International marketing : Port wine export to USA

Thèmes abordés

Port wine Porto vin export USA

Résumé du document

The worldwide wine market is very specific. It has the particularity that no one wine company (even in the modern world history) has more than one percent of the market, in contrast to other beverages such as sodas. The wine sales have been showing solid growth in recent years, up nearly two percent to 25,066 million liters .

Globally, the two countries leading the wine production are France and Italy. But those two countries are also witnessing a steady erosion of their worldwide market share. And these markets are also predicted to continue losing their share of global consumption from 50% in 1975 to just 25% by 20101. On the other hand, the US has a share of 19.4%, followed by France with 11%.

We are facing a quickly changing market where the sales are subject to many forces. It is therefore a continuing challenge for any wine producer to develop its sales and market shares, bringing the right product at the right place at the right time at the right price. In order to get those elements together, the marketing analysis is a critical step when entering a market or increasing sales in an already implemented market.

In this marketing e-portfolio, I am going to work on Taylor's, a Port wine (also and originally called Porto) producer. The product is a Portuguese fortified wine that is very sweet and tasteful, often used with dessert or as a pre diner drink. I wasn't able to find a regular bottle at a decent price easily in the USA, and I personally love this wine.

First, I am going to present the product, and the company in its environment in a first part, then I'll develop a marketing plan to sell its products in the USA. Finally, I'll support that plan with some marketing communication visuals.

Extraits

[...] For example, in 1920, the director Dick Yeatman introduced the first varietal plantings, method that is commonly used nowadays by wine producers. He was also the first to lead an advanced study of the characteristics of the local varietals and their vinification in order to understand better how to make wine. The man also created Dry White Port wine, Taylor's Chip Dry, as an aperitif. The idea was to creat a refreshing drink after a day of working in the vineyard. They were the first to offer a 10 & 20 years old. [...]

[...] The company has often been a pioneer and won some awards over the time. The Port is exporting to the US market because this market offers attractive opportunities such as a huge potential demand of 206 million people, an increasing wine consumption, changing consumers habits in favor of the wine. We rely on the fact that consumers will appreciate the sweet taste of the Port in order to convert many red wine drinkers into Port drinkers. This is possible whenever the wine is drunk at the aperitif or anytime outside of a meal, moments where the wine is being preferred to others alcohols more and more. [...]

[...] A Facebook page, twitter, or some kind of viral marketing doesn't seem appropriate for this product. A more formal a traditional visual communication is more likely to reach our target. Our target being a man, between 25 and 50, having a comfortable situation. Younger looks for cheaper products, older is already used to its favorite drinks. III- Communication elements Our communication would be supported by the two following visuals : Those two ads are brand oriented since they advertise the brand mostly with a bottle on it, in order to make the bottle easily recognizable by the consumer. [...]

[...] It said that Chrysler and Chevy for instance were losing market share because they only advertised products, while Porsche and Mercedes, whose cars are exporting really well on the US market, were building a brand. This kind of strategy works when dealing with great quality products. Our communication has to be based on our brand because there are many other Port producers on the market. Not that many, but enough to get the consumer only remembering the Port advertising and not the brand. Axing the communication on Taylors is the best way to integrate the brand into the US culture. To support the communication, our company should advertise in wine magazines and on websites. [...]

[...] This figure was increasing of this year, being the 15th year of sales increasing. The crisis the country is going through explains for part the slowing down of the increase. Those figures come from the Beverage Information Group, in its 2009 Wine Handbook. The population in the US is 295 million people. The population being over 21 and representing potential target is 206 million people. With a GDP per person of $42,000, this is one of the richest countries in the world and the consumer have a fair buying power. [...]