NEW YORK, October 12, 2022 – This summer, Wines of Germany USA encouraged wine consumers and professionals to celebrate seasonal moments large and small with German wines, resulting in over 4.7 million impressions and nearly half a million dollars in sales, raising awareness among Millennial wine drinkers – a key demographic to engage. This integrated marketing campaign extended the Prost Every Moment campaign launched in 2021, which similarly encouraged wine lovers to choose German wine for toasting all of life’s occasions at any time of year.
Prost to Summer included digital activations ranging from seasonally timed paid social media campaigns and a media partnership to influencer engagement, as well as in-person connections through retail promotions, consumer events, and on-premise programs in key markets with Wines of Germany Ambassadors. Additional Prost to Summer results included 66K+ article and landing page views, 594K+ video views, and 686K+ engagements.*
In 2021, German wine sales soared to record numbers in the U.S. with an increase of 29% in import value and 16% in case volume, following a decline in 2020 due to the tariffs and start of the pandemic. In 2022, German wine is still performing strongly, albeit results are trending toward lower sales volume and higher sales value, with average price per bottle sold up 11.1% on average in featured programming.
Wines of Germany USA started out with concrete retail promotions to capitalize on the busy summer wine-buying season, with discounts via nationwide online retailer Wine.com and 40+ in-store tastings in partnership with Illinois-based retail chain Binny’s Beverage Depot. Both saw an increase in German wine sales value as well as a higher average price per German wine bottle sold compared to the previous year. Overlapping Ambassador-led events targeted key U.S. markets from Washington, D.C. to Washington State for in-person events and on- and off-premise promotions for both consumers and members of trade.
Expanding the campaign’s reach online, Wines of Germany tapped U.S. drinks publication VinePair for a dynamic native advertising campaign encompassing editorial articles, a dedicated podcast episode, and a custom educational infographic. Advertising campaigns on Wines of Germany’s owned social channels supported the general theme as well as our specific activations, including brand-building video advertisements around topics of lifestyle and seasonal drinking opportunities, key German wine regions and hallmark wine varieties and styles. Additional online marketing support came from social media influencers and our Ambassador, retailer, and media partners.
Overall, Prost to Summer helped broaden awareness among all levels of U.S. wine drinkers and positioned German wines as approachable, diverse, and perfect for any occasion.
To learn more about the Prost Every Moment campaign, visit www.germanwineusa.com/find-your-perfect-prost/
About Wines of Germany: Wines of Germany is the exclusive U.S. office of the Deutsches Weininstitut (German Wine Institute). We are focused on creating greater awareness and increased sales of German wine in the U.S. through educational and promotional activities, encompassing all qualities, varieties, and styles of German wine available in the U.S. We are the primary information source on German wines for U.S. consumers, members of the wine trade, and the media.
Contact: GermanWineTeam@rfbinder.com
