Pigeons or vultures?
It is not unreasonable to assume that if a winery has put effort into designing an appealing label, they have also invested in producing a quality product
Andrew J. Linn
Friday, 23 June 2023, 11:08
Of all supermarket aisles, the ones where shoppers spend quality time is the drinks section. Just tarry a while and watch people stroking their chins ... or consulting their smart phones. They are invariably searching for a wine they have heard of but never tried, or a wine with such an eye-catching label that is hard to resist. We hear comments like 'That looks interesting', or 'I haven't drunk that for ages'.
It is natural to be drawn to visually appealing objects, and an attractive label can make a wine stand out on the shelf. It can also convey a sense of elegance, sophistication, or uniqueness, and it is not unreasonable to assume that if a winery has put effort into designing an appealing label, they have also invested in producing a quality product (though not always!).
An attractive label may feature beautiful artwork, a picturesque scene or any symbol that captures the consumer's attention.
Belgian TV recently exposed dubious marketing strategies under the title We are not Pigeons, implying 'We are not idiots.' The programme makers bought bottles of a 2.50 euro supermarket wine and stuck on an attractive label. They sent it to Gilbert & Gaillard, an organisation that awards medals on merit in exchange for a payment of 50 euros per submission. After a judicious lapse of time the wine was awarded a gold medal, with the comment 'Smooth, vibrant and rich palate with clean and youthful aromas that promise a delightful complexity. Very intriguing'. To capitalise on the award another payment for the purchase of special labels was required. Pigeons or vultures?
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