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1 6 V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T | J a n - F e b 2 017 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m from one that had become tar- nished and maligned to one rec- ognized for quality and, ultimately, If you follow this line of ques- tioning down to the last bit of infor- mation, you'll end up with a point of difference that's unlike any other and that belongs only to your brand — something like, "Chateau Win- ery's Zinfandel is recognized for its intense aromatics, which stem from the effects of sandy soils left from an ancient riverbed." From this, your audience should be moti- vated to recognize the aromatics of that ancient riverbed. Here are three examples (a wine region, a spirits brand and a wine brand) of how to arrive at and use effective points of difference. A WINE REGION M a r k C h a n d l e r, p r i n c i p a l o f Chandler & Company Consulting, was hired as executive director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission in 1991. His mission was clear: to upgrade the region's reputation to command higher grape prices. Chandler identified his first targets as winemakers, grape buyers and CFOs — those who'd make buying decisions. One prong of his market- ing plan was to run a series of ad campaigns, each a visual and text interpretation of what was true and factual about the Lodi grape grow- ing region. The messaging came directly from the intrinsic nature of the land, climate and people. At strate- gic planning sessions, a board con- sisting of winemakers and growers evaluated the messaging. As Chan- dler recalls, "We sought to simply replace the outdated, conventional wisdom of what Lodi was [with] its current reality." He adds, "We weren't table grape and jug wine country with a searing hot climate that could only justify those grapes. Rather, we truly were a premium area with a mild, Mediterranean cli- mate with warm summer days and Mark Chandler created planning sessions for ad campaigns that championed the Lodi grapegrowing region. Liquid Nitrogen Dosing Systems: Key Benefits: Flushes oxygen out of bottle head space Keeps the fruit in every pour Best "locks in" FSO 2 levels 800.371.3303 www.chartdosers.com Dosing The World One Drop At A Time ChartDosers HalfPg Wine_2016_VWM.indd 1 5/20/16 9:53 AM WINE WISE MARKETING LEE HODO