From cork to click:
Fostering digital transformations for alcohol brands including [yellow tail], Morris Whisky, and Greenskin Wines
Snapshot
Industry: Food & Beverage
In an industry historically reserved for physical stores, typically promoting tastings and in-person sales for their key purchasing channels, alcohol brands often find themselves boxed in when it comes to reaching a wider, digital market.
Regulations, a saturated market, and normalcy in selling B2B to alcohol retailers creates barriers to entry in the e-commerce space for market share with an individual platform.
At Growth Gurus, we thrive in building data-driven, unique strategies to assist brands in developing their e-commerce presence. The modern shift towards digital commerce has caused pressure to adapt for the alcohol industry– with tailored strategies, we assisted brands in overcoming industry-specific challenges, taking their individual brand personalities to a thriving digital platform.
Pouring over the strategy details
As the digital landscape continues to expand, it's becoming increasingly vital for alcohol brands to transition from relying solely on physical purchases, to establishing a strong presence in the e-commerce space.
The modern consumer expects convenience, accessibility, and personalized experiences, and without a robust online strategy, even the most established brands risk losing relevancy in an increasingly competitive market. E-commerce offers alcohol brands the opportunity to reach a wider audience, engage with customers in new and innovative ways, and maintain their prestige in a digital-first world.
For wineries and distilleries, the challenge lies in translating the intimate, curated experience of a cellar door visit into the online realm. At Growth Gurus, we understand the nuances of this transition and are experts in replicating that same sense of connection and exclusivity through strategic branding, personalization, and tailored digital experiences.
By leveraging our expertise, brands can ensure that their rich heritage, craftsmanship, and unique brand identity are not only preserved, but enhanced in the digital space. Through carefully crafted online journeys that mirror the personalized touch of an in-person tasting, we help brands create a seamless and engaging experience that resonates with their customers, ensuring they remain at the forefront of the industry in this new digital era.
The results
With our data-driven approach, we were able to foster sustainable growth for a range of alcohol brands, ensuring their digital identity complements their existing prestige.
Crafting personas to drive personalized engagement
An alcohol brand that valued brand image and perception, Greenskin Wine, came to Growth Gurus to help showcase its unique value proposition– a move to recyclable plastic pouches while maintaining their rich experience and taste in bottled wines. To dispel misconceptions surrounding the packaging, we identified key consumer personas, including environmentally conscious consumers and active outdoor enthusiasts, who value sustainability and portability. With this understanding, we crafted a personalized messaging strategy that emphasized Greenskin Wine’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and offering a premium wine experience in a more sustainable format.
Through this comprehensive approach, we ensured that Greenskin Wine was positioned as a leader in sustainable wine practices, with a strong, resonant brand image that appealed to its target audience.
This narrative was consistently woven into every touchpoint, from the website’s clean, earthy design to targeted social media campaigns and educational email content. To further reinforce the brand’s premium positioning, we integrated authentic customer testimonials and reviews into our communications, particularly focusing on those that praised both the wine’s quality and the innovative packaging.
These testimonials were strategically highlighted in follow-up emails and SMS messages, boosting the brand’s credibility and dispelling the myth that the product was anything less than premium.
Automating success in the digital space
Working with Casella Family Brands, one of Australia's largest alcohol companies, presented the unique challenge of transitioning their wide portfolio of brands, including the iconic [yellow tail], from physical stores to the online space. As [yellow tail] ventured into e-commerce for the first time, we meticulously crafted a strategy that respected their strong retail partnerships, while also establishing a distinct online presence.
For [yellow tail], this meant introducing e-commerce through educational content that reassured customers about the ease and benefits of buying directly online, without discouraging them to shop at their wholesale partners. Through building these complex automations, we could ensure customers were nurtured at every touchpoint of the customer journey.
Developing flow sequences directly in Klaviyo’s platform including abandoned cart flows, welcome flows, replenishment reminders, and winback retention flows, we were able to successfully guide [yellow tail] and other Casella brands into the digital marketplace, creating the core foundational pieces to facilitate future growth in the e-commerce space.
"The Growth Gurus have been a trusted extension of my team, consistently helping us overcome critical challenges in CRM and email marketing. At Casella Family Brands, we needed a partner who could take ownership of our CRM database structure, create a seamless migration plan to Klaviyo, and elevate our marketing automation efforts. Their commitment has been exceptional, going above and beyond to deliver results, making them an integral partner in our e-commerce journey."
Casella Family Brands
Maintaining exclusivity across channels
In comparison to alcohol brands with a goal of driving revenue through digital communications, our work with Sullivan’s Cove presented a unique challenge, as the brand’s exclusivity and small-batch production required a distinct approach to customer engagement.
To accommodate their ballot-based sales model, where customers enter a draw to purchase their coveted whisky, our focus was on building and nurturing a highly engaged list of whisky enthusiasts. Pop-ups, hosted by our partners Justuno, played a crucial role in this strategy, serving as a key tool for capturing visitor interest and facilitating raffle registrations.
These pop-ups were strategically placed throughout the website, offering potential customers the opportunity to join the exclusive draw, receive early notifications about future releases, and gain insights into the distillation process.
Facilitating list growth in this manner aided in developing a more robust audience to communicate with, and by combining these pop-ups with personalized email and SMS campaigns, we not only grew the brand’s subscriber list but also created a highly engaged community of connoisseurs eager to participate in each new draw.
Letting brands shine with our creative prowess
At Growth Gurus, we take immense pride in our design capabilities, consistently delivering visually stunning and strategically aligned creative solutions across a diverse portfolio of alcohol brands.
Each brand we work with receives a bespoke design approach that perfectly captures its unique style, image, and brand voice. Our dedication to design excellence was recognized on a grand scale when we were awarded Yotpo’s Best Design Agency in APAC for 2023, a testament to our creative team’s ability to innovate and set trends in the industry.
Leveraging the best platforms and strategies, we ensure that every visual element resonates with the brand’s identity and engages its audience.
