Ep. 2298 Juliana Colangelo interviews Barbara Fitzgerald | Masterclass US Wine Market

Today, I am thrilled to welcome my co host Barbara Fitzgerald to the show. You know, we'll dive right into what our key takeaways are. We're really gonna focus today in the episode with Barbara on this conversation about number one, why advocating for positive communal messaging around wine is more important now than ever before to some measurable success stories from last year's come over October campaign and just the general work that come together is doing around wine advocacy. And then finally number three, the recently introduced Sharon Perry Sundays and how wine brands can get involved with this new initiative. Hello. Welcome to Masterclass US wine market with me, your host, Juliana Colangelo. This show has been designed to demystify the US market for Italian wineries through interviews with experts in sales and distribution, social media, communications, and so much more. We will quiz each of our esteemed guests in every episode to solidify the lessons that we've from the episode. So sharpen your pencils, get out your notebooks, and join us this week to learn more about the US market. Hello, and welcome to Masterclass US wine market. Today, I am thrilled to welcome my co host Barbara Fitzgerald to the show. Many of you probably know Barbara, but for those of you who don't, Barbara is a dynamic and results driven marketing and business development expert nearly two decades of experience in the wine industry. Her current work includes serving as the project manager for come together community for wine, which is the advocacy group behind the global campaigns come over October, which was introduced just last year, and then recently introduced share and pair Sundays, founded by Kara Mcmeal Kimberly Charles and Gina Colangelo, These initiatives aim to reshape the conversation around wine and foster meaningful connections through shared experiences. Welcome to the show, Barbara. It's so great to have you here. Thank you so much, Juliana. I think it's always so fun when we get to record together, but especially when it's like this topic because I know you're just like me where wine is so much more than a career. This is our families, our heritage, our culture. So I just really appreciate the time to talk to her about the campaign. Yeah. Absolutely. I agree. This is gonna be a lot of fun. I think there's a really a lot to dive into here. And you know, we'll dive right into what our key takeaways are. We're really gonna focus today in the episode with Barbara on this conversation about number one, why advocating for positive communal messaging around wine is more important now than ever before. Two, some measurable success stories from last year's come over October campaign and just the general work that come together is doing around wine advocacy. And then finally, number three, the recently introduced Sharon Paris Sundays and how wine brands can get involved with this new initiative. So, Barbara, for starters, I mean, you know, we're in sitting in March twenty twenty five. It's been a tough q one for many wine brands out there. Dry, January made a bigger impact than ever with more and more Americans partaking We've got potential tariffs looming. We've got Ozempic. There's so many things. We've talked about them in both of our podcasts. So for starters, like, why advocacy is so important right now for the wine industry? Yeah. Well, I mean, as you mentioned, there is so much going on right now, whether it's, you know, the industry challenges you mentioned, shifting consumer behaviors, fear driven messaging, but we had to get back to the kind of notion that wine has been bringing people together for thousands of years, and that's really where the conversation should be leaning. So that's exactly why Gino and Karen and Kimberly launched come over October and now Sharon Cara Sundays Sundays to remind people that at its core. Wine is about connection and shared experiences and celebration. And these campaigns are really about shifting the narrative back to something positive. And, you know, we'll talk more about the response a little later in the show, but the response is really showing that people are eager for this. Mhmm. Absolutely. Yeah. And when you say shifting the narrative, like, what do you think as an industry, we're trying to really move away from and move towards when it comes to advocacy? Well, I will say for our work specifically, we're not here to debate health or anything like that. We really just focus on the positive aspects of wine. So there are many, for lack of a better word, negative articles out there. And also, you know, I live here in Sonoma County. I read in the chronicle every day about, like, oh, wineries closing, this and that. And it's, like, even that kind of, like, fear messaging is we need to get back to remember that you know, there's this deep yearning in our society right now for human connection, and wine has played a central role in just that for thousands of years. It's been at the heart of celebrations, and meaningful conversations, and just even simple shared moments. It doesn't always have to be, you know, some huge special event, but we strongly believe that we need to remind people why wine matters because it's this tradition, the symbol of of hospitality and togetherness. And we're just trying to remind people that there's beauty in this. You don't have to be so downtrodden and Absolutely. And everything you're you're hearing, reading. Life is hard enough right now. Hold on. So from what I'm hearing you say, I mean, it's about moving towards more inclusive messaging. That's focused on more positive aspects of wine, but really focus