The wine and spirits category is one of the most competitive consumer markets. Crammed shelves, with products always facing the edge, create a wall of different brands crying out for consumers’ attention. Whether a product is new or long established, branding here should create proof and reinforce existing relationships with consumers by advancing product positioning.

In this environment, labeling has to work harder than in any other consumer product location. It’s about shelf appeal and the ability to communicate product attributes. This is a difficult challenge in itself, but add to the fact that, according to industry sources, 70 percent of purchasing decisions are made at the point of sale. As such, the ability of the product label to establish and reinforce an image about a particular brand of wine or spirits is vital to retail success.

The label on a bottle of wine or spirits represents a bridge that must be built from an understanding of consumer expectations of the product. But this is not a one-way bridge, far from it. Communication must flow in both directions. The label has to establish a dialogue with the consumer. And like a busy cocktail party, the label is a brand’s greeting from overcrowded retail shelves. Offer the warm affirmation of a close friendship, invite or reject a new meeting, or go completely unnoticed.

Packaging design helps differentiate a brand

The importance of product packaging in the wine and spirits market cannot be underestimated. The impact of packaging can make the difference between the success or failure of a product. Not only the appearance of the package, but also the quality of the label itself is essential to achieving great shelf appeal. This means that the label must be perfectly printed and applied.

Something needs to happen between the consumer and the package because a visual cue is the first point of contact with the consumer and provides an opportunity to assess product quality, which is an essential qualifier for choosing one brand over another. Who would pay, even at a cheap price, for a product that does not look attractive?

Therefore, the more luxurious a label looks and feels, the better the perceived quality and the better the buying opportunities.

Gain a competitive advantage

The inability of some consumers to tell the difference between various wines and spirits is an opportunity for labeling and packaging to fill in the gaps by creating a visually and texturally different identity from the competition. It all boils down to appealing to those senses beyond taste and aroma, each with a distinct signature that is carefully crafted but unfortunately lost on many consumers.

That’s why when it comes to wine and spirits, packaging design has both the opportunity and the responsibility to differentiate a brand. And no other labeling technology offers greater shelf appeal than pressure-sensitive labeling. A wide variety of papers, films and specialty materials allow designers to harness their most innovative ideas for branding. Pressure sensitive substrates include:

• Clear-on-clear films for a label-free look
• Glossy and matte white papers for highly visual graphics
• Digitally coated papers and films for short runs and complex designs
• Eco-friendly papers and films to appeal to end-users and Earth-conscious consumers

Pressure sensitive technology is versatile. Allows for intricate designs and complex die-cuts, creating labels that jump off the shelf. But even more so, the variety of materials, when combined with special printing techniques, can become a metaphor for the product itself.

For example, the rough, porous textures of an uncoated paper label can be combined with screen printing to represent the craftsmanship of an 18-year-old Scotch whisky; coated semi-gloss fronts are subtly smooth and can denote the flavor profile of something that is smooth, easy to drink and good for socializing; and the clear film can denote a sense of sincere elegance that carries a premium spirit to a secure position of prominence.

The label and the bottle create a feeling of familiarity. Together they convey the positioning of the product and, as such, must be executed properly.

Help consumers decide what to buy
Consumers make purchase decisions from two different dimensions: one rational and the other emotional. Rational factors include the reason for the purchase, such as product functionality and price, among others.

Emotional factors are motivationally more complex. It is about the experience we want on behalf of the product, the pleasure we get from consuming it, how it makes us feel and how it validates our decision to buy: a reward, for taste, about who we are or who we love. be. These are all elements that packaging designers take into account when creating a brand identity for a wine or spirit. It is an identity that must serve many perspectives.

Unsurprisingly, the emotional factors behind a purchase decision are quite individual as a consumer. However, there are some common features of the consumer profile that can be taken advantage of and taken into account in the concept of the label. Wine and spirits consumers can be divided into three common categories: the connoisseur, the aficionado, and the step-in:

the connoisseur

The connoisseur drinks wine from traditional countries; he is financially rich; he is usually a man in his 40s, but the category includes women; he has a natural palate; he knows a lot about wines, tasting notes, etc.; he appreciates the craftsmanship in a product; and he is smart about what he or she is drinking. To address this group, etiquette needs to reflect craftsmanship and marketers can use complex vocabulary because they understand it.

The connoisseur enjoys complex red wines, premium brand champagne, single malt whiskeys and aged rums. The label should provide a lot of detailed information: canteen/winery/chateau, region, the local area, wine filtered or not, vintage year, grape quality, winemaking process, etc. This information should be placed on the label so that the connoisseur feels that he or she is the only expert to read and understand the information.

In wine, a paper label must be structured, rich in texture, beige and with creamy colours. For liqueurs, a metallic effect or a rough surface with a complex shape will resonate well. For this category, it’s okay to be generous with your print embellishment techniques. The label must include hot-gold foil as well as some tactile embossing or varnish element.

the amateur

The amateur category includes both men and women, from 30 to 40 years of age. They claim to have a good knowledge of wine tasting, but have a palate that is not ready for wines with complex flavor profiles. The aficionado is open to new world wines, easy to drink and mid-priced wines. This man or woman also drinks rum, vodka, tequila and brandy, but mainly from premium brands and in cocktails.

They expect a label that provides practical information. Here, the amount of information is important, but it must be accessible and provide the correct reference, such as grape varieties, brand name, wine name, geographical origin, a credible story behind the brand, and serving recommendations such as temperature, pairing with meals etc.

In the mood, this person appreciates serving cocktail ideas. He or she will react positively to white label paper, from the light structured paper to the soft touch. Be selective in printing techniques and choose one that enhances the information he or she wants to review.

the step inside

The step-ins category is the least sophisticated consumer. He drinks beer and sweet liquors. They like white and sparkling wine, tequila, vodka and rum. Some dare with wine, but they are less demanding and do not want to invest too much in a bottle. Affordable price offers, easy to drink and refreshing, added to fruity and floral flavor notes, are behind the purchase. Mainstream whites, rosés, and sparkling wines are of interest, as well as mixed rums and vodkas, and some international spirits. Simplicity matters.

This type of consumer will not spend the time to read a label in depth to explore the complexity of a particular brand. The intervener wants to be told what the product is about -grape variety, of which he knows a maximum of two; orientation to taste; and conditions of service. The brand name is very important.

With accessories, you can dare to exploit contemporary and trendy colors on the label and in the bottle. Clear-on-clear film labels are a big draw, especially when clean designs are incorporated. Immediate visual impact is what resonates, so borrowing design cues from contemporary culture can create a lot of interest. Consider the use of new and original printing techniques. For this group, dare to try unusual combinations, such as colors that do not cover on metallic paper.

It is worth knowing the consumer, or better yet, the type of consumer a wine or spirit is aimed at. To be effective, marketers must connect the label and packaging correctly with these categories of consumers in a way that meets their expectations of what’s inside the bottle. And that expectation must be linked to how the product is positioned.

Beyond the product itself, wine and spirits labeling must have a visual identity that, when executed correctly, has the power to establish an icon that is fully invested in the consumer’s perception of the brand.

“Give people a sample of Old Crow and tell them it’s Old Crow. Then give them another sample of Old Crow, but tell them it’s Jack Daniel’s. Ask them which one they prefer. They’ll think the two drinks are quite different. They’re tasting pictures.” . – David Ogilvy, marketing pioneer.