Australian Vintage Limited (AVL) aimed to create a new brand that would resonate with Generation Y’s tastes and lifestyles, in ways existing wine brands had failed to do. YOU wine was created with this purpose in mind and to ultimately mirror the values and preferences of Gen Y drinkers.

AVL worked to create a genuine connection with Gen Y, which required a sound and incisive psychological understanding of the target market. Previous research had produced key Gen Y consumer insights and helped AVL develop the idea of reflecting the kind of character that is used to categorise and describe people in their product. Each variety of wine has its own personality story based on evaluations from winemaking and consumer perspectives.

The visual and content impact of the packaging was also created to appeal to Gen Y specifically, with the inclusion of characteristics such as aspirational personality terms on the back label. This allows Gen Y consumers to establish a connection with their own personality match, as well as identify their friends in personalities. The bottles have silk-screened labels to distance the packaging from others and even the health warning — love wine RESPONSIBLY — is presented positively. AVL also aimed for digital interactivity via the brand website, which included a personality quiz that aligns each user with their wine personality match. YOU wines also ensure they use appropriately aged social media influencers to fit with the brand’s sense of generational authenticity and lifestyle appeal. All these qualities and strategies ensure that they successfully target Gen Y.

YOU wines also aim to bring Gen Y’s tastes across from sweeter beverages, therefore the right mix of taste and texture was critical. The sourcing of high quality grapes meant that the varieties could stand as a staple range, as Gen Y drinkers’ tastes became more developed.

The sales from the launch period — August 2015 to February 2016 — totalled 94,212 bottles, proving AVL’s new product a success. Due to the innovative ideas, YOU is being recognised for a New Product Innovation Award in the Australian Business Awards 2016.