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AS THE OLD ADAGE GOES: “You can’t please all of the people all of the time.” But this is what generic promotional campaigns, by their very nature, attempt to do. Bring together a diverse group of companies, each with a different set of needs and objectives, and try to structure a promotional campaign that will achieve tangible rewards of benefit to each of them – whether boutique, mid-sized or large.

Not an easy task. And not one that is often achieved, especially when it comes to promoting a top-end Spanish wine region. I suppose I should know – I used to try to do it. However the Ribera del Duero and Rueda generic campaign that was launched in the US just over a year ago seems to have proved the cliché and received wisdom wrong.

In fact, the exports of Ribera del Duero’s wines increased by more than 18.1% in volume and 35.3% in value between 2014 and 2015 (Department of Customs & Excise, Spain) – figures that are not often attributable to a brand campaign, never mind a generic.

After its first full year the Ribera del Duero campaign appears to be gaining real traction in the US market, delivering some positive short-term results. Felipe González-Gordon, who is in charge of the campaign, believes the secret to his success is based on the consumer purchase journey, “whereby we need to create awareness to engender consideration which will lead to purchase”. He continues: “Because we are in a very dynamic environment, involving multiple moving parts, the three-tier system and individual brands at different stages of development, the campaign efforts carefully balance trade activities and consumer activities geared to impact these three areas of the journey to purchase.”

And winery and brand owners in the region seem to be impressed – both large and small, and from within and out of the region.

Abadía Retuerta, a single-estate winery with five-star hotel attached, is just on the edges of the DO Ribera del Duero but general manager Enrique Valero sees definite advantages to the campaign. “These types of campaigns are really interesting for various reasons. First, because the US market is key for premium wines from Spain, though Abadía Retuerta wines are not in the DO Ribera del Duero, we have always had US as key priority and we need to communicate actively with our consumers.

“Secondly, this campaign is targeting the right consumer – younger, open-minded and interested in the quality produced in the Castilla y León region. Thirdly, because part of the campaign is linked to top sommeliers, chefs and gastronomy, an important part of our culture and identity, it makes a lot of sense. And finally it is a very clever idea to optimise the use of social media to communicate with a younger target group.”

Spanish brand owner Félix Solis Avantis, with wineries and wine brands across the peninsula, has perceived a wine change. Felix Solis Jnr admits that: “We don’t sell a big amount of our Ribera del Duero wines in the US, but we have seen that there has been an increase in the recognition of these wines in recent years as a result of the marketing campaigns launched by the CRDO Ribera del Duero.”

CAMPAIGN BENEFITS

María del Yerro, owner of boutique winery Alonso del Yerro, working at the other end of the scale, believes firmly in the benefits of the US campaign. “While we are a small winery, working at the very top end of the market, we make an effort to participate in all the proposed activities as I believe they will reap benefits in the long term for the region.” She continues: “There is a good range of initiatives, from press trips to the region to larger tastings in the market, and as a result I think we can see a palpable change for the good in consumer attitudes towards Ribera del Duero’s wines.”

As far as Felix Solis Jnr is concerned, the region’s wines have an “excellent quality price ratio and they can be seen as an option to Rioja”. He continues: “With Ribera del Duero, you have a better wine with a similar price to Rioja, but the problem with Ribera del Duero in the main European markets is twofold – the name Ribera del Duero is difficult to pronounce and still does not enjoy a wide recognition, and the liquid needs to adapt more to international consumer tastes.”

He says: “Two weeks ago we put together a big tasting of the Ribera del Duero wines present in the UK market. Really there was only one out of 10 of the wines that was really adapted to the English consumer with a softer, more easy-to-drink style. This is something that Rioja has done very well and something that Ribera needs to do to progress successfully in these markets.”

The picture for Rueda is a little harder to define, according to campaign director for the regions in the US Felipe González-Gordon. “Rueda sales are not captured specifically by Spain’s customs, but in informal surveys and consultations we are seeing positive signs.” He adds: “However, not of the scope of Ribera, which has been active in the US with institutional campaigns for longer.”

While export figures are not available for Rueda, a quick look at the production shows that the amount of Verdejo now being harvested has soared in the past decade and a half, rising from 15,163,774 kilos in 2000 to 83,583,758 in 2014. The Verdejo varietal now represents more than 86% of the region’s total grape production, according to the CRDO Rueda, which makes it Spain’s white wine success story and an ideal partner for Ribera del Duero given their proximity and contrasting characteristics.

González-Gordon explains: “People do like Verdejo. We get positive feedback at most tastings. The challenge with Verdejo is that it is still an unknown variety for the general public, but image-wise it is doing fine, as the best-selling brands are from reputable producers who understand the US market and focus on quality.” Maybe the region is riding on the coat-tails of its big, red wine brother but if the trend continues and the US public continues to turn on to Ribera, success for Rueda should follow.

TRADE REACH

Working in such a large and complex market as the US is a challenge and González-Gordon admits that they have their “work cut out us for us in terms of trade reach”. He says: “There are more than 500,000 alcohol retail outlets in the US (both on and off-premise) along with many importers and distributors. We do tell our story in trade publications and advertise but our work needs to continue.”

For the coming year there are plans to expand the digital programme giving national rather than geographical reach. “In the digital realm we target specific demographics to which our brands ethos is meaningful,” says Gonzalez-Gordon. “Similarly, when we work with trade partners in many cases their footprint goes beyond state boundaries – but we do focus most of our efforts in the principal metropolitan areas because we have to be efficient in the use of our resources.”

While some in each region have perceived a slight drop in activity in the start of the second year of the campaign the feeling is that this kind of generic promotion is the way forward. Many wish the same kind of investment could be expanded to other markets, where generic activity is happening but not on the same scale as in the US in order to get Ribera del Duero and Rueda on the consumer radar on a more regular basis.

As one winery owner comments: “There is potential for both regions to gain ground in Spanish wine drinkers’ repertoire, and Ribera and Rueda are getting on the map. The challenge comes when we approach consumers who choose wines from other origins. First you have to get them to choose Spain, then not to go for a Rioja. Only then can you start a conversation and you can only do that if you spend a lot more money over a longer period than one year.”