CASE STUDIES

Each project is different; a mix of modules that suits individual brand stories, engages customers, fill skills gaps, drives efficiency and grows business.

Key case studies, below. When you’re ready, fill out the questionnaire or email us for next steps.

For the 10th release of Otways’ “Heroes” Vineyard, Wine Brain started with a refresh of the brand story, incl.

  • After marketing was fallow for some years, redefined “Heroes” Vineyard as a quality, cool climate, organic vineyard that sits outside any official GI in the Otway Hinterland; but site specificity and meticulous viticulture make it a top terroir.

  • Identified key messages, benchmark analysis, market insights, core consumers – then wrote the vineyard story translated these to web/social content along with third party endorsements and cellar door content.

  • Tasted and produced detailed tasting and technical notes for web/social content.

  • Developed comms kit for email marketing, press release and collateral.

Case Study: IDENTITY / COMMS

To support the new identity, Wine Brain developed a 12-month comms strategy incl.

  • Targeted wine media PR send out campaigns - top reviews from HuonHooke.com & The Real Review, Halliday Wine Companion, The Wine Front.

  • Developing and managing social media channels and advert buys - from 0 to 1,000 followers on Instagram.

  • Strategic wine show awards entries and results promotion - incl. Australian Single Vineyard Wine Show, Victorian Wine Show, Macedon Ranges Wine Exhibition (Best Winery of Exhibition), Melbourne Royal Wine Awards, and Finalist - 4th Annual Vineyard of the Year Awards – Young Gun of Wine Awards.

  • Event calendar of smaller and major event participation - Young Gun of Wine Vineyard of the Year Tasting, Drink Victorian Tasting, Good Food & Wine Show, Urban Wine Walk, Farmers Markets incl. organising Foodtrader and Major Events License.

  • Targeting local trade contacts and arranging vigneron tastings, with planning for trade rep on-boarding - listings at The Lakehouse, Armadale Cellars, Banks Fine Wine, Woodend Cellar & Bar.

Case Study: IDENTITY / COMMS / TRADE

Case Study: COMMS

For regional collaboration of 40+ vineyards, Wine South Tasmania, Wine Brain rolled out an integrated comms strategy across Spring In the Vines ’24 and Southern Open Vineyards ‘25, incl.

  • Developing event partners to encourage interstate visitors – incl. The Tasman, The Old Woolstore, Hadley’s, Ageing Barrel Tours, Apple Isle Tours, The Derwent Experience, The Wine Hopper, IBD Convention

  • Wrote and pitched the press releases and media kits targeting long and short lead media, on the mainland and local Tasmanian press – media hits incl. ABC Radio Hobart, The Mercury, Time Out Australia, Gourmet on the Road, and advertorial in Halliday Wine Companion and Wine Pilot.

  • Created and scheduled month-long social media campaign - 5 posts pw x 4 weeks across Instagram and Facebook feat. key experiences and vineyard destinations.

  • Reworked social media messaging for weekly emails - addressed to WST Mailchimp ‘wine lovers’, producers, and ally audience to further reach.

To support the story-driven comms strategy, Wine Brain also

  • Updated the key messages, like discovery of famous producers and boutique gems, insider experience to existing web content.

  • Curated images to better target core consumers.

  • Developed Google Maps for Touring from previous content.

  • Worked up experience guides, like sub-regional exploration, family fun, sparkling highlights.

  • Recommended social boosts and maintained social media community with organic engagement.

For the first release of an own label from an established vineyard, Glenhope Vineyard, Wine Brain created an engaging brand story, incl.

  • Defined Glenhope Vineyard as an established grower vineyard, to provide provenance for the newly launched label, site specificity, regionality and winemaking philosophy.

  • Edited vineyard story, worked with web designers to update web content.

  • Tasted and produced detailed tasting and technical notes for trade and consumer.

  • Developed comms kit for email marketing, press release and collateral.

To support the new identity, Wine Brain developed a 12-month comms strategy incl.

  • Since the vineyard lies outside usual vigneron association groups developed collab with Forest General Store to provide local produce at cellar door and promoted private tastings with visitors to destination restaurant, Brae – and integrated booking platform to the web for cellar door visitors.

