How Not To Advertise A Wine


Wine ImageJust a passing thought on on-line wine marketing really, sparked by a comment on Spittoon about one of my pictures. A reader commented on how much she liked my pictures; which is lovely. I take little time in taking them though. I plonk the bottle, usually empty, on the table add a prop - the cork, a glass, a random piece of china etc - and snap. And that’s it!

OK, I resize in photoshop and occasionally tweak the colour or the focusing (the latter usually when the bottle is mysteriously empty) but that is it. So the question is, if I can snap a decent picture, why can’t those whose livelihoods are dependent on selling the stuff do the same?

I won’t mention any names or give links (mainly because there are so many) but why do retailers take so little time or apply so little effort in displaying their wares in the best possible light? How many retailers have you seen who, in wanting to display a picture of the wine, have such crap illustrations attached?

I am sure many hours are spent over the design and usage of their website. Likewise their tasting notes and background details on the producer, food matching advice etc. And then they ruin the experience by displaying an image taken by a point and shoot that invariably is blurred, set against a poorly thought background, and/or has a blare of flash reflecting into the lens. Not a great way to advertise/sell a product. I’m not saying I am the best photographer ever, far from it, but if I can see that a decent image helps immensely to sell a product, whether Kalvin Cline under-ware or BMW’s,  why doesn’t the retailer?

A more important question might be why the devil they don’t ask me to take the picture for them? Reasonable rates…

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January 31st, 2007
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Reader Comments

Comment Number:
1
Written by:
maarten
Posted on:
January 31, 2007 at 11:42 am

This picture is of course really great!

Comment Number:
2
Written by:
Andrew Barrow
Posted on:
January 31, 2007 at 4:07 pm

Well of course! ;0) I couldn’t pick any ol’ rubbish of mine to accompany now could I!

Comment Number:
3
Written by:
Erin
Posted on:
January 31, 2007 at 5:34 pm

Well actually, nevermind pictures, I would be very happy if wineries and their associated retailers would spend a little time on making sure that all of the products they carry have up-to-date information and accompanying tasting notes. I don’t know how many times I’ve been curious about a wine and not been able to find jack on it.

As far as images, it seems somewhat dense not to include the one thing (or to include it, but do so with an unflattering version) the one piece of information that is an instant recognition maker: a decent picture. People recognize things based on colours, labels, etc, and it helps them find it in a store if they have a clue as to what it looks like. It’s the easiest and, I think, one of the most effective, low-cost marketing tools. Post a damn picture on the website next to the wine.

By the way Andrew, your pictures are fab and much more interesting than most professional/retail sites.

Comment Number:
4
Written by:
Andrew Barrow
Posted on:
January 31, 2007 at 10:28 pm

Thanks Erin, glad you like them. You are right though, especially on a visual medium such as the web - a picture says a thousand words (or summat)…