Once again I am going ‘off piste' and skipping the next instalment of Marketing Myths.  I am following my heart rather than my head, because I just wanted to share my recent visit to Chapel Down Winery (www.englishwinesgroup.co.uk) in Tenterden, Kent with you.  The event was hosted by Frazer Thompson, their MD, and organised jointly by the IOD and CIM.  Aside from the obvious lure of drinking free wine, I was attracted to this event by curiosity about how the fortunes of a small English vineyard had been transformed from the butt of jokes to the largest producer of English wines in the UK, completely changing the perception of England as a winemaking country.

While Frazer was clearly brought in in 2001 as a big-hitter and potential saviour (he was previously Global Brand Director at Heineken, and before that a director at Whitbread), ultimately it was his disciplined approach to improving their marketing that saved them from bankruptcy.  The inherent potential from passionate, skilled people producing a high quality product had to be developed into a total package, appealing to the right customers, to make it commercially viable.  Frazer outlined some of the critical ‘ps' of marketing that he and the team addressed immediately:

Product: An uncompromising focus on a quality product that they could be proud of producing was the first step, developed to be recognised and appreciated by the wine-drinking population in England. This meant they had to take the painful decision to pour away any remaining stocks that, while perfectly drinkable, did not meet these criteria.

Price: The price of a wine is directly related to the value consumers put on the product, so Chapel Down increased their retail price 3-fold.  Pricing too low simply meant they would not be taken seriously as a competitor in the quality wines market. 

Place: Being seen in the right restaurants, and endorsed by celebrity chefs, was a major plank of their strategy to be taken seriously and earn respectability.  Ultimately earning a place in the quality wine section of the major supermarkets.

Promotion: The key tool used was Public Relations, as it gave a voice to a wide range of respected writers and publications and supported the aims of building recognition and recommendation for the wines.

People: Skill, expertise and dedication were already in evidence when Frazer joined the vineyard.  And he identified 2 more ps that he could tap into: pride and passion.  Without these none of the above would have been possible.

Underpinning all of the above was the decision to build a strong brand around Chapel Down winery, identifying values that tapped into its very ‘Englishness'.  The way the brand has grown and used to influence every aspect of the business was evident as I toured the vineyard, and Frazer stressed how every member of the team was expected to live and breathe the values, and to contribute to developing the brand still further. 

Frazer was able to bring some important lessons with him from the world of big brands at Whitbread and Heineken - not least that structure, process and discipline are just as vital in a small company if you want to achieve great things.

The bottom line is the winery is now thriving and expanding and has earned a highly respected place in both the wine community and the buying public.  Since Frazer joined English Wines he has raised the profile of English wine to such an extent that demand vastly exceeds supply, with sales having trebled and the wines winning many international awards.  Even as a visitor the brand values rub off and it made me proud to be English!  A fascinating evening - and the wine was good too!