Wine Society ups focus on USP with refreshed look

UK wine mutual The Wine Society is rolling out a refreshed look across its website and communications this month, to bring its logo and communications up to date and better reflect ‘the joy of wine’.

Head of Wine Pierre Mansour said the company was passionate about the joy of wine but it had become apparent from members’ feedback that this was not coming across clearly enough.

As a result it is rolling out a brighter, updated image across its printed materials, emails, website, Wine Society vans, signage, tastings and its Stevenage showroom this month, which it says will still communicate its expertise, heritage and authority, but communicate its unique selling point (USP) more loudly.

The new look is also designed with digital formats in mind.

“We’re making sure that The Society keeps up with the times without losing our great heritage. It’s what makes us different, and nothing will ever change that,” Mansour said.

“We looked at everything we do, from making sure we get the basics right, to looking and sounding our best, and being consciously more loud and proud about who we are, so that our name gets out there, to the right people, for all the right reasons.”

In May, the company reported that its turnover has risen in excess of £100 million for the first time, after a 3% rise of sale despite the tough backdrop for drinks retail sales, but admitted that it needs to be louder about its USP.

Speaking at the time, chairman Sarah Evans said the society used to be proud of being the wine world’s “best-kept secret” but today recognised that a best kept secret was “a recipe for disaster… in today’s fast-pace competitive world”.

“Instead, we want to be loud and proud of what we are, to shout about what makes us special and unique, and to champion the joy of good wine,” she said.

The Stevenage-based wine mutual, which is owned by its members, has a not-for-profit business model that invests its profits back into the business to provide fairer prices for its wines and better services for members.

In April 2017, The Wine Society rolled out a click and collect service in a bid to appeal to millennials, but Mansour told db the service has proved to be more popular with the Society’s core demographic and had become an important part of the society’s comprehensive service to our members.