Consumers Like Wine's Image, Question Relevance in Daily Life: Study

Wine has an image most consumers already like, but its relevance in daily life needs improvement.

That's the conclusion of a just-released new national study, “Wine, Reframed: Making the Category More Relevant for Today’s Consumers," by  Material, an intelligent growth company, and the Wine Market Council (WMC), the wine industry’s leading nonprofit consumer market research organization.

The study paired a national consumer survey with a quantitative content analysis of major online media channels. Material surveyed 900 U.S. alcohol consumers ages 21-65, segmented into core wine drinkers, marginal drinkers and non-adopters across Gen Z, Millennial and Gen X+ audiences. The goal was to examine how consumers across generations perceive and interact with wine online.

Research shows that across every generation wine is viewed as welcoming and approachable, but is often rooted in perceptions of being traditional, for special occasions or for older generations. The study found the opportunity with younger generations, specifically Millennials and Gen Z, to reframe wine as something that is simple, easy to enjoy and relatable versus something to be learned and understood before it can be enjoyed.

The report shares insights on how the industry and brands can tailor communications strategies, with references to specific channels and types of content, to effectively engage distinct audiences.

Additional key findings from the research include:

• Occasion: While wine is still seen by many as reserved for special occasions, normalizing more casual occasions for it to be served gives consumers permission to enjoy it on their own terms.
• Versatility: Young drinkers are experimenting with how they serve and enjoy wine, from over ice to mixed formats to new occasions. Brands and the broader industry that embrace versatility stand to stay more relevant.
• Visibility: Wine has lower online visibility than other alcoholic beverages across major media channels. The opportunity is to increase its presence on platforms where consumers already look for inspiration.
• Confidence: Consumers generally do not see wine as exclusive or overly serious. However, many still don’t know what to choose in everyday moments. Consumers need confidence, not complexity. Guidance, sampling, pairings and approachable experiences lower the barrier to exploration, making wine more accessible.
• Discovery: Wine content needs to do a different job for different generations. Gen Z responds to relatable, human content that is approachable and appeals to their sense of humor; Millennials want personalized, exploratory content; and Gen X+ wants practical pairing and selection guides. A one-size-fits-all message won’t work across audiences.
• Wellness: Health and wellness remain a top priority for the Gen Z audience, so transparency around sourcing, nutrition, ingredients and how wine is made is a meaningful opportunity for the industry and its brands.

“Our research found that wine doesn’t need reinventing; it needs to be recognized as something people can reach for more often than they do right now,” said Machias Turner, director at Material. “Gen Z is experimenting with wine in non-traditional, creative ways and discovering through social media, while older generations are leaning on more traditional, established sources. This research shows where those opportunities live and how to capitalize on them, generation by generation.”

“This research gives our industry a clear and encouraging direction. Consumers already see wine as welcoming and approachable. Now we have a better understanding of where they are discovering wine, what content resonates across generations, and where wine has an opportunity to be more visible. By meeting consumers in the channels they already use with practical, relatable guidance, we can broaden wine’s role in everyday life without losing what makes it special,” said Michelle Egan, President, Wine Market Council.

The full report is available exclusively to Wine Market Council members.