WISA has announced a new name and branding, alongside a new set of plans for FY23.
Wine Industry Suppliers Association Inc. will be the new name for WISA, seeing its acronym stay the same while the word Association replaces the word Australia.
WISA Chair, Jason Amos, said the decision was made to reflect the global reach of the association.
“We needed to be more inclusive of our international members reach, so at the recent Special General Meeting, members voted unanimously to update the name and our association rules including a Code of Conduct,” he said.
The branding of the association has also been refreshed, with a vibrant red, black and white logo to replace the plum and grey of the previous design. The new logo is designed to make more of an impact and features two connected dots to illustrate a handshake or links in the value sign, reflecting the interconnected nature of the businesses the body represents.
Alongside these visual changes, WISA has also reflected on how it can improve its internal workings, by consulting with members and interested parties for what they would find the most value in. From this consultation, WISA has simplified its membership for corporate member businesses or sole traders, which will allow members to then be able to pick and mix sponsorship opportunities, event engagements and activations.
WISA Executive Officer, Shirley Fraser, summarised the new approach and said: “Over my first 12 months in the role, we’ve listened and literally connected the dots for our members, providing new opportunities and protecting our association brand for the future.
“Ultimately there was the need to articulate our value proposition and the ways in which we operate for the long term, not simply for a one-off event but for strategic goals of engagement, and we believe the new brand and prospectus highlights this.”
WISA member segments cover a wide range of the wine industry, from viticulture and oenology to distribution, marketing, wine tourism and hospitality. The association intends to be the go-to for suppliers navigating the wine sector, and a reference on where to find solutions.
With the new branding and focus, WISA said it is more focused than ever on making an impact for businesses within the wine sector value-chain. One of the first opportunities it will get to demonstrate this is with WineTech 22 next month, held in partnership between WISA WineTech, the AWITC and Expertise Events. The event is one of the biggest wine trade exhibitions in Australia, held every three years and bringing together suppliers, producers, growers, associations, regions, government and educators for future proofing discussions.