REthink Wine Blog

The web is long past the days of animations of skulls on fire and cute dogs running across the screen. In the last year, the percentage of total US internet users using broadband grew from 20% to 60%. We’re well into the information age, and we have quite a few options of how content is served to us:

1. Streaming Video - YouTube, Google Videos
2. Streaming Music - Pandora, Launch.com
3. Streaming Text - Info tickers, RSS, sports scores

I’d love to see more wineries using these new types of media to interact with their customers. Some ideas for interactive content:

1. Process of winemaking: I’m a tech geek, so I have no idea how wine gets made. I’d love to see a winery put up a video of the whole wine-making process - from seed-planting to bottling. That’s an instant connection I’d make with their wine.
2. Virtual Winery Tour: Being an online consumer, I’d love to see how beautiful the winery is. That would give me an added incentive to visit them when I’m in the area.
3. Wine Music: Early last year, Mercedes decided to release a monthly compilation of songs that inspired Mercedes drivers. This compilation now evokes strong memories for Mercedes owners and gives them a way of relive their passion when they hear these songs. Wineries can also use this tactic, providing wine enthusiasts with sounds worth drinking to.
4. Tasting Room Webcam: A bit voyeuristic, but nonetheless, wouldn’t it be great to show people what they’re missing?
5. Viral Videos: They’re everywhere. Usually having nothing to do with the product, but with clever product placement, these are the videos you just can’t get out of your head and have manic email-forwarding syndrome.

Here’s are two wine making videos that I found on YouTube and Google Video:

It’s all about making that special connection with your customer. Why not use the advances in web technologies to help you do that?

This entry was posted by admin on Saturday, February 3rd, 2007 at 8:49 pm and is filed under Site Design and Management, Resources and Tools. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.