November 10, 2009 / by J Smoke Wallin / 2 Comments / Filed under 2009 Event, Brand Management, Distributors
My friend Liza has a nice piece in Winebusiness.com today on the Fall selling season. Reports from Nielsen, Bill Cascio at Glazer’s, Wilford Wong at Beverages and more! all point toward improvement over last year, though value driving business.
Yesterday, another Wine 2.0 friend, John Corcoran’s blog “Think Wine Marketing” had a well done piece on the state of marketing wine online with his interview of Paul Mabray. “A conversation about marketing wine online with Paul Mabray of VinTank” This interview captures nicely a bit of the history of the past decade of attempts at doing business online in the wine industry. It made me go back an search an old Information Week story (2000) on my then start-up eSkye.com. (ok, picture is almost 10 years old I know)
Smoke Wallin in Information Week, April 2000
“Alcohol Goes Online Overcoming Regulatory Maze
Web site simplifies ordering for industry that hasn’t changed much since Prohibition”
There has been nearly half a billion dollars ($500 million) in venture funding that has gone into various efforts in the the online wine space. In rereading this piece, it is amazing how much and how little has actually changed. Technology has leaped forward, enabling much greater communication and commerce capabilities for all. The regulatory and industry structure has bent, but not fundamentally changed. It will be very interesting to watch the impact of Web 2.0 technologies and social media on the way in which the industry operates going forward. Clearly, there is a constant march of producers and consumers to get closer together. Sometimes this is about discovery and information. Sometimes this is about commerce. Consumers feeling more connected to brand and having conversations with wineries and more importantly with their people (who make the brands what they are) is only accelerating. This has real world implications. Wine 2.0 is in the online connectivity business, but that drives our live events. To wit, we are seeing a surge in interest in our Wine 2.0 New York event from both wineries and other companies involved in marketing to consumers. It will be interesting to see the consumer and trade turnout.
I’m looking forward to attending Web 2.0 Expo as well. It is great to get out of the wine business and look at what is cutting edge in terms of technology and latest developments.
Separately, Mashable’s blog just posted details on Web 2.0 Expo and our event Wine 2.0 Expo New York.
Mashable’s Weekly Conference and Event Guide
Mashable (blog) – Tamar Weinberg – 18 hours ago
November 18, 2009, New York City: Wine 2.0 Expo New York is the place for all Web 2.0 Expo attendees to connect with hundreds of wine and technology lovers …
Here is an excerpt from Liza’s story…
November 10, 2009
The Fall Season Shapes Up
Outlook Seems Upbeat as the Market Heads into the Final Stretch
by Liza B. Zimmerman
WineBusiness.com
Feedback from retailers, restaurateurs and wholesalers has grown increasingly positive as we move into the last part of the fourth quarter. Many seem to believe that this year is finally turning out to be more dynamic than last. According to data from a Nielsen presentation earlier this month wine was the No. 5-ranked category of the top 15 of the major 125 segments that Nielsen tracks with a 5.1 percent volume growth in the period ending September 5, 2009 over the previous year.
“Our volumes are up in total wines, about three to four percent in all states,” said Bill Cascio, the San Francisco Bay Area-based vice president and director of winery relations for the Dallas-based Glazer’s Family of Companies, which is active in 12 states. “It is shaping up to be a little bit better than last year,” he concluded.
Wilfred Wong, cellar master for the 100-store, Concord-California based Beverages and more!, said that this year is drastically different from the previous. “Last year this time business really dropped off,” concurred Brahm Callahan, wine director at Post 390, a gastropub that is part of the three-restaurant Himmel Hospitality Group which opened in Boston early this month [ed: Oct]. Callahan has a long track record in the Boston restaurant business. “We are starting to see people want to spend more money but they want to see perceived value.” Post 390’s 5,000-bottle list, priced $25 to $600, features two thirds of its selections in the $20 to $80 price range…
April 16, 2008 / by J Smoke Wallin / Make A Comment / Filed under 2008 Event, About and Contact, News, WITS Happenings
Industry Leaders, Technology Experts to Gather at Fourth Annual
Wine Industry Technology Symposium on July 14-15, 2008
April 15, 2008, Napa, CA – Wine Industry Technology Symposium (WITS)®, the premier event showcasing strategic use of information technology and services for the wine industry, will hold its fourth annual conference July 14-15, 2008 at the Marriot Napa Valley. www.wineindustrytechnologysymposium.com
Join executives from wineries, distributors and retailers at the only annual conference designed exclusively to foster education and debate around the application of technology solutions for the wine industry. Following the keynote general session, expert panels will discuss case studies and issues grouped into the following four tracks:
- Track A: Executive & Technology Leadership
- Track B: Consumer Direct
- Track C: Trade Sales & Marketing
- Track D: Vineyard & Winery Operations
“In this uncertain economic environment, it is vital to get it right when it comes to your route to market and the strategic and tactical use of enabling technology,” said J. Smoke Wallin, WITS Co-Chair. “WITS is the only place where winery owners and GMs can sit side by side for a day of learning and discussion with CIOs and other technology leaders from the across the three tiers and the technology community,” he added.
The WITS Steering Committee, made up of technology and business leaders across the wine industry, is currently finalizing panel topics and speakers. Past speakers have included the CIOs of FedEx Kinkos and 1800-Flowers, as well as experts from IBM, Oracle and Cornell University.
Sign up early in order to guarantee a spot at this year’s conference. There are a limited number of spots available and last year’s event sold out quickly. For more information and to register, visit www.wineindustrytechnologysymposium.com.
About The Wine Industry Technology Symposium (WITS)
The Wine Industry Technology Symposium (WITS) was created in 2005 by a group of wine industry and technology professionals. The purpose of WITS is to address the unique information technology and services needs of the wine industry. WITS is dedicated to bringing the world’s leading wineries, distributors and retailers together with some of the world’s leading technology experts to foster learning and discussion. Panels of experts discuss specific examples and case studies involving winemaking, vineyard management, consumer direct marketing and sales, operations, financial management, trade sales and distribution. www.wineindustrytechnologysymposium.com
# # #
Media Contact:
Lesley P. Berglund, WITS Co-Chair, 707-246-6827
July 20, 2007 / by J Smoke Wallin / Make A Comment / Filed under 2007 Event, Uncategorized
Over 300 people attended this years WITS event this week. It was deemed by most a huge success.