on the emotional benefits in both the community that it builds, the experiences that it might create when you're sharing a bottle of wine, and also, you know, try to simplify the message. I mean, I think in the past, we saw so many wineries and and wine industry is focusing on really technical details about wine, getting into vintage reports, getting into, you know, really technical specifics that I think are pretty relevant maybe for the trade. I don't know if you're selling it but for a consumer can just seem confusing. So It does seem like with the the come together initiative and the campaigns that you all are out there advocating with, they're about more inclusive messaging. Am I right there or is that part of it? We are meant to be inclusive. You know, mine is about bringing people back to the table and there is a seat for everyone, you know. And so it even if people want to come over and quotes, I put it with a bottle of non alcoholic wine or water or tea, that's fantastic. Right? Because what's on a table isn't an either or situation. If there's a seat for everyone, there's a glass for everyone. And so your glass can have wine in it and maybe the person next to you has something else, but it's about just it doesn't matter who you are or what you're consuming. Let's get together because people need that. And wine is a vehicle for that, even if you're not the one drinking it. Totally. And from what I'm reading, I know we see headlines about gen z not consuming alcohol, but we also see headlines about gen z not wanting to date using dating apps about gen z wanting to get back to more simplistic, maybe, let's say, classic forms of dating or getting together, like, hosting dinner parties, and why just fit so perfectly into that occasion, right, of hosting people at your house for dinner going on a date to a wine bar, meeting someone out. So I also feel like, you know, we can try to shift that narrative around wine as something for younger generations as well that can help bring them connection and and shared experiences. So I think, you know, overall, it's just it's just so important. So let's dive into a little bit more about come together and how it works and some of the initiatives. So first starters, tell us a little bit more about the come over October campaign that you all initiated and ran last year. We had Kimberly Charles on a few months ago, while the campaign was happening. So let's talk a little bit about now that the campaign has ended. What were some of the great successes? Yeah. Well, you know, come over October had a really simple idea, encouraging people to just come over, whether it was a bottle line or anything else, but come over, be with your friends, your family, your colleagues, and the response was really incredible. So at the end of that, we ended up having one point seven billion UVMs in press coverage. We had about four and a half million people engaged on social media. We had over a thousand retail activations nationwide, including some pretty major chains like Total Wine, Wow. A really stellar example was Constellation brands who did a promotion with Kroger in over six hundred stores. They had Karen voice over an in store radio spot and then ran that spot in select stores for the month of October. And they showed a direct sales lift for three of their brands. Naomi, the prisoner and Kim Crawford. They showed a lift of about eight to ten percent just from that spot in those stores under that umbrella. So think that the show's like it's very clear. Like you said earlier, this is a simple consumer message that is from a cultural and a social standpoint. And, like, we're all craving each other. We're all craving feeling good in each other's company, those beautiful aspects of culture and socializing. So it's easy for the consumer to understand. Okay. It's really cool to hear, you know, the impressions and the reach on social are fantastic, but also here are those quantitative sales figures as well and that it's driving sales. Because as we know, we're seeing declines in wine sales in the US. So to to see this campaign really affecting sales and so many retailers involved is huge. And obviously, having consolation, one of the largest wine companies on board in the first year speaks volumes to the need in the industry and the response that you all got from from the campaign. However, can you talk a little bit about how international wineries and maybe Italian wineries specifically got involved with come over October? So many of them, it was really more a lot of consortiums. So, like, Camty Clafico was a perfect example. They celebrated a hundred years last year, and they did a lot of co branding for their one hundred year celebration with come over October logos. And it's really as simple as that. We create assets that we give away for free on our website to be used with your own marketing, or another idea is, as an international brand, get involved talk to your importer and see how they can then, you know, get involved with the brands here in the US that are selling your wines. Like, is it something that looks like a promotion similar to what Kroger did? Is it, you know, a simple as meet me if you have the capacity to print some, like, stickers that you put on your bottles when you ship them over here. So people pick them up in the store and they see come over October. You know, there's lots of ways to help spread the message internationally. Too. That's great. That's fantastic. And are you planning to repeat come over October this twenty twenty five? Yes. Absolutely. We are because, you know, what we saw from the first year of come over October and that success is these are really strong plat forms for sales and marketing. Absolutely. But