Mission to explain

Waverley has revamped its Intro 2 range with an affable new brand image, Oliver & Greg’s. Phil Pemberton asks why?

WHEN THE Wavelery Group launched its new brand at last month’s London International Wine & Spirit Fair everything was in place.

The brand message was clear, the key players in the company were present to promote it and the wine flowed.  The only things missing were the mythical characters who had lent their names to the new wine – Oliver and Greg.

They were probably too busy looking for new grape varieties in the Andes or negotiating a TV deal to attend, but "their" wine had started the process of becoming a wellknown brand on the shelves of supermarkets, bars and in Chardonnay Girls’ kitchens.

But, as the Italians would no doubt agree, brands aren’t built in a day.  There are so many considerations to take into account. The competition, the price point, the packaging, the grape and that chameleon character, the consumer.

So why did Waverley decide to launch this particular product in this particular way?  To find out let’s glide back in time to the Australia Day Tasting.  I had arranged to meet Waverley’s marketing director Hew Dalrymple because he had told me he had "some exciting news" about a new launch.

I met him in the main hall of the Royal Horticultural Halls and he immediately invited me to a development meeting he was having with brand consultants DJPA Partnership. As he collected other members of the Waverley staff and marched towards a nearby hotel he explained to me the background to the new concept.

"Our main competitor in the ontrade is Stowells," he said. "And although we are having massive success with Intro 2, we feel we need to products," said Dalrymple.   "We want them to trade up to our own wines."  

At the meeting it became clear that Waverley and DJPA had already come up with the brand idea of Oliver and Greg, two charismatic guys who would be "on the side of the consumer" in the pursuit of quality wine.

But there were still many issues to iron out. Let’s listen in: Hew Dalrymple: "Our customers want an approachable wine that is demystified and we must remember our core consumers are the entertainers and adventurers.

We have to get our story right, and it’s crucial that we understand the personalities of Oliver & Greg and how we portray them."  Louise Perry (Waverley group brands controller): "But what exactly is the product? Is it an – Intro 2 – introduction to Oliver & Greg, say, Chardonnay, or is it rather Oliver & Greg introduces you to Chardonnay…?"

Sue Vigor (DJPA): "I think it has to be O&G introduces you to …" P e r r y: "I am not convinced about that.   If we take that option we are making assumptions about the consumer knowing what O&G means and then what Intro 2 stands for.

If they are not aware we are just left with Chardonnay as the selling point.  I’m concerned it does not open the door enough for consumers."  Dalrymple: "Ok, let’s write up two back labels with the different emphases to see how that works."

As a snaphot of a meeting it gives an insight into how these products come into being.  Also present within the group was Margaret Reid who conducted the consumer research around the different angles and ideas for the brand that meetings like these produce.

Further issues included launch timing.  Indeed, as the date for the unveiling at the LIWSF had been agreed, it had implications on label design, and it had to be decided quickly to get the packaging ready in time.

And time and wine marketing wait for no man, so it became brand manager Jeremy Dunn’s job to bring all the creative ideas and logistical problems together and create the product for the Wine Fair.

"We decided to make Oliver & Greg’s the umbrella brand behind Intro 2. Oliver and Greg’s Intro 2 is now the entry level to the O&G range, supported by the more premium core range offer of six wines that is based upon a separate "splash" design," he explains.

"We retained Intro 2 as a sub-brand to maintain the loyalty of the current on-trade customer base, although both ranges will be offered to both trade sectors." 

Oliver and Greg’s affable bloke personality has been fleshed out and the characters, while fictitious, are intended to be built upon the strengths of Waverley as a business – that is the ability to source wines from all over the world.

That message will resonate with the trade but whether the amalgamation of two brands will make sense to the consumer remains to be seen.

The perfect partner?

DJPA Partnership is a European brand design consultancy specialising in the food, beverage and retail interiors sectors.  It has been working for Waverley on Oliver & Greg’s for just under a year.  It has offices in London and Amsterdam.

Founded: 1953 in the UK

Staff: 60

Financials: Group sales 2001 of £7.7m

Clients in drinks: Grolsch, the independent beer brewer, Pernod- Ricard, Jim Beam, Chivas and Jameson.  The consultancy was responsible for the creation of Tia Lusso from Allied Domecq, the cream liqueur based on Tia Maria.

Clients outside alcoholic drinks: Ovaltine, Twinings, Henri Wintermans, Port Salut cheese, Unilever Best Foods, Dixons and Shell.

Key personnel: The company’s three partners, Marc Ten Bruggen Cate (MD UK office), Hans Muyssen and Arthur Brandenburg van der Gronden.

 The business: Waverley Group

The Waverley Group is the wines and spirits division of Scottish & Newcastle and comprises two operations; Waverley Wines & Spirits in the ontrade and International Wine Services in the off-trade.

Financials: £270m annual turnover

Portfolio: Own Brands: Oliver & Greg’s, Cape Promise, Moondarra, Marc Xero, Trulli, Babe, Flat Rock, L’Emage, Lamberts Bay, Blue Max, Vina Aranita Agency Brands: Sartori, Santa Ines, Cecchi, Ropiteau, Pere Ventura

On-trade exclusives: Wolf Blass, Montana, Campo Viejo, Ernest & Julio Gallo

New launch: Oliver & Greg’s, officially launched at the International Wine and Spirits Fair in London, May 2003

Brand story: "Oliver & Greg are two men on a mission to track down the good things in life. Together they have rounded up a collection of superb wines from around the world for enjoying with food or with friends. Selected with an expert’s nose for taste and authenticity, Oliver & Greg make the wine selection process easy for the consumer and guarantee exciting, excellent quality and good value wines."

Offer:

1) Oliver & Greg’s Intro 2 range (available in both 75cl and 18.75cl bottles)

White: Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Grigio

Sparkling: Cava

Blush: White Zinfandel

Red: Pinotage, Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir

Target consumers: Easily pleased, entertainers and Chardonnay girls

Price: Off-trade £3.99/£4.99 depending on varietal

2) Oliver & Greg’s Core Range White: Chardonnay, Central Valley, Chile; Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa

Red: Merlot, Vin de Pays d’Oc, France; Cabernet Sauvignon, South Eastern Australia; Shiraz, South Eastern Australia; Garnacha, Calatayud, Spain

Target consumers: Entertainers and adventurers

Price: Off-trade £4.99/£5.99 depending on varietal