Buzzing Around
Italian winemaker Kris is hoping a promotion with Vespa will give its Pinot Grigio brand some traction in the U.S.
The first leg of the campaign is a sweeps for the latest model Vespa scooter, the S50. The bikes appear on colorful, life-size standees outfitted with tear pads and surrounded by stacks of Kris wine. In some outlets, the theatrics pick up with the actual scooter on display.
The emphasis is on increasing display presence, including neck hangers, in both grocery and retail channels, says Andy Gutowski, creative director for Object 9, the agency handling the promotion.
“When the standee is life size, you get the same effect,” says Brad Mayer, marketing director at Winebow, the importer of Kris. “But ultimately the goal is to get the scooter in there.”
A dedicated Web site, www.KrisWine.com, talks up the sweepstakes and educates visitors about the wines. The “Discover the Art of Wine” promotion for Kris — which runs $10 to $15 a bottle — continues through Aug. 31.
After the sweeps, a holiday promotion is set to run from October through December, with packaged wine glass charms in neck hangers on bottles of Kris enticing shoppers to buy. Playing on the overall campaign theme, the tagline will be “Discover the Charm of the Holidays.”
“Kris is a brand that had a lot of opportunity in it,” Mayer says. “We wanted to reach out to more consumers in more points of distribution to develop a clear brand strategy and promotional calendar to grow the brand.”
