Wines from Rioja appoints space

A Space product story

Edited by the Marketingweek Marketplace editorial team Apr 25, 2008

The marketing body that represents all Rioja wine producers in the UK has appointed integrated marketing communications agency space to create a campaign to drive awareness.

The advertising campaign is intended to drive awareness of the world-famous wine region in Spain and the wide range of red, white and rose wines it offers.

Space will also be tasked with updating the image of Rioja wines, instilling a more modern and dynamic brand association while reinforcing the associated quality with wines that come from the Rioja family.

The campaign will be aimed at a professional audience (25-44 year olds) to create a shift in consumption away from the traditional 'with food' occasion and placing a greater emphasis on choosing Rioja wines in a more contemporary on-premise social occasion, where much of today's wine category growth is focused.

The campaign, due to launch in September, is planned to predominantly involve press, outdoor and online advertising.

Debbie Feickert, Director of Wines from Rioja, said: "While Rioja as a wine region is well known, we need to drive awareness of the modern styles of reds, whites and rose wines it produces among the next generation of wine drinkers, as well as change perceptions about how our wines can be enjoyed.

"We appointed space because of the refreshing and dynamic ideas they presented to us at the pitch, as well as their thorough understanding of our consumer audience and where we need to be in the future to ensure we continue to increase our share in what is a very competitive marketplace".

David Atkinson, Managing Partner at space, said: "The Rioja wine region has an outstanding heritage, so we are very pleased to play a key role in communicating the wide range of wines the region produces to a new generation of consumers.

"We are also relishing the challenge of helping to evolve perceptions of Rioja by revealing a vibrancy and youthful spirit in our communication".

Wines from Rioja is the generic body representing all Rioja wine producers in the UK.

Rioja accounts for around a third of all Spanish wine sales and although UK sales of Spanish wine are in decline, Rioja is up by 7 per cent year-on-year.