Thinking back to last week's case on Wine in China, I was reflecting on how French wine was described as "the ultimate status symbol among China's wine consumers." The consumer perception that Bordeaux and Burgundy wines are by default more high-end than wines from anywhere else in the word gives wine producers and exporters from these regions a huge competitive advantage. Given the preference in China for luxury, brand name products, I think that wines from other regions seeking to make a similar status-play in the Chinese market should consider a marketing partnership with one of the top international retail brands.
This is not to say that they have to go the LVMH route and actually get into both the luxury apparel and wine markets (though that has certainly been a winning strategy for LVMH). How about a Mumm Napa / Tiffany & Co partnership, for example? To be fair, when I first pictured this, I was considering partnerships with the most popular luxury brands in China (Chanel/Cartier/Gucci etc.) but I doubt these European-based companies would be too eager to align themselves with wines from the US. Perhaps this luxury brand affiliation strategy is not best for Napa wines then? Italy, on the other hand, could definitely move the market with a well-executed Versace or Gucci partnership. And just think how gorgeous the ads would be! The wines in question could even take a page out of Lafite Rothschild's book and use packaging tactics like placing the Chinese character for the lucky number 8 on their bottles. And why not on the luxury clothes as well? An exclusive line marketed directly at Chinese consumers that involves both exclusive wine partnerships and includes nods to important elements of Chinese culture could ignite demand and create status symbolism around many deserving regions beyond just Bordeaux and Burgundy.
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