Blog Not Just a Pretty Face

Ever been into a liquor retailer and not known where to start when it comes to buying a nice bottle of wine? With all the classic, colourful and interesting package offerings whispering (or shouting) to you as you browse the aisles, it’s easy to be swept away by the visual appeal of a wine label and totally overlook the quality of the product sealed within. I’m the first to admit I’ve been a victim.

This visual tug of war doesn’t happen by chance. It’s the result of hours of hard work by the creative team responsible for bringing the branding and label to life, after careful consideration to the client’s needs, the wine’s price point and the intended consumer market.

Is the intended audience seasoned wine connoisseurs whose purchases are not often swayed by a funky label, with greater focus on the wine, where it comes from and whether or not the product has a reputable history? Perhaps the audience are young professionals or mid twenty something’s, eager to try a wine that ‘speaks’ to them through a bright, energetic label offering. Maybe the consumer simply wants to purchase a bottle of wine as a gift. Is it skewed towards the male or female consumer? The job of a good wine label certainly isn’t an easy one, but it’s role to sell can be made much easier through smart design choices during the conceptual stage. Afterall, a memorable brand with personality is critical for future brand loyalty and success.

Clever wine labelling is exactly that, clever. A clever label has researched it’s target market, has the necessary emotional and brand cues to hook the purchaser and knows exactly how it needs to present itself to get results. A clever label may rely on a quirky tale relating to the origin of the brand or wine, it’s winemaker or the vineyard in which the grapes were grown, may rely on a solid grape growing family history or may just be designed to suit the product’s geographic distribution market.

For example, a classic wine label may look overtly white, traditional and somewhat uninteresting to some, but it has been designed precisely that way to suit it’s purpose. Such a design may appeal to a traditionally conservative European market or the end buyer after a confident, established wine – just think Penfolds range of iconic labels. On the other hand a bold, in your face style of label design, may grace the bottle of a short run wine release or a cheaper price point wine, targeted at the consumer after a cost effective buy. (Think bargain bins that can be often found at larger retailers ie. Dan Murphy’s & First Choice). Such labels rely on sheer volume of sales to be an effective product for their distributor.

Regardless of the objectives of the product, there are a plethora of interesting wine label designs on the market, working tirelessly to achieve good returns for the winery they represent. Next time you are instore, why not take the time to browse the unique labels on offer – you may just be surprised by where such a visual journey may take you.