Woodcock Brothers Brewing Company: "Niagara Wine Tour Beer Tasting Marketing Communication Plan"

1. Michael Woodcock 8/12/2012
Project D: Artifactual Model
1. Niagara Wine Tour: “Beer Tasting” Marketing Communications Plan
Marketing Objective: (Value Proposition)
The WBBC is located in the Niagara Wine Region. This is a very popular destination
area for wine coinsures form all over the country. There is an organization in Niagara
County that has created the “Niagara Wine Tour” with events all year long. This is a
popular tour, which attracts many consumers to the area. Wilson, New York where the
WBBC is located is one of the points on the tour with the local wineries in the area.
The value proposition is this untapped group of consumers who travel through the region.
Wine drinkers like micro beer drinkers appreciate a good brand. The idea is to create a
brand of micro brew that is unique and appeals to the wine tour consumer.
1) Research:
o Research shows that of Belgium Styled Beers have a unique taste and presentation
much like wine. Belgium Champagne beers: Champagne style beers are generally
ales that are finished "à la méthode originale" for champagne. Examples include
Grottenbier, DeuS and Malheur Bière Brut. They receive a second fermentation
much like Champagne does and are stored for several months "sûr lie" while the
fermentation lasts. This creates the smaller, softer bubbles that we know from
Champagne, but maintains the beer flavor and style.
o Research of web sites like www.chowhound.chow.com that had an article “Beer
for Wine Drinkers”. The discussion board yielded a number of responses for beer
recommendations that taste like wine. The main recommendations were the
Belgium style beers.
o My idea is to tap into this new type of consumer that is traveling through on the
wine tour. WBBC could create a unique variety of Belgium styled beers
specifically targeted at this consumer. They could align themselves with the wine
tour events as the WBBC “Beer for Wine Drinkers” tastings. The new brand of
beers should pair up to a type of wine and food:
- Belgium style beer that tastes like champagne.
- Belgium style beer that tastes like a chardonnay.
- Belgium style beer that tastes like a merlot.
- Belgium style beer that tastes like a sherry, etc…

2. I reviewed the different Belgium Beers on www.beerrate.com and
www.beeradvocate.com.
The packaging should reflect that of a wine bottle design used by the Belgium Beers and
served in a wine glass. This should be uniquely designed and branded. This untapped
market and unique approach would set the WBBC apart from competitors who do not
have access to this target audience and they are not producing this brand of beer.
Wine Tour Events and Map:
The marketing campaign research shows that there are Wine Tour Events yearlong and
the map shows where these events take place and the 12 of the 16 wineries are within 15-
20 minutes of WBBC. The marketing campaign should coincide with these events. These
events take place monthly all month long on primarily on weekends.
12 wineries are within 15-20 minutes of WBBC. Route 18 which is a major route that
wine tour customers have to travel to get to 4 of the major wineries on the tour. This
route runs right past Wilson.

3. Campaign Life Cycle:
Research:
1) Find out who the marketing contacts are the Niagara Wine Tour and establish a
relationship and create a proposal that WBBC be a part of the tour experience and
included in their marketing campaign. Establish relationships with the local
wineries. Create business partnerships to implement mutual marketing events to
promote business. WBBC can do beer and wine peering with wines from the
local wineries to help promote the wineries and WBBC.
2) Research the different styles of Belgium Beers and which ones would work best
for the different wine drinkers tastes. Which beers have a taste like a particular
wine? What type of food parings would work with these beers that could be
served with the beer at these events.
3) Research the wine tour events for the year and where and when they take place.
Each monthly event is based on a theme for that month and the marketing
campaign should coincide with the wine tour events. Create a timeline for the
campaign and have it map with the wine tour events.
4) Research the maps and locations of the wineries and determine the WBBC
proximity to the wineries where the events are taking place and the flow of the
tour on the map. This research will help determine how to best target the
consumers as to when and where they will be.