they also just give back to the wine world by uniting us, like unifying us under this umbrella. And at a time when we're seeing so much derision nationally and globally. Like, I know I'm certainly leaning on these kind of shared moments with my loved ones to get through. Mhmm. And I think the success of our inaugural come over October prove that I'm not alone in that. Like, people are cited to embrace a more celebratory communal way of thinking about wine. It's not even about consumption. It's about conversation and connection and just being together. Totally. That that makes so much sense. And what a beautiful message to be out there spreading to when it comes to connection. So before we get to October, obviously, we're in March. We've got a long way to go. A long year ahead of us. Barbara talked to us a little bit more about the new campaign that y'all are launching share and pair Sundays. Yeah. Absolutely. So we wanted to keep the momentum going and actually, you know, after the success of come over October, Gina and Karen and Kimberly met with a lot of their foundational sponsors to get feedback and, you know, what can we do better this year? And they all said, it was great. We wanna do it again. Let's not wait until October. So Sharon pair Sundays was born this time with the addition of food. It's our new campaign that highlights that powerful bond between wine and food and how pairing them makes gatherings even more meaningful. And really, the food aspect allows us to be even more inclusive and more diverse because I mean, what culture doesn't have a gathering tradition around food, you know. So we get to bring so many more people to the table and having it be a day of the week versus a month is really more evergreen too. So we'll be actively promoting it for the ten Sundays of spring from March twenty third to May twenty fifth. But, you know, so so they happens many times many times in the years, so you don't have to stop there. And, you know, even the question, why Sundays, you know, across cultures, Sundays has really been a traditional day for gathering, whether it's with your family or or chosen family, but I like to say that Sunday is also a a mindset if you work on a Sunday or you live in a state where you can't buy wine on a Sunday, like, you can have a quote unquote Sunday dinner on a Tuesday if you're with the right company. So Absolutely. Yeah. I I agree. That reminds me of that great Instagram account. I follow-up with Sunday Scaries that is got, like, millions of followers and they post these beautiful, I deal like images every Sunday, and Sunday is a brand. Like you said, I mean, Sunday is a brand that represents relaxing, getting ready for the week, getting your mind right, spending time with family and friends. So I love that idea. And, you know, here we are in the Italian wine podcast, but, you know, what culture is maybe more known for Sunday dinner, and I know I'm biased here, but then, you know, Italians especially Italian Americans and and our family growing up. Every Sunday, we were up at grandma's house, pretty much every week of the year, all twenty of us. And, you know, it's a simple meal around the table, and everyone chipped in to set the table and clean up. And lively conversation. And when we were young, playing with our toys and our cousins and, you know, what great memories. I mean, I I feel so lucky I grew up having that tradition. And I think, you know, Italian wine is often represented that for so many families in our family. It was like the three liter drug on the table. We got a little bit, you know, fancier maybe later on and got regular seven fifties, but it wasn't about what the wine really was. It was just about the wine bringing people together. Like, you said, having it on the table for us. It food. It wasn't really thought of as as even wine. It was just part of what we had on the table. It's just yeah. Like you said, it's just it's present. Right? It's not about, like, have another glass of wine, have another glass of wine. It's part of the vehicle that people that brings everyone under the same roof Exactly. And the wine. So how do you think that some of our listeners are Italian wineries that are maybe listening to the podcast can get involved with share in person days. What are some things you think they could do? Yes. Few options. So we have co branding opportunities. Like I mentioned, we create all of these assets and give them away for free on our website w w w dot share and pair sundays dot com. You can add our logos to your in store promotions, or even if you know if you're in if you have a tasting room in Italy or wherever you are in the world, the the collateral that you have in there for direct shipments that you send out. Or if you're a restaurant, you can add it to a restaurant menu. Maybe like call out a particular dish and wine on your on your menu. Oh, that. That is, you know, really well together. There's also social media part to a patient. So definitely encouraging both trade and consumers to share how they're sharing and pairing using our share and pair hashtag and by tagging our account on Instagram. And so the more that people use the social media platform, the more we can help amplify the message as well because they're tagging us and we'll continue to spread the words via them and, you know, promote their brand through that ability to amplify There's also retail and on premise activations. So we talked a little bit about what conflation did that maybe that doesn't work for everybody, but it could even be like a themed tasting or special food pairings at a restaurant and a winery. I I just chatted with somebody today from San Francisco who owns a Bulgaria wine import company