Hope Family Wines, a family wine producer with over 30 years of growing experience in Paso Robles, CA, is inviting consumers to drink to a new beat. Today, 72andSunny announced the launch of a breakthrough new retail marketing effort for Hope's Liberty School label. The program includes in-store signage and bottle-neckers that direct consumers to the "Wine DJ," the first iPhone application in the retail wine category. The app builds a playlist of "Music to Match Your Spirits," based on the mood and setting in which Liberty School will be consumed, and is available for download free on Apple's iTunes.
Users access playlists that correspond with their situations by using a series of sliders which range from "Candle Light" to "Strobe Light" or "Flying Solo" to "Entourage." The app then generates a custom playlist with music sourced from GrooveShark.com. The app comes bundled with extensive information on Liberty School, including technical information and tasting notes, and a map showing the nearest retailers that carry the wines.
A champion of the anti-snob approach to drinking wine, Hope was eager to embrace new technology and non-traditional marketing methods to get its wines in front of Millennial audiences. "I believe the best way for Hope Family Wines to reach the younger generation is to embrace the world they live in, which is increasingly dominated by mobile products like the iPhone," stated Austin Hope, winery President.
The initial brief to 72andSunny did not request a mobile app - simply a program to sell more wine to a Millenial audience. "From the outset, we zeroed in on an age-old insight that wine brands win or lose based on how they perform in a very-crowded retail environment," added Matt Jarvis, Partner at 72andSunny. "As the only brand promoting an iPhone application in the wine aisle, we hope to generate more retail impact, awareness, and transactions for our client. The execution happens to use new-school technology, but its strategic underpinnings are decidedly old school."
The "Wine DJ" is also compatible with other wines in the Hope Family Wines portfolio such as the Candor and Treana labels.