Sovio Targets Coveted UK Wine Market

Sovio is the first lighter style wine with only 5.5% alcohol but with 100% of the flavor you would expect from a conventional strength wine. Produced by renowned Napa Valley winemaker David Stevens, Sovio was designed for those who enjoy wine but want to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Challenge

TFC Wines and Spirits, the parent company of Sovio, came to 1stWave to help them launch their new wine brand in the most competitive wine market in the world, the United Kingdom. Success in the UK market is a springboard to the rest of Europe and other international markets. With concern growing about the rising alcohol consumption rates per capital in the EU, TFC saw an opportunity to offer a full flavored wine with only 5.5% alcohol versus the standard 14%. But therein lies a huge communications challenge. Lighter style wines were rolled out in California in the late eighties as "wine coolers" and quickly gained a reputation as being adulterated with sugar and juice additives and not for "serious" wine drinkers. Sovio needed help developing their brand image and messaging to appeal to discerning wine lovers.

Solution

1stWave collaborated with TFC to craft a brand identity, website, and social media campaign for Sovio that emphasized the light and refreshing quality of their lower alcohol wines. Core audience attributes were identified early in the design phase. A New Way To Enjoy Wine section was added to the site to speak to the five ways people enjoy Sovio. A social media campaign commenced after site launch featuring a label design contest with a free trip to San Francisco as the first place prize. Over 300 contestants from the UK participated.