Well if Paris Hilton likes it…..
posted by Annie in Wine Industry, Wine
Remember when wine came in a bottle? I totally do. Do you also remember how companies used to market their products based purely on quality and originality? I definitely do. It seems these days most companies simply need to get a pop star or professional athlete to say they dig the product and boom - sales!
Let us address both my questions.
#1. Some guys in Germany came up with the idea to start selling sparkling wine in a can. Thus - Rich Prosecco. It’s definitely going after the club scene and wine cooler consumer. Though wine has been available in box, bag, and jug form for years now, there is something more off-putting about the phrase “let’s crack open a few cans of Prosecco tonight!”
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I rocked the Franzia in college. Everything has a purpose and a place. Its inexpensive, readily available at grocery stores, and easy to open. The purpose of Rich Prosecco is similar to said boxed-wine, thus quality is probably not super important to the consumer who will be drinking it.
#2 Rich Prosecco has also signed a sponsorship deal with Paris Hilton, who stars in their marketing campaigns. Painted in gold. Sans pants. The campaign was launched in December and now every search result for “Rich Prosecco” in Google is some commentary about her. (If they were aiming for buzz, A+!) Us poor consumers - we aren’t even given a chance to evaluate the product for what it is before being hypnotized by celebrity and sensationalism. But really, Paris Hilton? Didnt she just get a DUI?
Most likely the product will do well. (And I bet Paris will have much to do with it.) Perhaps we do need a good wine-in-a-can to create some variety in situations where a glass of pinot noir just isn’t appropriate. Or maybe this will spur interest in consumers to try out real Prosecco and learn more about the tradition and culture in general. (I know many of us would love this to happen!) After all, they do mention on their site that Prosecco is made from “the noble Prosecco grape.” Baby steps people.
Since the product is not yet available in the US, I was unable to research the product. Has any non-US Snoother out there tried it? What do you think of it?
You can now buy wine in single serve juice boxes in the UK. Perfectly designed for on-the-go drinking! They look scarily like your child’s lunch pail juice box to be honest, so am a little leery of seeing these grow in popularity.
If Paris Hilton endorses it, it’s gotta be horrible.
Sure, the Paris thing is in poor taste, but I do like the idea of being able to grab a can of Rich Prosecco and a juice box of orange juice when I know I’m going on a Sunday picnic. Novelty!
Well, I’m all for smaller containers of wine and innovative packaging — I’d like to enjoy a glass of decent wine from time to time without having to worry about finishing the rest. All the more so with sparkling wines. The irrational side of my brain refuses to accept any product endorsed by Paris Hilton, but the single serving sparkling wines is a neat concept.
I would try it if it was put in front of me. Do people still pay attention to Paris Hilton? She represents all that is detestable of the human spirit, the savage genes that we can’t seem to sift out of the collective pool. I think she exists by the grace of God simply as a foil to the decent.