The Brief

The McGuigan name is synonymous with Australian winemaking. Four generations accumulating to 140 years of the McGuigan family have made wine their life demonstrating a deep commitment and passion for Australian wine. Neil McGuigan, the Chief Winemaker and CEO, is currently known as the “World’s Best Wine Maker” and year-over-year has received the award of ‘Winemaker of the Year’ from the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC).

In 2017, Palm Bay International teamed up with McGuigan Wines to introduce their product ‘The Plan’ in to the United States market. We were brought in to develop  a U.S. specific communications campaign for its launch, ensuring that we communicated the 140 years of rich family heritage in wine making and an excellence in the craft.

The Strategy

We conducted market research to identify a growing Millennial audience interested in wine. In fact, they drank 42 percent of all wine in the U.S. in 2015, more than any other generation. The competition to reach these wine drinkers was also hitting the wine aisle. Research showed that Millennials select brands that they perceive to be extensions of their own personalities and self identify, opting for good design and language over indications of year or rating when choosing their wines. Our strategy was to use strong, bold communications to effectively engage this audience while remaining true to the deep rooted heritage of the McGuigan’s brand.

The Solution

‘A Plan Passed Down (Again and Again)’ formed the central message that we used to communicate the generational aspect of the vineyard. The resulting campaign embraced the authenticity of a brand that had been perfecting its taste for generations – ‘Four Generations of Perfecting Award-Winning Taste’. This deep felt passion for their craft harmonised with the target audience’s preference for brands that tell true, relatable stories. Texture, graphic elements and hand-written type reference craftsman’s blueprint – paralleling the hand craft that goes in to each bottle.