19 Crimes is one of the brands to take advantage of the Living Wine Labels augmented reality app developed by Treasury Estates. Initially, their labels focused on infamous characters guilty of one or more of 19 specific crimes. Punishment for which was being banished to the penal colony in Australia. Many of the wines with these labels are still available. The appeal may be to a slightly older demographic. So how then to attract younger consumers?
Enter Snoop Dogg. Hip hop legend with a bad boy reputation and a good fit for the brand. The Snoop Dogg Cali Red Blend was introduced with a major marketing campaign. It was so successful it was followed up with the release of a rosé. Of course, you would expect a white wine to be added to the lineup. What might seem unlikely is that this wine would be fronted by Martha Stewart. Unless you’re aware of the odd relationship between these major celebrities. They did a cooking show together. Their chemistry was infectious and the show was a success. It probably wasn’t too difficult for Snoop to convince Martha to join the brand family. Besides, Martha has done time. Even if it wasn’t for one of the 19 crimes it gives her convict cred.
Like Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart is instantly recognizable on the 19 Crimes label. The graphics sport the same edginess as the Snoop Dogg labels and the product is named Martha’s Chard. Of course, the label really comes to life as an augmented reality experience. “Work hard. Play hard. Drink Chard.” is one of five phrases expressed by Martha in the series of video clips. Finding those is a bit of a secret. There is no direction on the label to invite you to experience them. There are two ways to access the content. A QR code on the label will take you to a dedicated product page where you can play both the AR content and a promo video or you can download the Living Wine Labels app and scan the label. The latter is clever marketing strategy. You have to be in the know to have this app. This savvy purchaser is likely to share the novelty of this label come to life with others who will do the same.
As challenging as it is to read the text on the back label, 19 Crimes does an excellent job of expressing the values of their brand and how Martha Stewart embodies those values.
Martha says, “The world doesn’t need just another Chardonnay. It needs a great one.” The wine surprised me. It isn’t just another California Chardonnay. The flavours express a brightness of fruit unburdened by the heavy oak and buttery richness typical of Cali Chard. The sugar content is reasonable and it isn’t overpriced.
Would you buy this wine because of or despite Martha Stewart? Would the AR content make a difference? Let me know in the comments below.
