Wine Victoria

Brand Management for Wine Victoria’s Five Pillars Project, a $2m project to position Victorian wine tourism internationally through strategic brand and marketing efforts.

The Challenge

As Brand Manager, I spearheaded Wine Victoria's Five Pillars Wine Tourism Project, a significant $2 million initiative focused on promoting Victorian wine tourism internationally. Over the 18-month project (Dec 2018 – May 2020), I managed extensive brand and marketing efforts targeting tourism and export markets. This included developing strategic partnerships with Wine Australia, Visit Victoria, and regional stakeholders. My role involved coordinating with seven supplier agencies, consulting with over 60 winery stakeholders, and reporting to a board composed of the project’s key funding bodies.

Core Skills Applied:

• Strategic Brand Development

• Partnership and Stakeholder Management

• Wine and Tourism Industry Expertise

• International Marketing and Communications

• Market Analysis and Data Insights

• High-Level Leadership

The Process

1. Brand Development and Strategy

In close consultation with industry partners, I developed five premium regional wine tourism brands that reflect Victoria’s unique wine regions. This included enhancing established regions like Yarra Valley, Rutherglen, and King Valley, as well as creating the new offerings of Pinot Coast and Shiraz Central. Supported by two branding agencies, we delivered a cohesive master brand and five individual brands within an ambitious timeline, preparing them for international marketing.

2. Content Kits and Collateral Production

Once the brands were finalised, I led the creation of comprehensive brand kits for international markets, equipping industry partners with the tools to effectively promote these brands globally. Content kits included high-quality videography, photography, detailed itineraries, maps, and editorial content, all tailored to capture the distinctive appeal of each region for both consumer and trade marketing.

3. International Marketing Strategy and Launch Events

A global marketing strategy was essential to placing these brands on the international stage. Leveraging insights from market analysis, we developed targeted campaigns for key markets in China, the UK, and the USA. The strategy included high-impact launch events, notably a New York City event attended by top-tier media, influencers, and trade partners, and further campaigns supported by media placements in publications such as The Sunday Times UK, Fodor’s, Business Traveler, and Inside Hook.

The Outcome

The project successfully established Victoria’s wine regions as desirable international destinations, driving awareness and engagement through brand identity, media, and partnerships. The collaboration with key industry and marketing partners ensured that these brands were well-equipped to appeal to high-value international audiences, fostering sustainable growth for Victorian wine tourism.