Chianti Classico Connoisseur a.k.a. American Student Meets Italy
Who wouldn’t love to spend six weeks in the beautiful Italian region of Tuscany?…Yeah, that’s what I thought. No one. Summer of 2015, I was one of those fortunate American students who decided to relocate their uncultured selves into a completely new country. This included a sincere attempt to blend in with the lifestyle around me. Part of my mission to culture myself during my Florence summertime was to indulge in everything wine…as you can probably assume, no complaints here. This was the epitome of a luxury lifestyle for me. Being that I was 20 years old at the time, I took every opportunity I could to legally enjoy the adult beverages before returning to underage American deprivation. I quickly observed from the community that Chianti Classico was a red wine that the region of Tuscany is famous for, portraying the image of luxury and exclusivity in the industry. Those of you smiling that I didn’t know about Chianti Classico at first, please hold your judgements…I was a 20 year old from North Carolina, cut me some slack.
I will be analyzing the social engagement of Antinori nel Chianti Classico and Castello di Ama, two Tuscan wineries known for their Chianti Classico. I will also examine how they create a luxury infused experience for their customers. Even after my intro debrief, you may still be wondering, “Why would Chianti Classico remind her so much of her entire study abroad trip?” Well, my answer to you is simple. I recommend you spend time in Italy embracing the culture and people around you, and then you will understand. You will not regret it.
So, more about wine. Who has killer architecture, stunning views, and nothing but positive visitor feedback all over the internet? You probably didn’t guess it, but Antinori nel Chianti Classico does. They put on quite a luxury show, allowing their visitors to be overcome with intrigue by the brilliance around them. The winery took seven years to complete, and it shows. The detail and visual elements are exquisite and leave guests in awe and ready to share their observations with their social networks. This captivated audience never seems to hesitate posting their Antinori content. This got me thinking that these socialites may be utilizing some social platforms slightly better than the actual winery is. It is always great to engage with the market of customers seeking your products and experiences. In response to high external social engagement, Antinori nel Chianti Classico should consider contributing just as much conversation to the high-use platforms. This would lead them away from relying too much on highlighting customer-generated content.
The winery has done a fantastic job of linking their social platforms to their website for easy navigation. When clicking on Instagram specifically, the browser is led to content shared by consumers, not the brand itself. The Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest account links all feature Antinori nel Chianti Classico produced content. I believe the brand should expand that practice to their Instagram. This starts with creating an account that they specifically manage as an addition to their popular hashtag, #antinorichianticlassico, and location tag that already generate buzz. Increasing the use of the Instagram platform, where their customers are already heavily engaging, allows more two-way conversation to take place between the winery and its valued customers. The brand can express itself on Instagram through its own account in addition to being highlighted in customer accounts.
What to talk about next? Right, more wine. Castello di Ama is recognized for its charm and unique twist on the typical winery experience. The property features artwork to complement the imagery and culture that the winery aims to portray to its visitors. This combination of a winery tour experience mixed with an art exhibit creates brand differentiation to appeal to luxury consumers and in turn keep them loyal. Castello di Ama does a thorough job on their website of informing the consumer about how the brand was built and what strong family ties knit the operation together. Framing a story behind the brand adds value in the mind of today’s luxury consumer. Castello di Ama provides direct links to their Facebook and Twitter accounts, both of which have recent content from the winery itself, as well as reposts and shares of content their visitors have published. As a huge complement, Castello di Ama has great two-way conversation present on these Facebook and Twitter platforms, and their website provides the right amount of information to seekers. My only critique is to potentially expand their social engagement into the Instagram and Pinterest platforms. It seems that Antinori nel Chianti Classico has enough content to reach all of these social spaces, so why can’t Castello di Ama as well?
#luxemarketing #ncstateglm #chianticlassico #antinorichianticlassico #castellodiama
This post was created as part of the Global Luxury Management Program at the NC State Poole School of Management. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
