Nerd? Hipster? These are just two in a wild series of wines from Ferro13. Among the others are Hacker, Hashtag and Boss. Clearly, this is novelty marketing. It’s trendy, irreverent, and playful.
Two things surprised me about these wines. First, they come from Italy. Second, for wines that lead with a marketing concept, they are quite decent in quality.
Italian wine packaging is overwhelmingly traditional and occasionally elegant in simplicity. A humourous approach is highly irregular. Which makes this branding quite brilliant. It transcends its origin. The grape varietals tell you they are Italian wines. On shelf, these wines would place comfortably amongst those from any other country.
The big, bold type and eye-catching images on the front label command attention. If that gets you to pick up the bottle and check out the back label, you’ll find additional elements targeted to a young, tech-savvy consumer. QR codes are not unusual but this is the first time I’ve seen a WhatsApp number on a wine label. They’re also the first winery I’ve seen with a TikTok presence. Very smart!
So, who’s buying this wine? What’s the target market? Those whom others see as nerds or hipsters don’t necessarily define themselves that way. Some may even take offense to the label. There’s a high probability for gifting here. If you look the part, you might receive this wine from a friend or colleague. It’s also a good party wine. One to take along for your friend’s amusement. Cool conversation starter.
Many novelty wines are sickly, sweet swill. Residual sugar masks many flaws. The Ferro13 wines rise above that expectation. They may not be best in their category but they are certainly comparable to their varietal and price point competitors.
It’s unlikely that these trendy wines are expected to have a long life in the market. By New Year’s Eve, they will be soooooo 2022. Don’t cry for Ferro13. With the kind of marketing savvy they’ve demonstrated with this series, I’m sure they’ll return with an equally compelling concept.
Are these wines you would buy? If so, why? Let me know in the comments below.
