By Ian Neubauer
The NSW wine industry is launching the most significant marketing campaign it has ever collectively undertaken in a bid to get wine lovers to get behind their state.
Branded New South Wales Wine, the campaign will include four key components in 2008, beginning with the launch of the New South Wales Wine brand identity. The identity will draw on the word ‘wine’ to represent the rolling hills and flat plains of the state’s viticultural landscape and the colours of the various wine styles produced.
According to the NSW Wine Industry Association (NSWWIA), NSW wines sales account for less than 10 per cent of wine sold in the state despite NSW producing 34 per cent of all Australian wine.
“South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia are all parochial wine drinking states. They love and support their own,” said NSWWIA president, David Lowe. “To date that has not been the case in NSW. Most wine consumers cannot name more than two or three NSW wine regions.
“This does not make sense given NSW is home to some of Australia’s oldest family wineries. It’s a challenge the NSW wine industry is taking on in 2008. We are giving NSW Wine an identity and telling the untold stories. It’s an exciting time,” he said.
A promotional drive of the state’s 14 wine regions and their varietal types will follow along with the launch of NSW Wine Week. Kicking off March 9, the week-long consumer festival will culminate with the Sydney Cellar Door event in Hyde Park and is anticipated to attract 15,000 people.
The fourth and final component concerns the launch of the revamped NSW Wine Awards. Now in its twelfth year, the awards are held in October of every year.