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PACKAGING INTERVIEW May 2018 WINES&VINES 45 tions, or it's not quite at the right price point, it won't work. Everything needs to come together: the packaging, the wine and the price position- ing. You can tweak these things as you go, but success is much more likely if you get it right out of the gate. For example, an elegant, oak- aged red blend might not meet expectations of red blend drinkers looking for jammy, soft, rich red wines, even if the packaging stands out from the pack. It's also hard to move people up to higher prices in wine segments that offer out- standing value and quality at lower price points, even with great packaging. Take the case of Cryptic, a red blend that I launched, targeted to a higher price point than where most red blends were selling at the time, with more luxurious packaging and a drier style of wine. A large retailer pointed out that while Cryptic was among the best packaging in the store, it wasn't generating the repeat purchases that might be expected. The suspi- cion was that it simply wasn't the style of wine the red blend drinkers were seeking. They might move up in price to try it, but they soon went back to the jammy red blends they en- joyed at lower prices. Perhaps the wine was just ahead of its time, although the brand seems to have found a niche. Q How does packaging help you reposi- tion a brand? Ehrlich: It's much harder to raise the price perception of an existing brand than it is to launch a new brand at a higher price point. For example, it's tough to take a $25 Napa Caber- net and raise the price to $40 or $50 for that same wine once people are used to buying it at the lower price point. There are some pack- aging upgrades, however, that can really make a big impact. These include more white space on a label; limited use of color; a smaller, more elegant typeface; and subtle label-finishing techniques such as sculpted embossing and debossing, embossed paper textures, foil stamping, and high build and spot varnishes. An example I worked on is Avalon Napa Valley Cabernet, which originally started out as a value proposition when Napa Cabernet grapes were much more affordable. As grape prices went up, it became necessary to move the program up market. By switching first from the orange label with a large Celtic medallion logo to a beige label, and then increasing the size of the label, using more expensive-looking white paper with black print, reducing the size of the logo, and enhancing it with high build and deep embossing, the wine was successfully repositioned at several price tiers above where it had been. If the design is non-traditional, it helps to ground it in at least one or more classic ele- ments such as typeface or layout. While it works successfully in craft beer, it's tricky to pull off bold designs or colorful illustrations in wine, particularly as the price point moves up. Where it's successful, it's been by done limiting all the other elements on the label, such as was done on the label for The Prisoner or the Sine Qua Non collection. Q When choosing a designer for your packaging, it's obviously important to find one who's a good fit for the brand. What advice would you give someone who's looking for a designer? Ehrlich: First, look for someone with experi- ence in the category. Wine and spirits packag- ing design requires a wide range of skills, including knowledge of the wine consumer, the competitive market, wine packaging sup- pliers and government compliance rules, to name a few. While it can seem appealing to work with someone who is new to wine pack- aging and can offer a fresh approach, the learn- ing curve is steep. Find someone who is collaborative and can help guide you through the design process, allowing you to provide valuable direction to them. It never seems to work to tell a designer, "just surprise me," or "I'll know it when I see it." The best designs start with defining your packaging objectives and preferences up front, before you start working on the design. This usually takes the form of a packaging design brief. A well thought-out design brief sets a clear direction for the designer and prevents excessive back-and-forth that can drive up cost and anxiety on both sides. But counterintuitively, it's also important not to over-direct a designer. Once you agree on the direction and goals, you need to give them enough free reign to execute their vision. I've seen great designers get tripped up on having to design around a particular idea that the client has in mind that doesn't really pan out, or by having their design deconstructed by the client to the point that it no longer hangs together. How do you find a designer? Keep track of designs you like and who did the work. Often you can find out who designed wine packaging with a bit of internet sleuthing. Printers and glass decorators can be helpful in locating a designer and can vouch for their work. You will want to determine what it's like to work with an agency or individual and think about the designer as you would any member of your team when you determine fit. Will they recom- mend packaging vendors and help source pack- aging materials, or do they just turn over the artwork to you? That might be fine with you if you already have packaging experience and vendors in mind. Be sure to discuss your budget and timeline up front. Q For your labels, it's also important to find the right printer. What advice do you have? Ehrlich: A wine label designer who is experi- enced with wine packaging should have experi- ence with a range of printers and can help guide the decision about which printer to choose. Generally, you will want to select a printer based on the label design, volume of labels, timing and cost. As with a designer, you should look for a printer who is collaborative. Involve them as early as you can in the design process, so that they can review the design. This allows them to make valuable recommendations about printing techniques and ways to cut costs. Different printers may have specialized equipment, such as a laser that cuts intricate designs into the label, or offer state-of-the-art, multi-station off- set printing presses that allow many different techniques during the same print job (e.g. em- bossing, varnish, foil stamping). For short runs, it's most cost-effective to print digitally, and there are printers who offer strong digital print- ing departments. It's ideal to have a printer who is based locally, so that it's convenient to meet with them in person and for you or your de- signer to attend press checks. A resident of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Laurie Daniel has been a journalist for more than 35 years. She has been writing about wine for publications for more than 21 years and has been a Wines & Vines contributor since 2006. CANS ARE COMPLICATED BUT PROMISING M arketing consultant Lisa Ehrlich says she is enthusiastic about the future of wine in a can. "It's a very dynamic emerging segment," she says. "From a consumer standpoint, it's eco-friendly, a lot more portable than a glass bottle, and offers single-serving convenience. It's a bit more complicated for the winemaker to produce wines that show well when canned, and they have a shorter shelf life than bottled wine, but it's a very promising direction for the wine category." Ehrlich also thinks there are opportuni- ties for creative designs when it comes to canned wine. "It's a chance to be more daring than with traditional wine bottle packaging." That said, Ehrlich isn't working with cans — yet. "I can't seem to get retail- ers or potential clients as excited as I am about canned wine, but I think it's only a matter of time."