by Smoke | May 13, 2015 | 2015 Event, Blog
Hot Tech Topics to Include: Explosive Growth of Mobile Apps, Home Alcohol Delivery, Next Gen Cloud Commerce, Security Breach Impact, Central Role of Big Data in Marketing
(NAPA, Calif.) – Wine Industry Technology Symposium (WITS) has announced the keynote speaker line-up for the 11th annual event set for June 25-26, 2015 at the Napa Valley Marriott in Napa, California. An action-packed series of keynotes, as well as focused round tables and in-depth breakout sessions, will cover a wide range of tech-related topics critical to the wine industry today including: mobile e-commerce, data breach and security, breakthrough marketing, supply chain innovation, leading edge hospitality systems, new on-premise kegs and product tracking.
“After more than a decade of great conferences, the Wine Industry Technology Symposium has grown and evolved along with the rapid evolution of tech integration in the wine business. This year’s high-impact keynote presentations reflect the dramatic changes in the wine business driven by the millennial generation of consumers and step changes in technology enabling new business models!†said J. Smoke Wallin, founder and co-chairman of WITS.
“Our 2015 program reflects the insight and direction inspired by the Winery Chief Information Officer (CIO) Forum which WITS has hosted for many years,†said Lesley Berglund, co-chairman of WITS and co-founder and chairman of the Wine Industry Sales Education (WISE) Academy.
The Keynote Lineup Includes:
- What’s In Store, 2016: Game Changers – Laurie Rains, VP Retail Consulting and Analytics Group, Nielsen
- Social Media & Legal Regulations - John Hinman, Rebecca Stamey-White & John Edwards – Partners, Hinman & Carmichael
- Are You Ready for the Future? Exploring Futurist Technology & Its Impact on Wine-Â Dr. Liz Thach, Professor of Wine Business & Management, Sonoma State University & Â Joe Rosenberg, Strategic Partner Manager, Emerging Business Development, Google
- Art of the Possible – Unlocking Digital for the Wine Industry - Bob Pearson, President & Chief Innovation Officer / W2O Group & Paul Mabray, Group Director / W2O Group
- The Pinterest for Wine? – Linking Wine Discovery With Purchases -Â Brad Rosen, CEO, DRYNC
- Observations & Predictions: Dynamic Food & Beverage Trends - Michael Pavone, President & CEO, quench
- Clarity in the Cloud - Inderjit Bains, Cloud Consulting Director, Oracle
- Digital First: Why Marketers are Shifting to Data-Driven Advertising - Max Kalehoff, Chief Marketing Officer, SocialCode
- How the Power of Information can Override Emotional Decision Making in Price and Promotion -Â Clay Wallin, Director of Sales, Vistaar
- Bringing Together the Three-Tier System Into One Sales and Educational Funnel - Brian Rosen, Managing Director, Rosen Retail for Adult Beverage
- How Technology Is Influencing and Winning Over Wine Consumers - Joshua Saunders, Founder & CEO, Uncorkd
- Security Trends: Data Protection – It’s all about the Data - Richard Rice, Sr. Security Architect, WaveStrong
Registration is now open with early bird pricing available only through Friday, May 29, 2015. Attendees can view the entire two-day program and register at www.wineindustrytechnologysymposium.com.
About WITS:
The Wine Industry Technology Symposium® (WITS) is the focal point for thought leadership in the strategic and tactical use of technology in the global wine industry. WITS was created in 2005 by a group of wine industry and technology professionals to advance innovation and to address the unique information technology and service needs of the wine industry. The 11th annual WITS will be held June 25 – 26, 2015 in Napa, California. To learn more, join WITS on Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn
For more information, contact Kathy Archer of the Wine Industry Symposium Group at 707-666-2525 or kathy@winesymposium.com. For sponsorship and registration, contact Waunice Orchid of the Wine Industry Symposium Group at 707-666-2525 or waunice@winesymposium.com.
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by Smoke | Feb 11, 2014 | 2014 Event, Blog
We are in full planning mode for the 10th Annual WITS… hard to believe that a few of us sat around brain storming ideas for a “technology extravaganza for the wine industry” almost 11 years ago. Â Please plan on joining us this year in Napa, CA as we celebrate a decade of WITS, for what promises to be our most exciting and well attended event. Â Here is the link to the press release and posted below as well.
10th Annual Wine Industry Technology Symposium to Unite Wine Business Leaders, Technology Experts on June 30 & July 1, 2014
(NAPA, Calif.)  —The 10th Annual Wine Industry Technology Symposium (WITS)®, the premier event showcasing the strategic use of information technology and services for the wine industry, has been set for June 30 – July 1, 2014 at the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel. www.wineindustrytechnologysymposium.com
Executives from wineries, distributors and retailers gather annually at WITS, the only annual conference designed exclusively to foster education and debate around the application of technology solutions for the wine industry. The 2014 WITS program includes:
- Educational Tracks – Sessions on Technology Leadership, Small Business, Consumer Direct, Trade Sales & Marketing and Vineyard & Winery Operations
- Speed Dating – To celebrate the 10th technology extravaganza, WITS has introduced “speed dating†for winery CIOs and technology companies. This will provide opportunities for quality one-on-one time with key decision makers and thought leaders.
- Plus Beer, with BITS – WITS has united leaders in the craft brewing industry to add the first Beer Industry Technology Symposium (BITS™) that will run concurrent with WITS this year.
“In today’s rapidly changing business environment, where consumers are driving massive change throughout the industry, it is vital to get it right when it comes to your route to market, as well as 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 across the three tiers,†he added.
The WITS Steering Committee, comprised of technology and business leaders across the wine industry, is currently finalizing panel topics and keynote speakers. Past speakers have included the CEOs, CIOs and leaders from Amazon, Facebook, Groupon, garyvaynerchuk.com, FedEx Office, Nielsen and 1800-Flowers, as well as experts from IBM, Oracle, Cornell University, UC Davis, Sonoma State University and many others.
Attendees and sponsors are encouraged to register early, as space is limited and expected to sell out quickly. Registration will open March 1, 2014. For more information visit www.wineindustrytechnologysymposium.com.
About The Wine Industry Technology Symposium (WITS)
The Wine Industry Technology Symposium (WITS) was created 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 the leading technology experts to foster learning and discussion. Expert panels and keynotes discuss leading edge case studies involving consumer direct marketing and sales, operations, financial management, trade sales and distribution, winemaking and vineyard management. www.wineindustrytechnologysymposium.com
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by Smoke | Nov 10, 2009 | 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…
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