Behind the Scenes: Insights on Marketing Strategies in the Wine Industry - ⁠Renee Zhao | Horizon Search 32

Renee Zhao is a market researcher and wine enthusiast who understands the importance of online research and spends significant time analyzing wine spirit volume in different countries to identify promising markets. As Director of Marketing and Communications for ProWine Asia, Renee recently visited Singapore to further her research, immersing herself in the local bar and restaurant scene. She studied menus, observed new trends, and noted the selection of wines available.

Additionally, she explored wine shops to understand pricing and the types of wines that attract customers. Renee even took the opportunity to connect with customers over dinner, asking about their preferences and reasons for visiting certain establishments. She firmly believes that combining online research with physical interactions with local customers maximizes one's understanding of the market.

Key quotes

• The Importance of Cultural Understanding in Digital Marketing: "I think it's very important to the marketer to go to the market, go to the region and to talk to the people there. For example, of course you need to meet with a customer, right? If you want to know more information about the market, you need to talk to the customer." — 00:04:08-00:05:23
• The Power of Influencers in Marketing: "I really think in this era, marketing really depends on the impact of these influencers... they can really give you some advice or can help you to promote your brand in their territory and to reach out to the customer. You never have a chance to connect." — 00:32:15-00:32:27

Timestamps

• [00:02:27] Marketing strategy: monthly travel to different cities, Singapore trade fair expands to Southeast Asia, events and collaborations in neighboring countries.
• [00:04:08] Digital marketing maximizes market exposure, but culture matters.
• [00:08:20] Changed major, found passion in marketing job.
• [00:10:45] Marketing is vital; sales team and conflict.
• [00:16:07] ROI defines good and bad marketing.
• [00:20:42] Brands target specific audience, customer behavior matters.
• [00:23:30] Market dynamics vary by region, emphasizing branding.
• [00:24:43] Strong branding and lifestyle-focused marketing approach.
• [00:30:14] Focus on cost-effective marketing using Chinese influencers.
• [00:31:18] Startups collaborate with influencers to market products.

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