and she's gonna make like a bunch of Bulgaria recipes and Bulgaria wines. I'm like, how fun? That's like a perfect way to activate this campaign. And then I will I would be remiss if I didn't say this is a very grassroots campaign. All our founders do this pro bono. So we do accept also financial contributions. And while we understand that this is a really challenging time and not everyone has the capacity for that, you know, the number one thing people can do is just spread the message. But if you're interested and you have it in your budget, we would love to talk to you about ways to to sponsor us too. Absolutely. Lillian, how is that budget being applied? Is it for advertising to promote the campaign or or what is something that's It's whether an organization is is doing to to promote the platform. It's basically to create all of these assets like I said, we create so many marketing materials, toolkit, you know, messaging, POS, all of these things to create all of that to keep our website running. Our website is rich with content, especially the share in Paris Sunday's website is gonna have so much It's gonna have a recipe box section where we're gonna share recipes from around the country that people are using. We also put that towards, you know, our employees. So I work for the company, and we obviously get a lot of help too from the wonderful team at calangelo. So, yeah, it's it's really for all of that. Awesome. Fantastic. Well, that's exciting and, you know, you're a few weeks away from launch. I'm sure things are busy. So Barbara will wrap up as we always do with our rapid fire quiz. So you know the drill, answer these questions in just a couple sentences. First question, what is your number one tip for getting involved in wine advocacy work? Well, my number one tip is join us. So visit w w w dot share impair sundays dot com. And when the time comes, you know, w w w dot com over October dot com because we make it really easy to apply all of the things that we've created to your brand and your budget, whatever that may be. Fantastic. Alright. And question number two, what is something you might have told your younger self about working in the wine industry? Ah, this is always a hard one because my younger self was in the wine industry. But, yeah. Yeah. I think that I actually would have told myself that there's a beauty to this industry of community. And I see a lot of industries where there's so much competition, and we just don't have that in the degree. I should say that's, you know, maybe like a tech industry or something does, like, we're really supportive of one another. Hence, you know, this whole, where this whole campaign came from, like, to help each other lift each other up. Absolutely. I always say, like, on my birthday, I get more, like, Facebook messages from wine industry people, I think, than people outside of my industry is just such an incredibly supportive and close knit community, for any of listeners who are not working in wine or are thinking about getting involved or or looking for a career in the industry And finally, we're all traveling a lot this time of year, especially what is your favorite travel hack when you're traveling for work? Pack a carry on. I will I will, like, to only do it with a carry on. You'd, like, I will sit on my suitcase for an hour to compress it if I could get it in a carry on. You know what I mean? But, like, there's nothing worse. I don't know. Flying nine hours and then waiting in a baggage claim is like a tort it's torturing. And then, like, forget it if they lose it. It's that's even worse. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Well, Barbara, this was so much fun. We have to do this more often. Maybe we have to turn the tables next time. I don't know if there's anything you wanna ask me about. But so excited for the launch of Sharon Paris Sundays and, come together as lucky to have you on their team and and working alongside them to bring these campaigns to life. How can our listeners connect with you if they're not already? If you're not already connected with me for these campaigns, you can email me at barbara at come together for wine dot com. As I mentioned, you can find our websites w w w dot share and payer sundays dot com and come over a tober dot com. And I really just wanna say, you know, one little quick wrap up that at the end of the day, these campaigns are not about pushing product. They're about changing the conversation because all of us know wine isn't just a beverage. It's it's a bridge. It's a bridge between people and cultures and experiences. And if we can help shift this narrative back to something positive, something rooted in community, then we're really doing something meaningful. And not just for for the industry, but for the people who love wine and everything that it's about. So join us, please. Couldn't agree more, Barbara. It makes for reiterating that sentiment, and I I know that everyone listening especially those of us that are in this industry will will all agree and and appreciate all the work that you, Gina, Kimberly, Karen, are doing. So thank you all for everything that you're so selflessly doing and all the hard work. I know there's so much that goes into the planning and execution of of everything you're all doing. So thank you as well from me on behalf of the whole industry. Thank you, Juliana. Alright. So it's fun to have you here, Barbara. Thank you again. Yeah. Talk to you soon. Talk to you soon. Bye. Bye. Thank you for joining me today. Stay tuned each week for new episodes of Master Class US wine market with me, Juliana Colangelo. And remember, if you've enjoyed today's show, hit the like and follow buttons wherever you get your podcasts.