Cedar Creek Estate Winery
Kelowna BC
Peter Bauer
CMNS 340
Media in Action
Prof: Raluca Fratiloiu
February 10, 2022
Introduction
For this assignment, I considered a ‘digital inspiration model’ for Cascadia. CedarCreek Estate Winery is the inspiration for this study. I reviewed examples of digital practices currently used to mitigate financial impact of market changes related to climate, social, or demographic influences.
History
CedarCreek Estate Winery is one of the original estate vineyards in British Columbia. In 2014, the Winery was purchased by Anthony von Mandl (Lawrason, 2017). Von Mandl also owns Mission Hill Family Estate Winery in West Kelowna and is the creator of Mike’s Hard Lemonade and White Claw Seltzer (Casey, 2021). In 2017, CedarCreek was cited as one of Canada’s top 15 wineries (Lawrason, 2017).
CedarCreek’s main harvest is from the Estate’s 50 acres, with access to 1, 050 acres in the Okanagan. The CedarCreek harvest produces Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewurtztraminer and Ehrenfelser (Germanic aromatic varieties). Other vineyard grapes allow production of Bordeaux reds (Lawrason, 2017).
Current history—changes in industry sales
In 2017, B.C. wineries generated over $476 million in tourism-related income. Statistics reveal “more visitors every year [are] through the wine economy than the province drew for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.” (B.C. Gov News FACTSHEET, 2017). Since covid, 83% of B.C. wineries report negative impact with 58% seeing a loss in revenue from previous years (Wines of British Columbia, n.d.).
Covid 19 health orders severely restricted public gatherings. Wine sales and branding relies on public engagement, often through wine tastings. Covid restrictions deferred tourism and wine tastings, hence disrupting “the most prolific brand-building and revenue-generating strategic asset for archetypical luxury producers…” (Coyne, 2020).
Media use should be a staple for wineries. Although “Word of mouth” remains a positive factor, when vineyards use distribution centers or markets, I believe wine consumers seek the experience and ethos associated with the brand, and these features result in repeat consumers. Branding is associated with customer experience (Coyne, 2020).
Available technology enhances customer connections assists consumer market expansion for wineries like CedarCreek. Although millennials readily use social media, versus baby boomers (Coyne, 2020), using venues like Twitter, Pinterest, Yelp, Instagram, Youtube, Facebook and Kazzit generally increase brand exposure. Coyne (2020) suggests this strategy to mitigate changes in direct-to-consumer sales.
(CedarCreek Kazzit)
Figure 2 - CedarCreek Pinterest
Processes, infrastructure & usability
CedarCreek winery has access to a reliable communication network. Communication disruptions can interfere with customer development for vineyards (Denić et al, 2018). Social media platforms, like those noted previously, increases customer contact. CedarCreek creatively uses social media platforms to enhance customer development.
I believe CedarCreek’s web page is well crafted and effective with its use of color, imagery, typography, composition, and white space (Digital Marketing Institute, 2021). ‘Buttons’ provide access to items of interest while written information complements images. The site is elegant, not cluttered, or overwhelming.
Videos depicting product, environment, and location create ‘branding’. A 36 second film shows vibrant images: grapes, a pollinating bee, vineyard, farm animals, Estate buildings, and people dining. Its structure is like the website in that it is not overwhelming. The slower speed, with calming background music—perhaps 4 different notes played on piano with sounds of birds chirping—and sunshine portray serenity (CedarCreek Estate Winery, 2022).
It poignantly demonstrates a connection between product, land, and people. Customers on a sun-bathed patio portray a positive customer experience. This combination enhances a connection with the consumer (Gonzalez & Rossi, 2019; Coyne, 2020).
Environment
Kelowna is a mid-sized population center being 100, 000 > 250,000 (Geverdt, 2019). The sixty-plus age group makes up 25% with 40% in the 30-59 group (City of Kelowna, 2022). This distribution could allow CedarCreek to increase digital marketing with low risk of losing sales; millennials being the larger group, adept with digital platforms, are becoming a dominant wine consumer group (Weld, 2017; Coyne, 2020).
