Comments on: How to position a wine brand

By: Evelyne Resnick

Evelyne Resnick — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:46:01 +0000

Hi Randall,
Thank you for taking the time to comment of my post. I’m afraid you’re a little hard on yourself . Bonny Doone is a brand respected for its quality, even among Europeans who are usually critical of American wines. Even if your charismatic personality slightly shaded the brand, the brand can stand on its own feet only by its inner qualities. I look forward to Bonny Doone 2.0 when next in the US.
Cheers!

By: Randall Grahm

Randall Grahm — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:57:12 +0000

I am certain that I have been too clever by half in the positioning of the Bonny Doon brand; this is of course presuming that there was anything like a conscious effort to do so. Perhaps it has been my own egomania that has led to such a complete identification of the brand and its owner, and I think that I am now paying the price. Yes, there are few people on the planet who do not know that Bonny Doon is produced by Randall Grahm. The wine and the winemaker do not suffer from a lack of publicity. But, to repeat, I believe that this has come at a certain cost. I am not certain that many critics take the wines as seriously as they might – it is seen as a certain extension of my (putative) mercurial interests, and therefore must be evaluated with a degree of skepticism, a guarded “Let’s just wait and see” approach. Granted, we are still producing vins d’effort, composed wines, reflective of a winemaker’s aesthetic, but in Bonny Doon 2.0, I will truly strive to make the wine(s) the real centerpiece of attention, not their maker. This may be a slightly more difficult point to convey, but ultimately will result in a more sustainable brand.

By: Bobby Cintolo

Bobby Cintolo — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 02:38:11 +0000

NIce article. The Story behind the wine & winery, the Emotional Connection, and the Simplicity of how the brand is perceived should also be considered crucial components.