4. 5) Research the wine tours and the local wineries marketing strategy and determine
what they are doing best to target there wine customer.
Design and Produce:
Campaign Marketing Materials:
Online and Social Media:
o Create a “Niagara Wine Tour” Beer Paring section on the WBBC website with
links to and from the http://www.niagarawinetrail.org.
o WBBC will create a twitter and Facebook account to target wine tour consumers
who use twitter and Facebook. Create links on the WBBC website to direct
consumers to follow WBBC for tweets or on their Facebook accounts about the
beer paring events.
o Work with “Niagara Wine Tour” marketing to create a WBBC link with
information on http://www.niagarawinetrail.org for WBBC Beer Paring events.
Create Belgium Styled Beers:
o Create a variety of seasonal Belgium styled beers that appeal to wine drinkers.
The beers should have some characteristics and presentation like wines. The
packaging should reflect that of a wine bottle design used by the Belgium Beers
and served in a wine glass. This should be uniquely designed and branded.
o The beers could be pared with foods like a wine tasting.
Implement:
Monthly Events:
o A marketing timeline will be created for the each monthly event. WBBC will
create it’s own themes that will coincide with the monthly wine tour events.
o The beer and food paring will be uniquely different for each month’s event.
o Measure sales and response at the end of each month for each event.
January: Warm Your Winter with Wine!
(Saturdays and Sundays in January)

5. February 10 -12: Be Mine With Wine
April 13-15: Taste of the Trail
June 15-17: Wine and Cheese
July 28-29: Wine and Culinary Festival
September 7-9: Harvest Fest
October 19-21: Hallowine
November 9-11: Share the Bounty
December 1-2 and 7-9: Holiday Happening
Purchase
o Beer tastings or samplings will be free at each event.
o Beers will be made available for purchase from tap or in bottles to go.
Measure
o Customers should be given a tasting card with a description of each beer they try
and give a rating for each. On that same card ask them to fill out information
name, address, email and how they found out about the tasting for future database
marketing. Ask them to turn in the card at the end of the tasting and they can keep
the branded beer tasting glass they used for the tasting.

6. o Website and social media tracking to see what customers are using what online
media when searching for this event. This information may also captures on the
tasting card.

7. ABC-Q Method
A. Meet Expectations:
Tasting:
Belgium styled beers.
- Belgium style beer that tastes like champagne.
- Belgium style beer that tastes like a chardonnay.
- Belgium style beer that tastes like a merlot.
- Belgium style beer that tastes like a sherry
- Specially designed beer glass for tasting.
Other ideas:
(use small tasting glasses instead of wine type glass)
- Create special wine style bottle or pour direct from tap.
- Food parings with beer.
- Marketing Communication plan to drive consumers to WBBC.
B. Create Confidence:
- Disposable tasting glasses for the sampling and then give them a wine
style glass if they purchase a glass.
- Create a WBBC Brew Club card and have the consumer sign up to get
card and WBBC can collect customer data and they can use it when they
make purchases and accumulate points towards discounts on future
purchases.
C. Create Anticipation:
Design Questions:
- Is there a better way to offer multiple tastings cost effectively with out
changing the experience?
- Is there a better way to collect data on feedback on the different beers?
Design Solutions:
- Create a way to offer tastings and actual servings.
- Create a system of dispensing multiple varieties without waiting.
- Create WBBC Brew Club card as way to collect consumer data and make
money.

8. Q. Recontextualize:
Better Design Solution:
- Create a “Beer Station”.
- Card reader to swipe club card for free tastings and to make purchases.
- Card collects consumer data.
- The system dispenses multiple varieties of beer without waiting.
- The system will dispense different sizes:
1) Tasting size (free with a WBBC Brew Club Card).
2) Pint size (Add money to your WBBC Brew Club Card and use it to
make your purchase).
Micro Brew Station
I was recently at a new wine bar in town and saw the coolest new machine called the
“Wine Station”. The idea is that customers who come to the wine bar/restaurant/lounge
can buy wine by the glass from a machine called the “Wine Station”. The machines serve
1 glass of your favorite wine with the swipe of a wine card that you purchase at the bar.
You can put as much money on the card as you want and use it whenever you want. It is
a great way to try different wines without getting the waiter to serve you. You can also
buy these cards as gifts for family and friends.
So I was thinking you could take the same idea and make a “Beer Station” and have them
at the microbrewery. The brewery will have a waiting area with tables and chairs inside
and outside so while your waiting for a table you can go up to the machine with your
brew card and swipe and “viola”, you have your cold micro brew without the wait.
This is value proposition for the customer who wants a beer while they are waiting and
doesn’t want to wait for a waiter or bartender to get them a beer. You can try 6 free tastes
with a minimum purchase of a $25 card, pint ($), 20 ounce, ($$) or fill up your growler ($
$$) to go. This would be a way to service many types of customers and free up wait staff
to focus on the customers who are dinning or at the bar.