Business Forum: Good timing for industry brand aid

"While not the perfect antidote for tough times (which they really are) it did provide some necessary reenergising," says Lawson's Dry Hills General Manager Sion Barnsley of the forum, with its theme on the importance of brand.

Held in Christchurch Ōtautahi on 1 November, the New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) forum included a rousing talk from wine legend Oz Clarke, over from the United Kingdom to "bang the drum" about New Zealand wine, and the Sauvignon Blanc that proved a revelation to him when he first tasted it in 1984. It was a "brash interloper" in a wimpy world, that "snatched the baton away from so-called wine experts", he said delivering his poetic presentation with trademark charisma.

Thirty years on, Oz remains devoted to "this brilliantly green, pungent, acid-streaked, exotically ripe wine", that revealed itself as describable and recognisable in a world of wine obfuscation. "New Zealand's wine shocked and amazed the world, and they still should. Not because they tasted of nowhere. They tasted of somewher no one knew and that's because New Zealand's wines tasted of a somewhere that had never existed before. And that's the story that you tell."

New Zealand Story Group Chief Executive David Downs discussed the value of "our New Zealand-ness", and the power of a common brand platform for New Zealand industries. With a population of 5 million, New Zealand is too small to head out to the world with multiple messages, he warned.

"The wine industry needs to support the meat industry, needs to support the technology industry, needs to support the education sector. The messages need to be consistent among all of us." It may be small, but it is also mighty, with New Zealand's brand value one of the highest in the world, valued at $US280 billion, David told the audience. "The brand value of New Zealand as a country of origin is massive."

The sold-out Business Forum included insights from wine strategist Lulie Halstead, Rob McMillan, founder of the Silicon Valley Bank Wine Division and one of the top wine-business analysts in the United States, and from Mike O'Sullivan, Founder and Executive Director of Many Minds, who helped develop the New Zealand Wine Altogether Unique brand.

Giesen Group General Manager Kyle Skene gave an engaging description of Giesen's diversification into low and no alcohol wine, as well as the gin and alcoholic lemonade made from the ethanol by-product, and Countdown Wine Category Manager Haydn Jones discussed what's trending on supermarket shelves, and what's not.

The collection of speakers and topics complemented one another, with messages that proved a "timely reminder", Sion says. "Oz Clarke's message of 'be yourselves, don't try to emulate old world producers, tell your story of purity, cleanliness, uniqueness, and embrace the values that are special to us', really did resonate with me." That message was driven home by David, who outlined four common values used as a platform for the New Zealand Story, with Manaaki, hospitality, care and reciprocity; Tiaki, intergenerational care for the environment; Pono, acting with integrity, honesty, and transparency; and Pōtikitanga, representing New Zealand's curious, ingenious and adventurous spirit. "There couldn't be a better platform for all New Zealand exporters," Sion says of the concepts.

NZW General Manager Brand Charlotte Read says she threw out the original programme for a Covid-cancelled 2021 business forum, and used the opportunity of a do-over to look at the foundations of the Altogether Unique brand, amid a wider conversation on brand work in the industry.

Marisco Vineyards owner Brent Marris says the timing of the forum was "excellent" given the challenging sales climate, nationally and internationally. "Sales and marketing should be on everyone's minds." Wine companies following a marketing programe to build brand awareness would have found the business forum "very reassuring as the messages were consistent and strong", he adds.

A highlight for Brent was Rob McMillan's analysis of US sales statistics, "defining price point and potential vulnerability", and Lulie Halstead's "outstanding" market research. "Marketing a brand and staying relevant is all about using all the channels available to us to get to consumers - not just one thing, but a combination."

Growing story and brand awareness has never been more important than now, Brent says. "When it comes to consumers, in a world full of noise, how do you get cut through and get consumers to engage with your brand?"

Anna Seifried of Seifried Estate says it was great to be in a room with so many industry leaders - many of whom have been in the industry for the long haul - and to talk about everything from frost events to ProWein plans. She says discussion of brands, and the need to tell a cohesive pan-industry story, was pertinent, while Oz's presentation was a good reminder of what New Zealand wine has to offer. "It's nice to hear an external voice to say what we all think, and probably take for granted sometimes."

Charlotte says the forum was about showing the good, the bad and the ugly of the industry's opportunities and challenges, and she hopes future business forums will include more companies sharing their individual stories. There will be a different theme each year, "and we're looking forward to survey feedback with people giving us ideas for future forums."