Facebook Research, “Blue Booze And Wine.”

Facebook Research, “Blue Booze And Wine Bottles.” I wrote, “Wine marketing question. I already have my own thoughts, which I’ll disclose. For now, though, what do you think of these bottles? Just curious. I had a deliberate reason for choosing them to photograph (obviously) at Oliver’s Market. Responses from my Facebook pals became really revealing; with a good cross section from both consumers and professionals. We all seem to have our reasons. Some answers were from the gut, some were from marketing research, and some were from shifting to various beverages, namely booze.

It seems that every single person loves a blue liquor bottle. We can get that right out of the way. so, moving on.

Some I expected, and it also went in directions I didn’t see coming, right out of the gate, even from a guy named FLASH DAT: “Hello we are trying to build a bourbon weekly collection site with lots of interesting stories about bourbon and we appreciate you being a member of this group thanks. Bourbon weekly Round up.” Well, that’s someone else’s story. We’re all using Social Media to research. I remember focus groups. Now it’s so easy.

How Consumers Think, Blue Spirits & Bottles

Mona Ashbaugh, “Love the blue.” And then, Ann (owner, miller, grower, at IL Fiorello Olive Oil Company) weighs in, “Grey Whale is lovely, Bombay is classic. So, really attracted to the color.” My friends from Maine Shelia Martel said, “My only problem is I can’t tell how much I have left…but…color is absolutely gorgeous.”

And, Caitlin Woodbury, “I like the translucent blue Bombay Sapphire bottle, but strongly dislike the other two, and would probably never buy either of them unless I sampled them elsewhere and thought they were incredibly delicious. I’d prefer seeing how much product is remaining in the bottle. I think the Prosecco bottle looks gimmicky and although I like the graphic on the whale bottle, I still don’t like the opacity.”

Blue wines. A preference for some, in a Google Search.

How Wine Marketers Think ~ Blue Bottles

Wine needs to represent itself, of course, even Blue Nun Wine wasn’t blue. But now, times have changed. So, one of my PR pals, Jane Hodges Young reflects back, “In my…winery days at Sonoma-Cutrer, our national sales manager said that blue bottles were very very pretty for everything but wine and the consumers generally don’t like the looks of a blue wine bottle on the table. Especially in a restaurant. Good point, unless they’re having blueberry crisp.

Nick Buttitta, Rosa d’Oro Vineyards: “The Wine industry seems to be very traditional as far as bottle shapes, by contrast the Spirits industry is much more adventurous. What is your opinion of La Sirena blue hock with blue Nomacork closure?” I searched the site and saw many bottles with blue closures. I love them.

My answer: “Nick Buttitta, there are a lot of blue Nomacork closures. I love them all, because the bottles aren’t blue and the touch of blue as accents, make me happy. (Blue, leaning into purple are my favorite colors. Still, blue bottles don’t do it for me.) Blue bottles in European wines, they just don’t make it for me. Blueberry wine? Maybe. This search is not cutting it.”

Winemaker Phyllis Zouzounis (Zouzounis Wines) weighs in. “I like the Bombay bottle but not the others. Blue is not a color usually used to entice sales of food or wines. Key words, “enticing sales of food or wine.” In 123rf, if you search on “enticing sales of food or wine,” be prepared to see a lot of blueberries, used every which way… It isn’t until page three other nibbles come into play, like candy.

Glass on a creative, blue background.

Wine Professionals: Blue Bottles?

And, please remember, these people are tasting wines, and their first impressions are very important. Dr. Elizabeth Smith: “This color is my favorite, but I like seeing wine in a clear bottle. It’s what I/we are used to, which is interesting. We envision (see) wine so differently.” Raelinn Doty also likes to travel the world of wine, as “Culinary and Wine Travels. She feels, “I’m fine with the liquor bottles. I don’t like an opague wine bottle.  Off into the wine sales category, Paul Manchester stated, “Give me the classic! I want to see what I’m drinking.” And we know it’s not necessarily blue.

Wine professionals, left to right: Elizabeth Smith, Realinn Doty, Paul Manchester

I implicitly trust each of the following wine professionals and their views, having known their integrity for a very long time now: Robin Swan Shreeves: “The Prosecco bottle looks gimmicky and puts into question the quality of the wine (I know nothing about the brand but I would pass right by it). The other two are fine.” Doug Levy, responding to Robin Swan Shreeves, “My reaction is the same. I have a strong preference for bottles I can see through.” And Tim McDonald… “same as Robin and Doug.” My last example is Lewis Perdue: “If you need a gimmick, you can’t be very good.” Amen to that.

Robin Swan Shreeves, Lewis Perdue, Tim McDonald, and Doug Levy

The Importance of First Impressions Cannot Be Underscored

From Indeed: “If you’re able to make a good first impression, people are much more likely to remember you than someone else who made little or no impression at all. This is because you proved that you are sufficiently unique among the many other people a person meets. This is useful in many scenarios, such as sales.”

I think the pros above perfectly sum up blue bottles for wine. We’ve been well schooled. Very few wine bottles dare to go against the grain.If you’ve just stepped into the wine business, and you want to go against the grain, be forewarned. You’ll have your hands full.

A great way to end this one… A couple of Brits discussing, “Faustino or Moscato in a Blue Bottle, whats not to like.” You be the judge. Note the blueberries. Seems synonymous.