It’s been a while since I’ve done whisky tasting, but last night was a welcome return. Arranged by my client, The Wright Wine Company Limited and presented by Isle of Arran Distillers Ltd‘s Mariella Ramano, it was a fantastic evening.
But as this isn’t Facebook, I’m putting my marketing head on with the following…
Why was it so good?
1. Know your customer.
The organisers clearly knew their customers and delivered to them. Yes, there needs to be process and order of sorts, but they delivered in more ways than just arranging tables and booking people to come. A way of looking at this is their brand (the bits way beyond/before visual identity). In this case, it was outgoing, appreciative, fun, humble, extremely well-informed and incredible entertaining.
2. Delivering what was promised.
The premise was straight-forward but so often people get this wrong.
They told people what they will get, they delivered this really well and then, I hope, they will tell more customers how well they deliver when they say they will.
3. Story telling.
This was the big one for me. Yes, each whisky has it’s own flavour profile and visual identity – but it would be wrong to overlook the significant impact impact made by how the scene was set. This wasn’t just story telling about how a small island distillery made a great success of itself, but also about how a native Italian came to be a global brand ambassador for a Scottish whisky. From factual to personal, funny, observational and always enthusiastic – a room of 70 or so people were in the palm of Mariella’s hand.
I personally feel I know more about (and have a greater affinity with) the distillery – and am also armed with stories and anecdotes I will no doubt use myself.
So now my head has cleared and a new day begun – what’s the key thing from this?
My perception of both companies, The Wright Wine Company and Isle of Arran Distillers, is fantastic. Being honest, one is a client, but the effect of one evening is;
👉🏻 I’m an (unpaid!) advocate of both brands
👉🏻 I want to revisit the Isle of Arran
👉🏻 I want to revisit both distilleries on the Island
👉🏻 I will be drinking Arran whisky this evening
👉🏻 I will wholeheartedly recommend you do the same.
Side note; I haven’t mentioned price or sales in this – and that was on purpose. Yes, both organisations will I’m sure look at the immediate value these events have – but they will also consider the long term value too.