As marketers know, the adage “markets are conversations” still rings true, and a remarkably in-depth new study, “Attracting More Young Adults and Multicultural Consumers to Wine,” released December 17 by the Wine Market Council, underscores that in spades.
Currently, wine marketing can sometimes trend towards inertia. Example: With 68 million (out of 170 million) wine drinkers on TikTok, brands are intimidated by (and often absent from) the media platform favored by their newest customers. Innovation is lacking. Are these problems solvable?
Yes, according to the latest data from Mike Lakusta, CEO of Ethnifacts, and the Wine Market Council, which studied 1,816 consumers in their 20s and 30s to find out how that wine currently appeals, or does not, to younger consumers who are increasingly more diverse.
Said Lakusta, “We purposely oversampled the multicultural populations. About two-thirds of the people in this study were Hispanic, Black, Asian or other versus Caucasian, which is about 50% of this age cohort. For the purposes of this study, about two thirds was multicultural,” because researchers wanted to explore these segments in greater detail.
In addition, “20% of the surveys for Hispanics were done in Spanish,” he said, “so we could make sure we were getting good representation, and that is about the percentage of Spanish dominant in the country.”
While the mountain of data substantiates current perceptions, the authors found many eye-opening ways to improve wine marketing at every level.
Inclusion as a Game Changer: Overcoming the Culture Gap
With the multicultural demographics of the U.S alcoholic beverage drinker expanding, the data clearly shows a gap exists. While 52% of respondents found wine relaxing, only 12% felt wine was connected to their culture.
54% said they preferred to buy wine from someone of their own culture.
Therefore, the study recommended making marketing images reflect more diverse demographics.
“When asked who the typical wine drinker is, 35% of Hispanics, 34% of Asians and 27% of Blacks said they were of a different culture than them versus only 13% of non-Hispicanic Whites,” the study authors wrote. “Marketing portrayals of wine drinkers must become more inclusive to attract new consumers.”
Wine Pigeonholed for Formal Occasions and Gift Giving
Wine positioning should be more about fun and less about formal, the study found, with respondents saying they associated wine with a high-end restaurant meal (59%) or as a good choice at an Italian restaurant.
Only 10% said a concert or sport event was a good wine occasion.
While their ideal retail price point while shopping off-premise remains $10 to $20, the data showed this group often prefers small cans or bag in box wines, allowing retailers better price flexibility in meeting the $10 to $20 purchase price.
Relatable Wine Marketing
Counteracting that formal occasion mindset, Lakusta pointed out the wine shop Pairings Portland, run by retailer Jeff Weissler, has made wine tastings very relatable, hosting shop tastings focused on Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, Harry Potter, Dune, Lord of the Rings, Pride and Prejudice, Tarot for 2025, Disney Princesses and more.
The study also showed 61% of those studied preferred sustainable, family-owned brands, with 58% explicitly preferring organic (80% of the wines offered at Weissler’s shop are organically farmed.)
Paint and sip events were also popular at other venues.
Better Wine Descriptions and More Wine Cocktails
In the on-premise world, the study found a startling contrast between the way regular cocktails were marketed on menus, with appealing descriptions of their flavors and ingredients, while wine by the glass had little to no descriptions on menus.
“Wine marketers must demand better wine menus, lists and choices at on-premise,” the study authors wrote. “All groups indicate they wish there were more wine choices at on-premise and there was more information about the wines they can choose. Lack of descriptions and taste information make wine less appealing.”
The study also found wine cocktails were a hot, on-prem opportunity with 72% of 20- and 30-somethings saying they would be likely to purchase wine in that form.
Roughly 30% to 40% of them were aware of wine slushies, frose, wine cocktails mixed with spirits, wine spritzers and wine aperitif cocktails (with Aperol, Campari, etc.).
The Infamous Wall of Wine: It Only Gets Worse Online
Echoing previous studies, the wall of wine in retail continues to be an obstacle for most consumers, with 25% to 30% saying they are overwhelmed. They say wine aisles should be “better organized.” Most reported buying by a brand they know (as a way to combat the overwhelm).
Online, they tend to buy wine at a grocery store’s site (44%) or liquor/wine brick and mortar store’s site (42%). 33% buy from a strictly online retailer (e.g., wine.com) and 28% buy online from a winery.
When shopping online, they pay most attention to peer reviews (39%), similar to their shopping habits for other types of purchases.
20% say wine shopping online is harder to navigate than in a store.
Wine Additives Give Them Headaches
An unusual finding: Between 15% and 20% of respondents said wine gives them headaches, leading the study’s authors to write, “Marketing methods utilized to minimize this could have an effect on up to 20% of consumers.”
Dry whites (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio) and sparkling wines all have lower histamine levels compared to red wines.
Light at the End of the Tunnel: Millennials
While earlier reports have blamed wine’s slower sales on younger drinkers, Lakusta did not embrace that point of view. “There’s a very good light at the end of the tunnel, particularly with millennials when they hit their 30s,” he said.
The full webinar and data are available to Wine Market Council members. Membership information is available on their website at winemarketcouncil.com/join.
