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Most marketers focus waaaaaaay too much time, energy and $ chasing trends and fads.
Marketing’s real job is to understand human behavior and learn how to turn it into a competitive business advantage.
Marketing’s real job is to understand human behavior and learn how to turn it into a competitive business advantage.
Here's an example of what I mean.
Ever heard of Charles Smith?
Charles Smith is one of America’s most influential winemakers. And he understands more about marketing than most "marketing experts" out there.
Time for a thread
Ever heard of Charles Smith?
Charles Smith is one of America’s most influential winemakers. And he understands more about marketing than most "marketing experts" out there.
Time for a thread
His success didn’t happen overnight.
In 2001 Smith went to see Matt E. Tucker, Commercial Vice- President of Banner Bank.
Smith needed $250,000 to launch a winery in Walla Walla, Washington.
In 2001 Smith went to see Matt E. Tucker, Commercial Vice- President of Banner Bank.
Smith needed $250,000 to launch a winery in Walla Walla, Washington.
Smith did’t look like most winemakers, he looked more like a lost member of The Ramones.
Smith had a funky business plan, listing the vineyards he was working with and how much he had in bottle. And that was it.
So Tucker says: "First, we have to try your wine".
So Tucker says: "First, we have to try your wine".
Smith comes back the next day with two bottlings from his initial vintage, 1999.
Tucker loved it, so he says: “Congratulations, you now have a $250,000 credit line. Your wine is the collateral.”
Tucker loved it, so he says: “Congratulations, you now have a $250,000 credit line. Your wine is the collateral.”
Banner Bank was taking a big risk. Smith spent 9 years managing rock bands in Scandinavia. But he was a newbie in the wine business.
And it turns out Smith was a marketing genius.
And it turns out Smith was a marketing genius.
I remember reading a Wine Spectator interview with Smith a few years ago. Smith said something you rarely hear winemakers say:
“When people drink it they feel good about what they bought. It’s not about me, it’s about everyone else.”
“When people drink it they feel good about what they bought. It’s not about me, it’s about everyone else.”
Then he adds, “The simplicity of the label is almost like a courtesy.
You’re going to help me pay my bills and survive, and I’m going to talk over you? No, I’m going to communicate in your language. The packaging tells the story.”
You’re going to help me pay my bills and survive, and I’m going to talk over you? No, I’m going to communicate in your language. The packaging tells the story.”
Smith knew most people don’t speak wine.
So he communicated in a language they understand.
He created simple but distinctive black-and-white labels.
And called his wines easy to remember names like K Syrah, Velvet Devil Merlot or Kung Fu Girl Riesling.
So he communicated in a language they understand.
He created simple but distinctive black-and-white labels.
And called his wines easy to remember names like K Syrah, Velvet Devil Merlot or Kung Fu Girl Riesling.
In 2016 Smith sold 5 of his best-known wine brands to Constellation Brands for $120 million.
This is a great marketing lesson from an outsider who understands human behavior and learned how to turn it into a competitive business advantage in a conservative industry like the wine industry.
This is what marketing is supposed to be all about.
This is what marketing is supposed to be all about.
