Brand, Value, Marketing: Insights from the ProWein Business Talk

This theme of this year's ProWein Business Talk was ‘Marketing in Difficult Times’, exploring how the wine industry can adapt its strategies in the face of global challenges.

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The ProWein Business Talk focussed on the future of wine marketing. (Photo: Messe Düsseldorf / ctillmann)
The ProWein Business Talk focussed on the future of wine marketing. (Photo: Messe Düsseldorf / ctillmann)

On January 14, 2025, the second edition of the ProWein Business Talk asked how wine marketing can evolve in an era of declining global wine consumption. Prof. Dr. Simone Loose presented the findings of this year’s ProWein Business Report and discussed them with Piero Mastroberardino, Vice President of Federvini and owner of the Italian winery Mastroberardino, and Maren Lahm, Chief Marketing Officer at Henkell Freixenet Germany.

The Value of Added Value

“The most important focus is on creating added value for customers. They must feel they are receiving more than what they are paying for,” said Piero Mastroberardino. He emphasized that wine marketing remains in its early stages and must pivot towards long-term, forward-thinking brand building.

This perspective aligns with the findings of the ProWein Business Report, which underscore the importance of brand reputation and exclusivity, particularly for premium and super-premium wines.
 

Emotion as a Key Driver

Maren Lahm highlighted the need for stronger emotional engagement between consumers and products. “Occasions are the key,” she said. “We need to show consumers the moments in which they can enjoy our product.” Emotional storytelling and placing wine in a social context emerged as critical strategies, supported by survey results in the report.

“Authenticity always wins,” Lahm added, noting that tools like technical details about wine serve primarily to guide consumers but do not foster a deeper connection.
 

Tailored Strategies for B2B and B2C

While emotional narratives may be highly effective in B2C communication, Mastroberardino cautioned that a one-size-fits-all approach does not apply to B2B audiences. “B2B and B2C require two completely different languages,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of tailored messaging for each segment.
 

What’s Next?

The ProWein Business Report findings reinforce the need for the wine industry to rethink its marketing strategies, focusing on authenticity, emotional connection, and occasion-based storytelling.

A more detailed report on the ProWein Business Report will be available later this month, providing further insights into the trends and challenges facing the wine industry in 2025.

 

 

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