In addition, consumers often interpolate on-line ads (Denić et al, 2018). Advertisements using persuasive propaganda will likely improve sales and customer loyalty (Hobbs, 2021).
Conclusion
CedarCreek Estate winery shows adaptability to changes impacting sales, including the recent Covid safety measures. In 2019, restrictions for gatherings and tourism negatively impacted B.C. wineries (Wines of British Columbia, 2021). I believe CedarCreek used available media to mitigate these challenging conditions. Furthermore, it was named Winery of the Year (Daily Courier, 2019).
Platforms like Twitter, Pinterest, Yelp, Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, and Kazzit, allow ongoing access to loyal consumers and better opportunities for connection with new customers. Kelowna’s technology infrastructure accommodates effective use of these platforms to promote brand image. Considering their webpage and other platforms, CedarCreek can reach new customers regardless of the social or climatic environment.
I believe CedarCreek Estate Winery’s media use provides an inspirational model from which to develop media strategies in the future.
Sources
BC Gov News FACTSHEET: British Columbia's wine industry. (2017). Retrieved from https://news.gov.bc.ca/factsheets/factsheet-british-columbias-wine-industry.
Casey, Q. (2021). Who's Anthony von Mandl?: Meet the billionaire who made a fortune with genre- defying alcoholic drinks. Once penniless, von Mandl's Mike’s Hard Lemonade and White Claw Hard Seltzer beverages have added to his fortune. Financial Post. Retrieved from https://financialpost.com/personal-finance/high-net-worth/whos-anthony-von-mandl-meet- the-billionaire-who-made-a-fortune-with-genre-defying-alcoholic-drinks.
CedarCreek Estate Winery. (2022). Retrieved from https://www.cedarcreek.bc.ca/.
City of Kelowna Our Community. (2022). Retrieved from https://www.kelowna.ca/our- community/about-kelowna/city-profile.
Coyne, M. (2020). Three Sticks Wines: Digital Marketing, Branding, and Hospitality During a Crisis. Wine Business Journal, 4(2), 22071. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.26813/001c.22071.
Denić, N., Radević, B., & Siljković, B. (2018). The role of digital marketing in promotion of wine fromap Kosovo and Metohija. Ekonomika Poljoprivrede, 65(3), 1071–1083.
Digital Marketing Institute. (2021). Graphic Design Intro 1: Design Fundamentals. 4 Fundamentals of Graphic Design You Need to Know. Articles: Web Design, CRO and UX.
Geverdt, D. (2019). Education Demographic and Geographic Estimates Program (EDGE): Locale Boundaries File Documentation, 2017 (NCES 2018-115). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
Gonzalez, I. V. D. P., & Rossi, L. G. (2019). Digital Marketing and Innovation in the Relationship with Consumers: A Case Study in a Company That Sells Wines over the Internet/Marketing Digital E a Inovacao No Relacionamento Com Os Consumidores: Um Estudo De Caso Em Uma Empresa Que Vende Vinhos Pela Internet. CPMark - Caderno Profissional de Marketing, 7(2), 115.
Hobbs, R. (2021). Media literacy in action: Questioning the media. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Lawrason, D. (n.d.). CedarCreek Estate- A Winery Profile., Upward and Deeper 30 Years On. Retrieved from https://www.winealign.com/articles/2017/07/18/cedarcreek-estate-a-winery- profile/#:~:text=CedarCreek%20is%20one%20of%20the,by%20his%20son%20Gordon%20Fitzpat rick.&text=This%20year%20it%20finished%20in,entered%20into%20the%202017%20NWACs.
MacNaull, S. (2019). Winery of the year. The Daily Courier. Retrieved from https://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/business_news/article_77193618-0d7d-11ea-b6c6- 8fb930fbf03b.html.
Weld, C. (2017). Generation X leads the way in current consumption of B.C. wine, as more wine drinkers are enjoying local varietals. Kelowna Capital News. Retrieved from https://www.kelownacapnews.com/news/millennials-closing-is-as-b-c-s-biggest-wine-drinkers/. Wines of British Columbia. (n.d.). BC Wine Industry: Impact of Covid-19 Survey Results. Retrieved from https://winebc.com/industry/coronavirus-covid-19-updates/.
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