  • Targeted wine media campaign, incl. writing and pitching press release to a select media list – top reviews from Halliday Wine Companion, The Wine Front, The Real Review, Inside Burgundy, Australian Wine Review – then creating Reviews web page and quoting on product pages to leverage endorsements.

  • Developed a 12-month Activity Calendar of seasonal campaigns, collaborations with key trade relationships on the Great Ocean Road and ‘City Series’ events in Melbourne, smaller and major event participation, winery and vineyard experiences, and sponsorship leverage.

  • Over a 2-month Marketing Retainer, managed social media channels and email marketing; setting up Mailchimp templates, Meta social post scheduling, content curation, and database development for process handover to in-house management.

For Huon Valley vineyard, Two Bud Spur Vineyard, they had well-articulated brand story, so Wine Brain focused on PR campaign, 12-month activity plan project, and establishing consistent practices for engagement and reputation building.

  • Telling the story in terms of sustainability, quality, aging, Huon Valley, classic varietals Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with unusual Gamay and Gewurz varietals, and local cellar door engagement with the project delivered over two months.

  • Targeted wine media campaign, incl. writing and pitching press release to a select media list, sampling to build brand equity – top reviews from The Wine Front, The Real Review, Australian Wine Review, Winsor Dobbin – Gourmet On the Road.

Case Study: IDENTITY / COMMS

This consumer event planning & PR was complemented with an engaging digital campaign incl.

  • Scheduled social media posts (2-3x week) promoting the new release, live music, and event experience elements

  • Mailchimp email marketing to reach cellar door database with locals and city messaging

  • Increased follower engagement with posts across social media channels.

Case Study: CONSUMER

This consumer event project required multilayered project management from concept to completion incl.

  • The event was complemented with an engaging social media campaign that:

  • Utilised throwback photos from the last 20 years

  • Developed #AC20thdayFest hashtag for consumer and winery participation

  • Increased in followers and active engagement with posts across social media channels

  • Wine Brain produced the campaign strategy, content for website and email footers, old image selection, suggested branded t-shirts, supplier letters, producer schedule and media kit.

For Macedon Ranges wine producer, Kyneton Ridge, Wine Brain developed campaign to promote their new Pinot Noir launch with live music, incl.

  • Developed the Skipping Rabbit Yacht Club concept and messaging, which ran over 8 weeks

  • Incl. event planning to meet budget/profit expectations and theme in line with the 70s and 80s live music by the Yachtski Brothers

  • Developed two-tiered ticketing (GA on the Deck $60 and Captain’s Table $100), new release Pinot tasting format, and themed menu development

  • Included V-Line Transfer to the winery to encourage Melbourne visitors

  • And PR marketing campaign incl. PR pitch to local, wine, food, travel, what’s on media, and group marketing event submissions (e.g., Wine Australia, MRVA, Destination Central Vic, Visit Macedon Ranges)

  • The tickets for 100 guests were sold out 3 weeks before the event.

Case Study: CONSUMER / TRADE

For Melbourne boutique wine retailer, Armadale Cellars, Wine Brain developed a 20-week campaign to promote their 20th Birthday , incl.

  • Developed the Armadale Cellars 20th Birthday Festival messaging that ran over 20 weeks

  • Overlaid campaign on existing consumer tasting calendar

  • Collab with key wineries for mutually beneficial marketing content

  • Rewarded customer sales with a ‘golden ticket’ tactic (a double pass drawn at each event for buyers to be guests at the invite-only birthday lunch).

To leverage the third-party endorsements, Wine Brain developed a 12-month comms strategy incl.

  • The activities focused on driving customer to cellar door with public events, tastings, workshops, pop ups, and important milestones in the vintage (e.g., budburst, blending), and regional festivals.

  • Retained the events and activities that worked in previously, building consistency for customers. And add new ones working with regional collaborators like Gardens Bay Farm, Tongola Cheese, Cygnet Folk Festival, etc.

  • Developed new experiences that communicate the brand messages and features: small batch winemaking, sustainable/regenerative viticulture, Australia’s most southern winegrowing area, Vineyard, Winemaker, and Local Series, and Wine South Tasmania.

  • Activities at the cellar door provide content for social and digital channels and opportunity to build the community and database.

  • With month-long Marketing Retainer, managed social media channels and email marketing; setting up Mailchimp templates, Meta social post scheduling, content curation incl. briefing local photographer to update photo assets, and database development for process handover to in-house management.