools
- Complexity of the process
- Lack of time to teach yourself and produce the videos
- Lack of staff to do it for you
- Perfection — Luckily, it doesn’t have to be perfect.
“The wine industry had just become experts in using Instagram and Facebook when video became king of the content world,” notes Kela Driggs-Hoopes, senior brand manager at Wente Vineyards. “You used to be able to just post a picture and a caption, and that was it. Now you have to think about producing the video, the music, the caption, as well as the timing and which platform to use. That can be very overwhelming for someone in the marketing side of things.”
Livermore Valley’s Wente Vineyards and Healdsburg-based Jordan Vineyard and Winery have gained recognition for their creative use of social media and videos to promote their premium brands and capture a new generation of wine drinkers.
Amanda Diefenderfer of Big Red Marketing says wine brands may have the perception that “a winery with a million-dollar marketing budget can put out a great video, but then think, ‘That’s not me. We’re not into video because we don’t have the budget.’”
“But it could be you,” she asserts, “And if you’re going to keep up with the times, it needs to be you — today.”
The specter of AI
Whenever innovative new technology rolls out, press coverage alternates between expounding on its possibilities, drilling into its technicalities and warning of its risks. As a result, much of what non-users know about AI makes it sound abstract, complex and a bit scary. The stream of new AI tools released almost daily only amplifies the perception that AI is unapproachable.
“AI seems much more difficult than it really is,” says Justin Noland, senior director of DTC marketing and e-commerce at Treasury Wine Estates (TWE). “One of the biggest barriers is simply giving it a try. Sign up for an account, sit down, take a look at it and start a conversation.”
As they face getting started, AI users may struggle with questions such as:
- What should I ask?
- How can I use it in marketing?
- Which marketing task should I tackle first?
The best way to approach each is to start a conversation with the AI tool by asking it a question. Ask it to undertake tasks you usually do yourself — especially the ones you find repetitive.
Video and AI are resources any size winery can use with any branding strategy. When you think of them as a new way to tell your story and get the job of marketing done, anything is possible — even without a background in video production or AI.
To learn how to interact with AI and use videos with your brand, join these sessions at the 11th Annual North Coast Wine Industry Expo (WIN Expo) on November 30. Moderator Amanda Diefenderfer will lead the discussion about how wineries can leverage videos to woo consumers in Unleashing the Power of Video Content Marketing with Kendall Busby, Kela Driggs and Grace Harper, marketing manager at Farm Collective Napa Valley. Amy Lieberfarb of The Glue WISE will moderate Using AI in Marketing: Real-World Applications You Can Implement Today, for an in-depth discussion about putting AI to work with Justin Noland, Amy Lieberfarb, marketing & communication at Balletto Vineyard, and Nathan Westfall, founder of Vine Valley Analytics & Strategy. Learn more about these sessions and the WIN Expo event at wineindustryexpo.com.
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Laurie Wachter
Laurie developed her love of analytics and innovation while advising consumer packaged goods companies, including Kraft Foods, PepsiCo and the Altria Group, on consumer and POS data analytics and direct-to-consumer marketing. Today, she writes about these topics in the wine, food and beverage industries for a global client base.
