A rare thing happened today, actually two rare things happened today.
1 – I was happy someone was running late
2 – Because the book on the waiting room table was genuinely exciting.
Said book was a copy of the 2015 Super Brand Annual, which, the marketers out there will agree is a rather lovely book. Full of pictures, infographics, brand histories, logos, manifestos and lots of sexy stats.
The first thing one does when they come across such books is have a flick through and see which brands are classed as ‘super brands’. This book, unlike most, is cleverly laid out in alphabetically order (good consumer lead design). So, the first thing I did was check for the presence of Starbucks, the brand everyone wax-lyricals about but which is trying it’s damnedest to murder coffee. Luckily it was.
Phew, I felt genuine hope for the nations palettes.
But my relief lasted only moments before being brutally shattered.
Our coffee may be safe (emphasis on the may) but our wine is not.
Of all the brands which could possibly be included in this book, why o why.
I grew up stomping on grapes in buckets with my father, touring the vineyards of rural France on a bicycle and am on first name terms with my local vinters, I maybe do have a slightly idealistic view of wine. But still, I was shocked.
Hardy’s was in there as a 2015 Superbrand!?!
Apparently they sold 70 million bottles in the UK in the past year alone, up 10% yoy. Seriously, what happened to the supposed gentrification of the nation? Our new found love of Prosecco? Of wine bars? The rebellion against major brands and corporates? Our return to locality?
Is it only me who holds the nostalgic cynical view that the manifestation of their purpose to “push the boundaries of wine making and create wines for you to enjoy today” manifests through mechanics, chemicals and screw tops?
I hope their 6% market share is actually due to the fact that most people do buy local, less mass wines. Most wine makers prefer to stay true to their passion and values meaning they will never scale up to such an extent. Hardy’s only have such a lift market share because they are one of few wine ‘brands’.
Contemplating why 